Pirouette problems

[jphoenix]

Although I do teach younger students I am trying to keep my skills up myself. I have been trying for ages to get my double pirouettes back. On my left leg I don't have too much trouble, but on my right when I get through the first rotation my ankle collapses. I don't seem to have strength issues, I am staying pulled up as far as I can tell. I can stand still on releve on that leg without much difficulty. Any ideas what may be happening here!!

[Victoria Leigh]

jphoenix, do what you would teach your students to do Spend some time on quarter and half turns, checking to see that you are all the way up out of your hip and not allowing either the body weight to go back, which pulls you down off the demi pointe, or the pelvis to push back, which does the same thing. If the ankle is strong and the relevé is there initially, then it's something that is happening after the relevé, which is almost always one of the two things above. My guess would be that the supporting leg is pushing back from the pelvis, as this most quickly allows gravity to simply pull you down from the demi pointe.