Hyperextended

[Guest SweetSorrow123]

I'm quite hyperextended and i find it difficult to close clopletly in fifth because my knees keep coliding toghether. is there any thing i can change in the way i close to fifth or to help improve this problem? Thank you!

[LooseLegs2]

i have the same problem. and the one thing my teacher always tells me is that you have to lift up. and the more you pull up the easier it is. now thats easier said than done, but eventually it will become second nature to just pull up, and then closing to fifth will be easier!

[Guest SweetSorrow123]

i normally do pull, up, but i just tried it and i can actually close! thanks.

[Victoria Leigh]

Looselegs, we have a "Moderators first" policy on the Young Dancer forums. We really prefer to have advice about technique provided by teachers. While your advice may have worked for SweetSorrow, there are many degrees of hyperextension, and sometimes it takes something more than "pulling up" to deal with knees that overlap or one is not straight when closing in 5th. Also, it's very important to know that the lift needs to come on the supporting leg, like lifting the torso OFF of the hip and leg. If there is still a bent knee, then a TINY space between the heel and the big toe might be necessary, at least until the alignment improves and strengthens enough to be able to keep the knee straight when closing. A very small space between the heels in first is also needed by some hyperextended dancers, but one must be very careful not to exaggerate that space, as that makes it worse.