Readers Respond: Tips to Improve Turnout

Responses: 19

How do you work on your turnout? Is there a special exercise you perform to help increase your turnout? Share your tips and hints. Share Your Tips

Don't worry about what age you are starting at, and don't worry if your classmates are younger than you. It's all about competing against yourself and being that much better than you were last week. Stay passionate and focused on becoming that beautiful dancer you dream of. l had to give up ballet at the age of 15 due to major spinal surgery but have returned 30 years later. All my class mates are around 16 years and l'm 46 years. Was l nervous starting again? YOU BET! So trust me, it's NEVER TOO LATE!!! And remember, Rudolph Nureyev didn't take his first lesson until he was 17! Good luck and GO FOR IT!
—Guest Jacquie

Thank you for giving this information to me. I am a dancer but I don't know some and I want to know more about this.
—Guest Allu Akhil T

Turnout is essential to all styles of dance, especially ballet! 1. Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you. 2. Point your toes (as mush as you can)! 3. Lean back on your elbows and bend your left knee while straightening your right leg in the air. 4. Using your hip muscles, move your leg in and out. 5. Repeat on the left leg.
—Guest Morgan

This helped me a lot, thanks, but I want to ask a question: is it okay to practice ballet at home because there is no way to go to classes. I'm 14 and I want to dance ballet but it's too late so I thought about practicing at home.
—Guest ella

I've been dancing for 14 yrs. I am still trying to improve my turnout but I've found that pushing myself and stretching every day helps! I even stretch while doing homework!
—Guest megan

To stretch your turn out, sit in frog, or butterfly (your legs in a butterfly shape in front of you, your legs in frog leg shapes behind you while you lay on your tummy) but remember you have to do both stretching and strengthening to get good turn out, so practice turning out your legs while sitting, or laying on your side with your knees bent, turning out the top leg. Remember to work out both legs!
—Guest BalletMad

Practice makes perfect! I've been dancing for 11 years and my turnout wasn't always the greatest. I found a few exercises that really help. All you have to do is take a few moments out of your day and do a few hip opener stretches.
—Guest anonymous

I'm just starting ballet this year at 13 years old but I don't know what grade to take. I know the 5 positions, turn out, pirouette and several other basics from a semester of dance at my school. What should I do??
—Guest Makayla

Practice Practice Pracitce!!!!! I can put my feet behind each other. I practiced every single day, even weekends, to get the perfect turnout. I really wanted to go on pointe and my teacher said the turnout has to be PERFECT. I will never regreat the pain it caused me and the pain it does cause me on pointe.
—Guest Ballerina

For those of you who are just starting, congratulations! No you will not be put in a little kids class. You will probably be put in a beginning ballet class with younger students, but they won't be younger then 8 most likely. Don't worry about your age though and work on doing your best and having fun!
—Guest Liz

I'm starting ballet and so is a turn out when you turn your hip so you whole leg turns? I haven't been to a lesson yet but my mom's going to call. I'm 13 so will I be w/ little kids?
—Guest snow petal

i hope this will help i am a 12 year old dancer and i have been dancing 4 about 10 years and i cant get my turn out perfect!!!!! i no it sounds crazy but its true!!!!!!:)
—Guest questdancer

I'm 18 and I just started ballet. I know it's a little late but I'm not aiming for professional or anything. But these are helping my TurnOut. Thank you! :)
—Guest Are We Human or are we Dancers ?

I'm a ballerina wannabe! I'm 12 and I have just started ballet too. I have just had my 12th ballet lesson today. I was so nervous before I started but after just four weeks I have already picked up on a lot of things and I am working to be able to go on pointe next year!! Good luck and just enjoy it!!
—Guest i wish i was on pointe!

I'm starting ballet soon and thanks for all the extra tips. I'm really nervous but as I'm 12, I will probably be in a class with lots of little kids??!! thanx :)
—Guest ballerina wannabe

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