My first position

[Guest Alive2Dance]

This has been bothering me for a while now. When I am in first position my legs don't touch at all. My heels touch and that is it. I am skinny (but not too skinny), if that makes a difference. But I haven't noticed any other of my fellow dancers looking like that in first. Because of the poor studio I went to my knees were not stretched to their full ability so I have had to work on stretching my knees all of the time . I have noticed since I have begun dancing a lot my legs have gotten a tiny bit closer, but not much. I dont see them ever touching like all of the other girls. Is this a problem? And do you think it is because my knees arent stretched enough or because I'm just built that way? Thanks

[vrsfanatic]

Without seeing you it is very difficult to say exactly what the situation is, however I would venture to guess that perhaps you are bow legged! This is something that is inherited from another family member which means there really is little you can do to actually change it. The good news is that bow legged dancers tend to have a very strong jump! You can work to improve the shape of your legs but they will never be straight-straight! Make sure you work to keep your calf muscles rotating forward, trying not to sit back on the outside of your feet. Don't worry there are many bow legged dancers. Diana Vishneva, principal dancer with the Kirov Ballet is one!

[Guest Alive2Dance]

Thanks for telling me that. One of my old teachers told me I was slightly bowlegged, but I didn't know what it meant and no one else has said anything about it. I'll definatley work on not sitting on the outside of my feet (I tend to do that a lot), but it has definatley gotten better.

[Guest stumbleine_]

I am in that exact situation! vrsfanatic is right, we're both bowlegged, or arque (sounds better in french!). There are good things and bad things about it. The important thing is that you use what you got to the fullest!

 

And, hey, I didn't know Diana Vishneva was arque too! That's interesting (and inspirational!).

[Guest Alive2Dance]

What do you think are the good and the bad things....I dont know anything about it. I know it contributes to my legs not being straight and stretched looking, but what exactly is the definition?

[Victoria Leigh]

Alive2dance, the bones of the legs curve outward, sort of like the curved part of a bow (as in bow and arrow type bow). That is why they don't meet in the middle and why it's hard to straighten them. The best thing about them is that usually people with this leg structure have a very good jump. Really good use of your rotation can help a lot in making them look better though.