Top 5 Tips To Improve Your Pirouette

The pirouette is an essential in any dancer's repertoire and is used widely across all dance genres. A pirouette is a complete turn of the body on one foot and can be performed en dedans (turning inward toward your supporting leg) or en dehors (turning outward in the direction of the raised leg). From  ballet to jazz, perfecting your pirouette is a skill every dancer wants to nail. So whether you're a lefty or a righty keep reading to find out our top 5 turning tips…

Preparation

A really strong pirouette always comes from the preparation. Make sure you are starting in a really deep active plie with your feet firmly planted on the ground. We recommend doing a mini checklist in your head! Are my feet turned out? Have I got my arms in the right position? Remember to keep your heels on the ground for as long as possible, you really want to achieve that strong snatch up to your passe position.

Arms

There are so many aspects of a pirouette to think about. Dancers often neglect their arms when in fact having strong, supportive arms can help you balance better in your turn. In a pirouette your arms are typically held first position, with the fingers in front of the chest. Engage your biceps and triceps to lift the elbows also engaging your shoulder and back muscles to hold the arms strong throughout the pirouette.

Spotting

What is the number 1 rule when it comes to pirouettes…spot spot spot! Spotting avoids dizziness, stabilises your line of vision and it will also help you add a little more force to your turn. Find something to focus on that is directly centred in your line of vision, not too high or too low. At the end of each of your pirouette rotations, turn your head as quickly as possible to look at that spot.

Passe

Practise your passe! Finding the perfect passe can be tough, make sure you practise going into your passe on a releve a few times before turning (this is also good to help your balance). Always aim for the highest possible passe, your toe should be touching your knee. If you think your foot is high enough its probably not! Don't forget to engage your core and snatch up into the position as soon as you go into that pirouette.

Don't be afraid to fall

Practice makes perfect, don't worry if you fall out of your pirouette or land on the floor. That's what the dance studio is for. Remember not every turn will be perfect but keep going and you are sure to find that perfect pirouette! We’ve got lots of dancewear to help you feel empowered and perform at your best. Find lovely dance leotards, dance shoes and dance costumes. We have lots of great blogs to help improve your dance technique take a look at the 5 Ways To Use The Tendu Loop and Turnout Exercises for Ballet Dancers if you want to expand you dance knowledge! 

The Move Dance Team xx 

23/02/24