Grand Plies in Fourth Help!

[Tanglenose]

I don't have much experience with grand plies in fourth position, but we're required to do them at my new dance studio. But everytime I've tried to do them it hurts my knees, and sometimes they don't feel normal for a few days. What am I doing wrong?

[Victoria Leigh]

You are probably not doing anything wrong, Tanglenose. There are many of us here who do not believe in grand plié in 4th for anyone, and almost all teachers believe it is not good for anyone at lower levels who does not yet have total control of alignment, placement, and rotation. I would suggest that you tell your teacher that those pliés hurt your knees, and you would prefer to just do demi pliés in 4th. If the teacher insists that you must do it, then ask him/her to help you figure out what do to in order not to hurt your knees. If you do not have a lot of natural rotation, it will be very hard for you, and better not to do them. I don't think that any teacher would make you do something that hurts your knees, but just in case this does happen, I would suggest seeking a new teacher.