How to Practice the Right Technique for Pirouettes

Pirouettes are some of the most popular and striking movements in ballet. These difficult turns, performed on one leg, are sometimes combined with elevation steps, such as jumps or leaps, for even greater impact. As children, we all mimicked ballet pirouettes, usually without understanding the physics involved. Professional instruction is the best way to achieve the proper pirouette position and technique. The right execution will keep your body healthy.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Enrollment in ballet class
• Adequate practice space

Learn the Right Technique

1. Learn your ballet basics first. Know feet positions one through five, the corresponding arm positions, demi plies and grande plies. You will need skill at all of these in order to perform pirouettes.

2. Practice basics, concentrating on vertical line (balance), consistent plies (speed) and turnout. Use a DVD for workouts, such as "Ballet Class for Beginners" starring David Howard at Amazon (see Resources below).

3. Learn to pirouette in class, using your knowledge of the plie in preparation and vertical alignment in relevé and landing. Ask your instructor to let you know when you've got it right.

Practice Pirouettes

4. Read about the theory of pirouette performance after you've learned how, to give you a solid understanding of the movement. The book "Basic Principles of Classic Ballet" by Agrippina Vaganova at Amazon offers the Russian school technique (see Resources below).

5. Warm up and practice pirouettes at home or in a practice space. Improve your balance and longevity of turns by beginning with quarter and half turns and by keeping your eyes on a single focal point.

Tips & Warnings

• Always warm up before practicing pirouettes.
• "Pirouette" is French for spinning top.
• Master the five feet positions and plies before attempting turns.
• Pirouettes involve a number of joints, muscles and tendons that you can damage. You can even break a toe if you don't perform your pirouettes right!
• It is not advisable to practice pirouettes nonstop. Give your muscles and your equilibrium mechanisms a break from spinning.
• Don't get confused. Use books and videos as educational tools, but base your technique on what you learn in class from your instructor.

Resources

• Online tutorial at Dance.net
• Pirouette basics
• Beginning technique on DVD