Question about hips

[Guest Cballet4me]

When I am at class, my hips often times move around a lot and I can't figure out how to control them. Any advice?

[Mel Johnson]

It would help me to answer if you could tell me when your hips start to go out of control. I'll bet it's in rond de jambe?

[Guest Cballet4me]

Yes it is in rond de jambe. Also in piroettes.

PS. Sorry it took so long for me to respond! I was at rehearsal.

[Mel Johnson]

Pirouette comes as a bit of a surprise, but I can see the application.

 

When standing anytime, you must be pulled up out of your hips and not allow your body weight to sink onto the supporting leg. And the working leg must be allowed to move freely in the hipjoint. It's a sort of Newton's Law - "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." The legs actually pull against one another, like isometrics. You hold your hips steady not only with the muscles in your lower back, but in the lower abdominals (lower fronts). Rotation emanates from the hip rotators, of course, like the glute (backside) muscles, but the turnout actually goes up the back quite a ways, as the muscles ultimately are anchored there. As you've noticed the hips shouldn't do "over the waves" as you dance. That's a whole different kind of dancing! Remember this: It's your body. It's pretty dumb. Everybody's is. But you are smart! You know better than the average human being how to control your body because you are a ballet dancer. Outsmart that body!

 

And rehearsals are to be commended, not apologized for!