"Lame Ducks" or Step over turns

[Alysse]

Hey everyone! I just have a simple question for "lame ducks" or step over turns. whatever you call them haha. (i tried a search on this before and didn't come up with anything, so I think this is good).

I just landed a solo in my Studio's performance of The Enchanted Toy Shop. I have quite a bit of turning to do, and I am not the best turner. I have a double lame duck to do facing towards the audience, and I cannot get balance on that front leg. Can someone help me out and give me some "lame duck" tips? Thanks so much, I really appreciate it.

[Mel Johnson]

"Lame duck" is a civilian (non-dancer) nickname for piqué turns en dehors. Consider that when you do them.

[Victoria Leigh]

Exactly. Piqué turn en dehors is the same as a regular en dehors pirouette except that you get there with a piqué instead of a relevé!

 

First, be sure you are using your tombé leg in a good plié. Place the piqué right in front of you, not off to the side. As with any piqué, get your body weight pushed from the tombé leg to the working leg immediately. If your weight lags behind you will not get there. Then just do an en dehors pirouette! Easy

 

PS - My theory on why some call it a lame duck, which I hate, is because sometimes it looks like that when not done correctly. Making a piqué off a wooden leg is not attractive. They can, however, be done without the plié by highly qualified dancers who must do them at lightening speed in a coda of a grand pas. They use a demi pointe and no plié. This is not how the step is taught, however, and should not be done this way by students.

[Alysse]

Thanks so much Ms. Leigh. I will remember this when rehersing!

[Victoria Leigh]

Read my edit, above, which you probably missed, as we were posting at the same time. He means a piqué en dehors can look like a lame duck

[Mel Johnson]

...if you do it wrong.

[Alysse]

Ah! Indeed they can. Sorry about that...a little slow today! :], but yes, hopefully I will not look like a lame duck!

[Doubleturn]

"Knock-Knock" Sorry Mr. Johnson and Miss Leigh dislike the term "lame duck". Here in the UK it is almost universally used even among professionals, in a sort of affectionate way. But there is a long tradition in England of giving people and things silly nick-names.

[CDR]

Knock knock, can a teacher come in please?

 

Personally I always say to my students 'think up, not around' for any double turns. If students are doing double turns they can worry about getting around twice, put in too much effort and go off balance, although generally not much more effort is required and the head does a lot of the work. Just a suggestion, it may or may not work for you.

[Victoria Leigh]

Sorry, CDR, no teachers except the 3 moderator/teachers allowed on either of the YD boards. I'll leave it this time, as there is nothing wrong with the information. The problem is that if all our teachers responded to all the young dancer questions, it would be total chaos and much more confusing than helpful.

[Alysse]

Thanks everyone for your help. i'll try this today!

[EmilyPdancer]

i also have problems with step over turns..or lame ducks...and i read this post before class, and the advice really helped! i could almost do a clean double step over in pointe class, and i did almost all clean ones in pas de deux!

 

thanks so much!

 

emily