en pointe - good fouettes to the right, but not to the left?

[luv2fouette]

Hi everyone! I am new to the forum and find it very helpful. Thanks for providing this!!!

Here is my problem:

Whenever I do fouettes (off pointe) to the right I can do about 16 and to the left I get about 7. Whenever I do them en pointe to the right I get usually 5 in (as I had just started pointe in June of 2007) and to the left only one or two before I fall off balance. I am VERY hyperextended and I am wondering if that could have anything to do with it? I have two very good teachers and they are trying to find the best possible reasons as to why I am falling to the left and not to the right. They have shown me many reasons why it could be happening, not getting to posse as fast, arms aren't getting rounded and start to hang on my last fouettes that I can fit in, and I have corrected these things for a long while and still nothing seems to help! If anyone has any advice I would much appreciate it! Thanks!

[vrsfanatic]

Welcome luv2fouette to Ballet Talk for Dancers. I see you have introduced yourself in the Welcome Forum.

 

Doing fouette on pointe is a challenge for all indeed. While you are in the age group to be practicing this advanced movement, you may be expecting quite a bit of yourself with only six months on pointe. I am not feeling comfortable to advise you on this movement without knowing more about your background.

[luv2fouette]

I had been in a pre pointe class for about 3 years where we did all kinds of strengthening movements to get us ready for pointe. Because of my smaller bone structure I did not go en pointe as early as many dancers do, which I was perfectly fine with.

I was 12 and 1/2 when I started pointe and now I am 13. My teachers said that they would never have expected me to start doing double pirouettes, double piques, and fouettes en pointe so soon, but they said I was very strong. When I tried to do a half turn, to learn a pirouette, for the 2nd or 3rd time I surprised myself because I went all the way around! The very next day I went around twice, which was quite scary until I got used to it!

Then when I started piques I surprised myself again by staying up long enough to do a double! So my teacher said let's try the beginning of a fouette at the barre just to see how it feels, and yet again I surprised myself and my teacher by going all the way around!

So I went out in the center and I couldn't stop myself for the first fouette and ended up doing 3 fouettes in a row on pointe to the right, and of course to the left it was a completely different story!!

Now I do ballet technique and pointe 4-5 days a week, which includes mostly privates because where I live class time is only two nights a week. I have taken privates for 3 years because I aspire to be a professional ballerina on some level.

I am now able to do 5 fouettes, that look clean and not sloppy, to the right, and my 1 that I can do to the left looks kind of sloppy because I fall!

I try hard to make sure I am not doing something that may harm my body, but since I am able to do them to the right with ease, I would like very much to perfect them to the left as well.

Thanks so much!!!

[The_Lilac_Fairy]

I have the same problem!!! I could actually do 32 somewhat clean ( although they get wobbly after like 26) fouette's on my right. But from left I can only do 3. I keep trying but it just doesn't work from left. Also from right I can get 6 pirrouettes on a really good day but on left usually just doubles How do I strengthen my weak side?

[Victoria Leigh]

Dancers, almost everyone has a stronger side and a weaker side. We are generally not symetrical. There are a few people who are ambidextrous, and seem able to turn and do everything pretty equally, however they are in the minority. The way to change that for those of us who have a weaker side is to work harder on that side! If you practice something 10 times on the good side, do it 20 on the bad side. Over a LONG period of time, you can come pretty close to equalizing, but it will not happen in a few months. Nothing happens in a short time in ballet. It's not an instant art form. So, just chill out, keep working, and realize that it takes a very long time to train a dancer. At 13, you are really just beginning.