Keeping the Hips Squared

[dancingandprancing]

I've been dancing for 12 years now, and I take multiple classes a week. But lately I've been noticing that when we stretch and do splits,my hips are almost never squared. I don't want to keep stretching the wrong way, so does anyone have any advice on keeping my hips squared? Thanks!

[Victoria Leigh]

Welcome to Ballet Talk for Dancers, dancingandprancing.

 

While the hips are squared for many things, there are times that they are not. For instance, arabesque. Since your front splits are stretching your arabesque, then the hips cannot be square if you want to have the back leg turned out, which you do.

[vrsfanatic]

As Ms. Leigh has said, keeping hips "square" to the front in arabesque has a defferent definition when the leg is above 45 degrees to the back. However, stretching with square hips in the split will stretch different muscles than what you stretch without keep your hips square. Both stretches are useful when done correctly. Stretching with square hips is wonderful for stretching out the hip flexers on the back leg.

[Victoria Leigh]

Yes, so basically one needs to stretch both ways in splits, turned out for arabesque, and square hips for the hip flexors.

[balletpassionforpointe]

In left/right splits, put you knee down on the ground and slowly slide your other leg out in front of you. This should keep your hips squared!