Pirouettes on Pointe with Hyper-Extention

[London Dancer]

Im kind of tense when it comes to pirouetting on pointe, particularly in new shoes. I can only do a triple, and I am 14 and 1/2. Im afraid that when I go on pointe and my knees automatically hyper-extend (I have a LOT of hyperextention, thus many knee issues,) that it is pulling my overall balance backwards, because I always seem to fall back or side in pirouettes, never front. If this my hyperextention and is there anything I can do to change these problems? Thanks!

[Victoria Leigh]

First of all, a triple pirouette on pointe is very good for a 14 year old. However, if you are not finishing well, like falling off at the end or before it's over, that needs to be addressed way before thinking about more pirouettes.

 

With hyperextension, if you have your weight where it belongs, and do not push your knees back to the point where your pelvis tilts, then you should not have a problem. So, you are either pushing into your hyperextension instead of lifting out of it, or, you are tilting the pelvis. Or both. That needs to be corrected by your teacher, who can see you doing this.

[London Dancer]

Thank you so much! Yeah, I do fall out of the triple at the end, and my doubles usually end just a little wobbly too. I think I need to work on pulling up at the thigh like you said rather than pulling my hyper-extention back, because I have a tendency to do that whenever on pointe.

Thanks again!