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Permalink Reply by Nicole on June 19, 2008 at 3:19pm

totally agree with you about injury prevention should be included in a TCRG exam - especially nowadays when ID has become so competitive and highly athletic..... It really made my toes curl to read the advice Jess posted... uh-oh.... :/

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Permalink Reply by Ellianne Hindmarsh on June 15, 2008 at 8:19am

how long for

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Permalink Reply by Angelika Berber on June 16, 2008 at 11:55am

Yes i know about ballet positions, the thing is tht only professional ballet dancers (we are talking soloists) use a 180 ° turnout, and even with professionals it is achieved by turning out, in part, from the knee and ankle. It is practically impossible to achive a full turnout wohtout sacrificing at your joints or in your posture.
To do the 180 ° safely, if that is possible at all, you need to spend rigorous hours with strength training on top of being anatomically shaped (hip joint) in a suitable way. Most dancers have neither of these requirements, and especially in young dancers a good teachers would never require a 180 ° turnout. Sadly, in ballet you have the same problem as in Irish dancing, there are dance teachers who bother to educate themselves to protect their students, and there are dance teachers who only care about a quick and easy solution that will make their dancers look good, but will most likely result in iirreversible damage in years to come. So they make them force turnout from knee and ankle.
It is common to see young ballet dancers stand like that in pictures because it looks good. They do not dance like that. As I say it is reserved for ballet professionals and it requires years of specific exercises and good teachers and scientific training to protect your body.
No point even thinking about it for Irish dancers. :)
Learn to use your turnout muscles and coordinate them well and you will get the best turnout your individual body is capable of. Everyone is different. But if we used the turnout we already have throughout our dances, we would probably be fine. It is using your available turnout when you dance that is the bigger problem we face, not strength or flexibility. Coordination is key. And you do not learn that by standing still in any turned-out position, whether 1st of 5th, no matter how long you do it.

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Permalink Reply by Nicole on June 19, 2008 at 3:25pm

when I read this, I'm really glad I had such a brilliant ballet teacher... Although she was strict and demanded a lot... But when I started she took one look at me and immediately could see that my hips will never allow a turnout that would be expected of a ballerina. She never forced me into positions I couldn't do, but just doing all the exercises and building up strength helped a lot and my turnout improved over the time... I'm still capable of a good enough turnout now - without having hip or knee damages...

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Permalink Reply by Fien on June 17, 2008 at 9:28pm

One good excercise that my pysiotherapist gave me for turnout is : you lay on your sidewith your knees bent a bit. Your shoulder, hips and ankles should be on 1 line like that and your hips shouldnt lean back. You pull you stomach musles together and open your knees while you your feet keep touching eachother. You do this 5 times and repeat three times and then you switch sides. (did I explain it well?)
I have real turnout problems to but this excercise really helps, I also do a lot of releves.

Hope it will you a bit.

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Permalink Reply by Ellianne Hindmarsh on June 18, 2008 at 4:10pm

thanks i will try

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Permalink Reply by Angelika Berber on June 20, 2008 at 1:05pm

Good exercise Fien! That uses your turnout muscles if you do it correctly.
I am glad to hear you had a sensible teacher Nicole! Getting the best out of what is anatomically possible should be the goal.

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Permalink Reply by Rebecca on June 21, 2008 at 9:11pm

I hope this will help for you, but go right against a wall facing it, having ur feet against it,turning ur feet out, and bend yours knees(turn ur feet out as much as u need too) . I'd try to do it for a few minutes, everyday. Good luck i hope everything works out :).
Dont hurt your self, and tell me how its goes.

~Rebecca~

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Permalink Reply by Ellianne Hindmarsh on June 22, 2008 at 8:08am

ok
i will try

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