Bad Technique Problems

[JasmineDancer]

Hi,

I need some advice on a serious technique problem. I constantly pull back on my legs and it has caused my quads and glutes to become quite large. I have hyper extension and a flexible lower back, which don't help, but I really want to solve this once and for all.

 

Looking at me from the side, one would usually see a break at the hip when I'm dancing. My fifths are atrocious! Compensating for my problem has caused me to have incorrect technique with rotation and the use of my feet.

 

I have been told and understand that turnout comes from the bottom of the glutes (or am I wrong?) and rotates down the leg. I also understand that one is supposed to be lifted at the front of the pelvis, without tucking, so the front of the hips should be straight. The ribs also should not protrude because they through the center of balance off. Putting all this into practice while moving is the problem.

 

Are there any exercises to improve posture and correct turnout (while shrinking the "bad" muscles) that I can do? Any help is appreciated!

[Mel Johnson]

First things first: Get the hyperextension under control, and a lot of your problems will cease.

 

Locking back into the legs' full travel will simply cause your weight to go backward and end up with your weight in your heels. You can't dance that way. You have to achieve straight, rather than locked. And rotation starts IN the hipjoint, not at the bottom of the glutes. It's supported by muscle above, reaching all the way to the shoulderblades! There's a reason for all that talk about knees over the toes, shoulders over the hips talk. Your torso has to be properly placed in order for you to be able to move in a fluid, flexible, yet controlled manner.

[JasmineDancer]

Ok, so I need to stop sitting in my legs and rotation comes from the hip, though it kind of goes through the whole back too?

Now what do I do to strengthen the correct muscles for this?

[Victoria Leigh]

Jasmine, it sounds to me like you need someone to just take you and show you exactly how to place yourself, in terms of alignment and weight placement and how to do that correctly. Where is your teacher? Are you a new or beginning student? I'm sorry, but I just have to really question why you do not have an understanding of proper placement. It is the first thing that must be taught, whether to a child of 8 or a teen or an adult student. And, it has to be constantly taught, and corrected, and reinforced.

 

Correcting people in this format is way less than ideal, as of course we can't see you. There is a great post by one of our teachers, Clara76, and it's a Sticky I think, on the Adult Students forum. I will find it for you.

 

Here it is: http://dancers.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=35504

[JasmineDancer]

Thank you, Ms. Leigh, that post by Clara76 was very helpful for visualizing correct posture, and I'd never thought that my knees might also need retraining!

 

I'm an "advanced" student. I've had ballet training for nearly 10 years and pointe for over 5 years.

I must admit that my mom knew I had a problem and it contributed to a years long wild goose chase for a studio/teacher where they would enforce correct placement. Everyone had their own idea of what is important, and even now I have teachers who have differing ideas on where my placement should be. Of course, in the end, I'm going to have to be the one to do it.

 

Maybe it's my own confusion, maybe they think I'm a hopeless case (which isn't true for just about everything else). How do I find somebody truly knowledgeable and have them look at me and tell me "this is going to be very difficult after doing it wrong for so long, but this is what you need to do"?

[Victoria Leigh]

That is a huge question, Jasmine, and one I really can't answer because I do not know the teachers in Arizona. Where do you go for your SI's? Like what programs have you attended and what have teachers there had to say? Where are you going this year?

[JasmineDancer]

I've gone to ABT Austin twice in years past. The classes there had 30 or more kids, so there wasn't too much individual attention, although I do remember Christine Spizzo talking about correct placement and having a sensation of having one's spine stretched out perpendicular to the floor.

 

Last year I stayed home, and this year I'm going to the Juilliard School for my SI. I know there are excellent teachers there.

[Victoria Leigh]

Okay, they should be able to get you placed at Juilliard.