Issues with turns en pointe

[leanne]

Hi guys,

I'm having serious issues with turns en pointe.

My main problem is initiating a turn.

 

In chaine turns I find it hard to get onto a straight leg. I fondu with one leg then try to go onto the other with a straight leg but I keep getting a bend in it.

How can I sort this out? I'm trying to pull up more but I'm still getting the bend!

 

Any tips greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Redbookish]

Not an expert, but I find I have to really shift my hips & torso forward in one piece to get up on my leg in the piqué. For me, thinking about a big strong forward movement and a clear shift of weight forward helps.

[Hamorah]

Practise, practise, practise at the barre first. In order to step up onto a straight leg, you need to push strongly off the supporting leg, and as you step onto the other leg on pointe, as Redbookish said, you need to lift up and really shift the torso over it. I get my students to practise pose coupe at the barre and only move them into the centre once they can step up onto a stretched leg on pointe. You need to be pretty strong on pointe to achieve pirouettes - perhaps you're not quite ready yet?? Sometimes it's just nerves though - your technique may be strong enough, but your head is telling you otherwise!

[leanne]

Practise, practise, practise at the barre first. In order to step up onto a straight leg, you need to push strongly off the supporting leg, and as you step onto the other leg on pointe, as Redbookish said, you need to lift up and really shift the torso over it. I get my students to practise pose coupe at the barre and only move them into the centre once they can step up onto a stretched leg on pointe. You need to be pretty strong on pointe to achieve pirouettes - perhaps you're not quite ready yet?? Sometimes it's just nerves though - your technique may be strong enough, but your head is telling you otherwise!

 

Thanks for this. I don't do pirouettes yet. This is in regards to chaine turns. But yes regarding your exercise at the barre I am so going to do that think it will help me alot!

[Guest Pas de Quoi]

I find that if a dancer does not step out enough with an adequate amount of plié (ie. takes a short step from a shallow plié as opposed to reaching out with what will be the first leg to bear weight in the chainée) then it is really quite difficult to get that leg all the way straight, when stepping up onto it. You might try stepping forward into a fifth on pointe, from your plié and see how far you need to step out, to be able to achieve that straight leg. This is for practicing the action of the piqué, of course, and not for actually doing chainées from this preparation forward.

 

I also give the exercise Hamorah describes above - this exercise helps not only for strength, but for technique as well.

[leanne]

I find that if a dancer does not step out enough with an adequate amount of plié (ie. takes a short step from a shallow plié as opposed to reaching out with what will be the first leg to bear weight in the chainée) then it is really quite difficult to get that leg all the way straight, when stepping up onto it. You might try stepping forward into a fifth on pointe, from your plié and see how far you need to step out, to be able to achieve that straight leg. This is for practicing the action of the piqué, of course, and not for actually doing chainées from this preparation forward.

 

I also give the exercise Hamorah describes above - this exercise helps not only for strength, but for technique as well.

 

This helps alot! I think you have hit the nail on the head. I don't think I am stepping out far enough! Let you guys know how I get on