How to improve your turns

Sometimes its super hard to turn. Your toe gets caught, you get dizzy, or you just stop turning. Some people are just natural turners but even if you aren't a natural turner, if you work hard then you can become an amazing turner. There are so many products out on the market to help you improve.

1. Spot!!!!!!

Spotting is by far the most important part about turning. If you want to be able to do 3+ turns, you absolutely MUST spot. Its important to not just spot in a general direction, but at a very specific item. Try to spot in the exact same spot every time (or at least within 3inches of your item. I have found that if it more than 3 inches, you tend to get dizzy). When you turn, keep your head fixed at the same spot a little bit farther than feels comfortable and then whip your head around to the EXACT same spot. Make sure you really stretch your neck before turning to prevent injury. Another tip is to make sure you are focused on that spot and don't focus on something else before focusing on your target.

**When you are changing your spot in fouettes, plan out before exactly where you are going to spot

2. Practice balancing in passe

When your turning you don't want to be falling off of your center. Just keep practicing balancing in passe and à la seconde. After practicing for a while, make sure you can balance for a good amount of time. Keep your center tucked and again, focus on one spot, don't look down, and keep a long torso and neck.

3. Don't wind up

Winding up is an all time no no. It just doesn't look appealing, isn't technically correct, and won't help you to turn more at all. Winding up only helps you a small bit. Instead of winding up, use your plie. Your going to want to really get grounded and keep your heels on the ground, turning your body until your heel can't stay on the ground and then spring up onto releve. Going into your plie will give you sooooo much more of a push than winding up.

4. Connect your arms into a first position

Whenever you do a pirouette you need to keep your arms close together. You don't want to have your arms in between first position and seconde (which is not even a position and is technically incorrect). I had this problem at first. The way that I learned to keep your arms in a correct first while turning was by screaming it in my head before I turned until I broke the habit. I also grab my other hand so that I understand that I always have to go there first, not waver in that in between zone and THEN going to a proper first. I did this for the first 2 weeks about. After that, I broke the habit and immediately saw results.

5. Keep your foot in a high passe

You want to learn how to turn in a proper position or there is no point at turning at all. Keep your knee in a super high passe. When you begin your turn, don't spiral your foot up your leg. Instead, as soon as your spring out of your plie, snap your foot up to your knee.

6. When doing fouettes, open up to the corner every time

On your fouettes, you will spin out of control unless you plie to the corner every time. Make sure that your arms are in unison with your leg. The one time you don't open up to the correct spot, you will fall out of your turn.

7. When doing fouettes, keep your leg at the same height

This is super important if you want to be able to do a beautiful fouette. No one wants to watch you swing your leg like a pendulum. If you can't keep your leg at 90 degrees the entire time then don't. A solid 65 degrees is better than an awful 90 degrees. Remember, "Quality over Quantity".

8. Use turn boards

Turn boards are really helpful for improving your spot and your turns. You can do a whole bunch of turns and it really helps you improve.

Those are all of my tips for getting better turns. Remember that practice makes perfect and its not an overnight change. The most important thing to remember is to use your plie, tuck your tailbone under (no swayback) and think of turning up.