Let’s Improve That Turnout

Turnout is a concept used by dancers to describe a rotation of the hips causing the knees and toes to point in an outward direction. It is used for technical elements including but not limited to grand jetés, pirouettes, fouettés a la seconde, and turning discs. A strong turnout causes higher quality technique and a larger extension of the leg. Many dancers try very hard to get their natural turnout to a point where their knees are facing completely opposite directions when standing in a first position. Although this may be unattainable with the bodies we are given, there are ways to improve a natural turnout so that those technical skills are exactly where you want them.

Here are some exercises, with proper explanations, that can be done multiple times a week that will enhance your turnout naturally in time.

1.)  Rolling back from parallel to first position

Stand in a parallel position and roll back onto the heels while rotating your hips so that the feet enter into a first position. Then, conclude the exercise by rolling into parallel again. Repeat this exercise until you feel your hip flexors getting a workout.

Remember to stay grounded to the floor. Do not push your hips, chest, back, or abdominal muscles out of alignment. Most importantly, do not force your turnout. This exercise will gradually stretch the turnout, so let your body take time to adjust to a greater extension!

2.)  Deep Demi Pliés

Standing in first and second position, repeat multiple demi pliés. In order to increase the turnout naturally, channel your energy to your hip flexors and inner thighs. Use every moment of time bending your knees and rising back up while pushing through the floor.

Keep in mind that the turnout will not improve if the wrong muscles are being used. Try to focus less on the quadriceps muscles and more on the hamstrings and gluteal muscles. Also, challenge yourself to increase the amount of time doing just a demi plié. For example, consider doing one plié for as long as one 8-count bending and one 8-count straightening. Just a simple demi plié combination will build the correct muscles necessary to have a great turnout.

3.) Relevé Combinations

Also standing in a first or second position, rise onto your toes without bending your knees. Push into the floor keeping your hips in alignment with your entire upper body. Use a bar or some type of sturdy surface so that the energy is not used to keep balance, but rather to open up your turnout. Repeat this exercise until the main muscle group working is the inner thighs and gluteal muscles.

Rise up through the arch of the foot to turnout the heels, knees, and inner thighs without sending the hips forward causing the back to sway. This will gradually stretch the inner leg muscles, build up strength, and create a great habit for your body.

4.) Small Leg Raises

In first position, gently tendu the leg to its natural turnout and raise the leg up and down from that position. Keep the leg completely turned out through the hips. Send the inner knee to the sky and channel energy away from the quadriceps and into all of the muscles present in the back of the leg.

Try to not raise your leg so high that the hips move out of alignment. Think about stimulating the energy from the hip to the toe. Leg raises will again not only stretch out the appropriate muscles needed to turnout, but it will strengthen them as well.

5.) Stretch!!

Of course, simple stretches will gradually open up the hips so that the turnout opens even further as well. Some great stretches for this are the butterfly stretch and the straddle stretch. However, it is again very important that the appropriate actions are happening. For example, in the butterfly stretch, it is necessary to be sitting on top of the hips. Also, for the straddle stretch, keep the knees pointed to the sky and both hips on the ground.

It is important to stress that these exercises are gradual. Every dancer’s body is different! Each exercise should be repeated until the body feels that it has succeeded and done enough work for that day. As days or weeks go by, repetition should be increased as muscles are being stretched and strengthened more and more every day. Again, these exercises are challenging the appropriate muscle groups necessary to turnout from the hip flexors to the knees and feet. Make them a part of your daily schedule, and that turnout will be exactly where you want it to be in only a short amount of time!