hips turned out, but feet in?

[pigtailgirl]

I have a problem.. I have fairly good turnout, but when I'm in first, my hips will be turned out, knees facing the side, but my feet are kind of turned in.. In other words, my knees are past my toes. When I'm in fifth.. which is very difficult to make correctly, my back heel is always out, or my front toes are always out. It sort of feels like my knees are blocking what could be a good fifth?.. I hope this made sense.. Please helpp!

[Mel Johnson]

A couple of questions here: First, can you release some of the rotation of the legs so that the knees DO travel on the same line as the toes point? Second, when you put your legs together in first position without turnout, do your knees keep your feet from being together on the floor?

[pigtailgirl]

Uhmm..

1: When I'm not standing in first or fifth.. I can make my knees go over my toes if I'm standing in parallel or just like, standing normally. Sometimes, I can start a combination correctly, but my feet will quickly turn in..

2: (I think I've got this right?).. I can get my feet together, but naturally, they'll separate..

By "without turnout" do you mean.. first, relaxed? (ish)..

 

Thanks .. Sorry I'm not making any sense, really.

[Mel Johnson]

OK, first, you have a problem which may be tibial torsion if you are getting that much turnin below the knee. You're going to need help from an orthopedist and physical therapy to get out of that.

 

Second, let me ask straight out: Are you knock-kneed?

[pigtailgirl]

Oh dear.. Uhm. Sorry, but what's that

[Guest five feet seven]

I have sort of the opposite problem as kp. My knees face in even when I am rotating properly from the hips. Is there anything I can do to help this?

 

:edit:

 

I forgot to mention... when I stand in sixth position my knees face towards eachother.

 

oh yes, and, what exactly is knock-kneed?

[Victoria Leigh]

I think you just described it, five foot seven

[pigtailgirl]

OH, I see Then, no.. I have.. the opposite. My knees touch alot when I stand in sixth.

[Mel Johnson]

Do the knees behave as if they are forcing the feet apart if you straighten your legs?

[pigtailgirl]

Yes, because they're like.. pushing against eachother.

[Guest five feet seven]

oh dear. Is there anything I can do to help this knock-kneed-ness?

[Mel Johnson]

Not really, but what you want to do is work WITH it, not against it. Knock-knees (jarreté - these things sound so much better in French) naturally incline the bearer to superiority in adagio and balanced positions. As a result, the jarreté also works in favor of pirouettes! Petit allegro may be tougher for you, but the bow-legged (arqué) dancers will have had trouble with things that cause you no difficulty. They are the fast dancers! Jean-Georges Noverre wrote in 1760 that he had only seen one or two dancers in his entire career with perfectly straight legs. Correction of turnin below the knee-joint may be more trouble than it's worth and will involve an orthopod (at least).

[pigtailgirl]

Do you know of any good orthopedists in the new york/connecticut area?

[Mel Johnson]

Call these folks:

 

http://www.danceinjury.com/hospitals/hjd/h...nce_center.html

 

They'll know who's best in your area, or say "come on in!"

[shuttleservice]

Knock-knock... not a teen, but a teen daughter with jarrete. I have read vague mentions that this condition will ultimately lead to problems that would prevent a dancer from dancing. But I have never been able to find any concrete info. You sure sound right on the money with the remark that it may be advantageous for balancing and pirouettes.

 

The other issue is standing in first, which of course cannot be done without a fairly large space between the heels. My dd is not at all hyperextended, so the space must remain. It doesn't look very nice from certain angles, but do I understand you to say that others have succeeded in dancing successfully and or for a long time with this?