How to Do Triplet Turns in Jazz Dancing

Jazz dancing is a popular form of dance that is often used in conjunction with other forms such as ballet and tap for musical theater and other choreography. Jazz dancing incorporates a variety of leaps, kicks and turns, one of which is the triplet or 3-step turn.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Stand with your weight on the left leg holding the right leg out from the body with the toe rotated outward and pointed towards the ground.

2. Maintain an upright posture and choose a position for your hands and arms throughout the turn. You may keep your hands out to the sides of your body, hold them up above the head or keep them close to the body.

3. Turn to the right, shifting your weight to the right leg and bringing the left leg around the front of the body. Rise up on the toes of both feet for the turn.

4. Continue to turn, leading with the upper body. Rotate the upper body so that you are once again facing forward, and follow with the legs. Bring the right leg around so that you are once again facing the same direction that you were at the beginning of the turn.

5. Finish with your weight on the right leg, holding the left leg out from the body with the foot rotated outward and pointed. The position should be the reverse of where you began the turn.

Tips & Warnings

• Try to turn with your head first. Bring the head around first when turning so that you can use a focal point to maintain your balance.
• Keep your upper body in a straight, upright posture while turning to avoid losing your balance or slowing down the turning motion with a bent waist.