“Rotate!”
When we say this, we are focusing on hip rotation. When students first learn ballet, they are taught “heel forward” or to “show the inside of your foot to the ceiling.” Dance educators need to be aware that with beginning dancers, students tend to rotate from the knee, instead of the hip. It’s important that students learn and know the difference. Ask your students to go to the barre and place their leg on the barre. Then, ask them to put their hip or “booties” up in the air. (This usually causes giggling).
Next, ask them to “correct” that. Watch for them to adjust their hip, so that their leg is extending out of the hip, which is no longer sticking up or out. This draws their attention to the hip and to the feeling of what is “wrong” and what is “right.” Next, ask them to stand in the center in first position. Have them plié, and have them look to see if their knee is in line with the center of their foot (preventing over-rotation in the knee). Teach them how knees tend to want to overcompensate for us (show them what that looks like.)
Also, work on quadruped bent-knee extensions (the students always find this funny, because they think of dogs peeing – just to warn you!) Have them start on their hands and knees, with their backs flat. Keeping the knee bent, extend on leg back and up. Remind them to push the sole of the foot toward the ceiling. It is important to strengthen both the exterior muscles (surrounding your hip flexors and rotator cuff) and interior muscles (through your inner thighs and groin).
Article by http://balletshoesandbobbypins.com/10-things-dance-teachers-say/
When we say this, we are focusing on hip rotation. When students first learn ballet, they are taught “heel forward” or to “show the inside of your foot to the ceiling.” Dance educators need to be aware that with beginning dancers, students tend to rotate from the knee, instead of the hip. It’s important that students learn and know the difference. Ask your students to go to the barre and place their leg on the barre. Then, ask them to put their hip or “booties” up in the air. (This usually causes giggling).
Next, ask them to “correct” that. Watch for them to adjust their hip, so that their leg is extending out of the hip, which is no longer sticking up or out. This draws their attention to the hip and to the feeling of what is “wrong” and what is “right.” Next, ask them to stand in the center in first position. Have them plié, and have them look to see if their knee is in line with the center of their foot (preventing over-rotation in the knee). Teach them how knees tend to want to overcompensate for us (show them what that looks like.)
Also, work on quadruped bent-knee extensions (the students always find this funny, because they think of dogs peeing – just to warn you!) Have them start on their hands and knees, with their backs flat. Keeping the knee bent, extend on leg back and up. Remind them to push the sole of the foot toward the ceiling. It is important to strengthen both the exterior muscles (surrounding your hip flexors and rotator cuff) and interior muscles (through your inner thighs and groin).
Article by http://balletshoesandbobbypins.com/10-things-dance-teachers-say/