My fouettes always wrong...?

Question

~I always start my fouette too early or too late and I dont seem to keep my balance when I whip around. My sister says my foot is not resting on the inside of my knee but well past the front of it (to far forward and left). I do fouettes to my right, up on my left. I am not on pointe (yet). I would love to get at least ONE. I know the steps (plie with right leg out at hip height... straighten left leg up to demi pointe/pointe and bring right leg (still at hip height) around to second and bring back to passe.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=EhB3sZnxsT4

I want to be able to do this! (even just one!)

~and my pique turns need work. I get very dizzy and i guess my passe is not turned out when I start to turn. (One of my faults with turns)

http://www.angelinaballerina.com/usa/watchBallet2.html?theName=undefined&theColor=undefined&thePattern=undefined&theSound=undefined&theMotto=undefined&theVolume=undefined

~and in Fifth Position (in ballet) should your legs make a tight X? I DO take ballet!

Answer 1

Ok for fouettes I can't really help you I can't do them either!!

Pique turns - Spot!!! If you are going across the floor in class spot the other side of the room it really helps! Push your heel forward and you knee back that will help with turnout! Also, make sure you use your arms in ALL turns, whatever your teacher specifies!

Fifth Postition - You are SUPPOSED to be toe-heel, heel-toe but uness you have perfect turnout then that might not be the case! Just have it as tight as you can with whatever turnout you have, you don't want to hurt your knees! Turn out from your rotaters in your hips, NOT your knees!

Answer 2

heres what you can do:

use a couch as a barre to practice your fouettes, make sure you have the proper form by doing this:

1: plie tandu to the front

2:eleve, and bring your leg to the side at hip height

3:  jand de jame on lair3 times

4: repeat 1 & 2 and on three, do a passe, and a half turn to the other side.

i take it you know your arm placement, so i won't go over that

after you KNOW you have the proper form, try whole turns at the "barre" and then in the middle.

the girl in the first movie wasn't doing normal fouettes, she did 3 or 4, and then a 1/4 turn, 3 or four, and then a half turn, etc.

pique turns:

do them step by step, and be sure to spot, then have some one wath, like your sister, and have her correct any mistakes you are making. after a while, you will be doing them like a pro.

good luck

Answer 3

I start my fouettes like that too, and I lose my balance after one or two, and to tell you the truth I'm not sure how I do it.  

For you pique turns just spot something-anything whether it's a picture in the room, some other dancer, or the wall.

For fifth position your heels should touch your toes if you have perfect turnout and in plie(spelling?) your heels should touch and then spread out a bit then you rise back up.

I hope this was helpful. :)

Answer 4

i think that when you pull your foot back you are pulling it to far