pirouettes on pointe

[littlett]

I looked around the board but most topics are about trying to get a triple or more. I just can't seem to get enough momentum to turn even a second time. What should I do or think about?

[Mel Johnson]

Not stopping will do for a start.

 

Are we talking about pointe or demi-pointe here? What happens when you turn?

[littlett]

I am talking about on pointe. When I turn I guess I just "stop" or fall out of it after the first turn or even after 3/4 of the turn.

[Mel Johnson]

Then you're stopping the step before it gets to its end. Every step has a beginning, a middle and an end, and what you seem to be doing is losing the rotatory momentum you have at the end of the middle and probably collapsing your body, making you fall out of the turn. You have to proceed to and through the end of the step, feeling pulled-up throughout and not losing the turn by slumping. Remember, it's not over 'til it's over.

[Victoria Leigh]

The upward spiral needs to continue until you have completed the turn and the retiré leg is in the 4th or 5th or whatever position the turn is set to land in. The highest part of the turn is the moment of getting from the end of the actual turn into the landing position.

 

Another problem I find with many students is that they spot the first turn and then don't finish the second spot, or the third spot if they are doing more turns.

[littlett]

Thank you for your suggestions. I will try to think about not slumping.

[sugarplum239]

I know I'm not supposed to put advice up, but I had the exact same problem. I couldn't get doubles let alone triples. I had pretty good balance but every time I tried, I just couldn't get a double. I think I sort of put multiple pirouettes in a category in my brain of things I couldn't do, but I realized that it's just like any other step in ballet and with hard work its possible. Maybe you have a different problem but as corny as it is telling myself that I could do it really helped.