My ballet teacher says that I have hypergenic legs what does that mean?

Question

My ballet teacher says that I have hypergenic legs what does that mean?

Answer 1

I know what you mean. Hyperextending. Which means something like "over flexing," my ballet teacher says that too me all the time. It means your past straight, in your legs. When you straighten them, they hyperextend. It wasn't a compliment, I think you need to fix that.  

Answer 2

I read once in an article about how ballet companies select their dancers that slight hyperextension is actually a bonus. But under normal circumstances, hyperextension is actually not a good thing. It's something you need to be aware of, and depending on the degree of your hyperextension, you may need to work with your teacher on fixing it.

Here is an explanation of what "hyperextension" means on an article from www.dance-teacher.com:

"Hyperextension is the extension of a joint beyond its normal range of motion. It occurs in the knee when the joint extends beyond a straight line, causing a convex curve at the back of the leg. Dancers with hyperextended knees tend to have very loose ligaments, also known as ligamentous laxity, which allows the knees to lock back. Typically, this condition exists from birth."

But don't be too worried. It also says this:

"Neither hyperextension nor bow-leggedness, if properly addressed, needs to be a hindrance to a dancer’s progress."

For more information on this, do read the whole article. It is very informative!

http://www.dance-teacher.com/sections/he...

The most important thing for you, as a dancer, is to understand your own body and its conditions, so you can be the best at what you do! Most things can be corrected with time, hard work and patience, and your own determination to make it!

Answer 3

i really dont know what to tell you im guessing he was complementing you though.

you must be a good dancer.