Our Best Tips: Pirouettes

May 9, 2016

A beautiful pirouette is one of ballet’s most elusive elements. Sometimes you float through multiple rotations and sometimes you can hardly balance on one leg. Here are some of our best tips for nailing your turns, every time.

  1. Go back to basics.
    Make sure you’ve mastered the fundamentals of correct alignment before you go for multiple rotations.
  2. Know that there’s more than one right way to do it.
    Struggling to adjust to Balanchine-style pirouettes? Focus on shifting the majority of your weight forward over your front foot and extend your arms to find a long position.
  3. Use positive thinking.
    Getting over the fear of turning and making yourself stay up on pointe to finish your pirouette is paramount to success.
  4. Up the ante.
    Do you fall apart during fouettés? Focus on your coordination and build stamina in your standing leg.
  5. Get scientific.
    Understanding the physics of how pirouettes work can help you conceptualize ways to adjust your technique. This TEDx talk breaks down the physics of a fouetté into easily understandable terms:

Happy turning!

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