My first baby

Firstly you should all take a look at my first baby - Pirouette Surgery®️ the book is available on my online store, both as a paperback and an ebook. And you can listen to me on audible!

My interest for pirouettes began whilst training in America, I couldn’t quite believe the average amount of rotations required in some combinations. A teacher would throw into conversation that there was time for a quadruple turn without the blink of an eye. Back in 2011, in the UK, a double turn was an adequate staple to a professional dancers tool kit! I’m not all about turns and those of you that have been to my classes know that but a good clean pirouette is something we should all be aiming for. A mix of good body awareness, a strong core, balance and chicken nuggets is the best recipe for your rotations.

So, here are my five most important tips to help improve those Pirouettes!

1. A strong preparation should never be underrated. That’s in life, in DIY and in Pirouettes. How your body is set up prior to your turn is imperative to its success. That means an engaged core, a neutral pelvis and strong proprioception of your leg alignment. Once spinning you can’t change your initial force so setting up well must be number one in your priorities.

2. Without balance there isn’t any chance for a spectacular turn. Whilst we can all spin uncontrollably that shouldn’t be our focus as we perfect our pirouettes. Understanding where our centre of gravity is and then being able to maintain a balance from a relévé is more beneficial than anything in the success of our turns. Take some tips from flamingos and stand on one leg as much as you can!

3. Spotting isn’t quite what you think it is. We all grew up being told to keep our eyes one place and the whip our head around and see that place again. That’s the action, but what about the rhythm of that head action? I always state that a single turn should have a spot with a rhythm of 2 counts. Chick-en. And a double with the rhythm of 4 counts. Chick-en nugg-ets. (I know you’re all up on your feet trying this now!)

4. Unfortunately a T-Rex can’t turn due to his little arms. Arm’s can make or break any pirouette; too low and you’ll fall forward, too high and you’ll fall back, too bent and you won’t balance, too wide and you’ll slow down, too narrow and you’ll spin too fast. They’ve got to be just right! This takes practice and arm/back strength - never say no to an extra conditioning exercise for this area! Check out my husband @samueldowningpt for more dancer conditioning tips.

5. Never hide away your inner five year old. Spinning is a natural movement and something that young children love to do. Enjoying the turning sensation definitely has a positive impact on all dancers rotations.

As ever practice makes improvement, but for pirouettes make sure you’re practicing good preparation, placement and technique…bad habits are hard to shift when it comes to turns! Always remember to #DanceSmarter