I'm having major pirouette problems, can anyone help me?

Question

I'm in advanced pointe now and I'll be a senoir in the new school year...but I'm still having trouble with pirouettes, and thats wat i have the most trouble in and its so frustrating. I'll be attending a summer intensive in richmond, and i can barely do a single on pointe and barely a double on flat. I suppose my teacher has never been hard on me when it comes to spins or anything, but I can never seem to get them right, i know everything im supposed to do, spot, keep your balance and your leg turned out, etc., but my body just wont do wat my head tells it to....what can i do? ill be so embarassed to go to the summer intensive and barely be able to do a pirouette.

Answer 1

make sure also that your supporting foot is really planted into the floor. when you snatch your foot into that posse releve position make sure that you haven't let the supporting heel twist and turn in. that will throw your turn and your balance. you really need to sort out your pirouette on flat before you can do it on pointe cause pointe only makes the problem harder to fix, more frustrating and how are you expected to do it on a smaller surface when the ground work hasn't be perfected! hope this helps! =)

Answer 2

I have the EXACT same problem! I'm embarrassed with myself, but there are things you can do to help it.

Practice, of course, but try practicing on different floors, like tile and then carpet. You'll be surprised at how different they floors are and how they affect your pirouettes.

Next, make sure you have to right shoes, a very good quality pair.

When you are going into your turn, make sure you have a strong set-up, and you need to get on top of yourself. Pirouettes are not turns, they are balances. Balance, spot, balance,spot.

Try some core strengthening exercises like Yoga and Pilate's before you go to the summer intensive, as this will help you get a hold of yourself and keep strong.

Hope I helped and good luck at the intensive!!!

Answer 3

watch your center and keep your supporting leg in the floor so it is better.Then when you spot, your head will take your body with it

Answer 4

make sure your core is very tight...and centered. if you arent centered...you are asking to fall out of your turn. don't "wind up" meaning...don't over postion your arms. keep a nice high and tight releve and have a stronger spot. in order for your turns to get better...practice balancing on releve and hold it for as long as you can. when you do this...make sure you are in a mirror so you can see your full body alignment. also...work extra hard at the barre...because every single thing you do at the barre will help! especially when you balance at the end of every barre exercise! also...just keep practicing. and work those ankles en pointe! if your ankles get stronger....the easier it will be for you to turn en pointe...but first you need to master turning on flat! hope my advice helps!

Answer 5

I know this sounds silly, but it's a pretty basic problem that I had. (I'm mainly a gymnast, but a dancer, too. Before I was injured, I was doing 2 1/2 pirouettes on floor and 1 1/2 pirouettes on beam.) Ankles! If you've hurt your ankles then it makes it very, VERY difficult to do pirouettes. (Not to mention it makes the problem worse.) I went from being able to do 2 1/2 pirouettes to not being able to point my foot on one ankle... Make sure to REALLY stretch out before practice!

Assuming your ankles are fine, try saying the steps out loud as you perform them. (Ex: "Look up, spot, lift, turn, etc...") This is what I teach little kids to do (I teach dance at the YMCA) and it seems to really help them. It connects your mind and your body.

As a last resort, see if you can ask your teacher for a private lesson when the studio is pretty empty. If it's a one-on-one type of thing, you can really get good advice.

Answer 6

Oh, join the club!!! Pirouettes were invented to torture us - no, only joking!  :-)  I couln't do pirouettes for years, until I changed teachers, built up strength through other activities, and stopped worrying about turns altogether. Now I can happily do triples, and the occasional quad!  

Points to remember - shoulders down, working leg pressed back, weight well forward.  

Hint - try doing some turns with your hands held together behind your back, pulling down as hard as you can so your arms are straight down. This will pull your posture into the right position. After a while of doing this, try normal arms again, and it may help.  Good luck!