 the male dancer
written by DancingDoc at on 12.08. at 00:36:46 - as answer to: Turnout by Dancing Fool The muscles responsible for the external rotation of the leg work between the top of the thigh bone (femur) and the pelvis. The gluteus maximus, but only the LOWER fibers of the GMax, adduct and externally rotate the leg. The obturator externus rotates the femur outward. There are smaller muscles deep to the Gluteus Max, such as the Gemelli, that also work to externally rotate the leg. Note: The Gluti Minimus and Medius internally rotate the thigh bone. Thus turnout, external rotation of the leg, comes from the hip, NOT the KNEES or the FEET. If you force the feet to turn out without using the proper muscles in the hip, you're sure to place excessive stress on the knees, and will likely end your career in ballet. Understand -- It is wrong to set the feet in opposition at 180 degrees and then try to adapt the turnout strength in the hip area. To turnout PROPERLY, you must start the external rotation at the hip and then let the leg, knees and feet follow. It is a rare person that can achieve 180 degree turnout. Most dancers will have to work with the hip muscles (The lower butt muscles) to achieve turnout. If your hip muscles can't make the perfect turnout, and you try to complete the turnout with your feet, you risk abnormal stress to the knees. Never be ashamed that your turnout is not 180 degrees. Your can work to achieve greater turnout from the hip, but know that you'll hit your normal, anatomical maximum, and learn to dance with that. A forced turnout hurts the knees and stresses the feet and thus provides an unstable platform for the dancer. I'm surprised that our historian Tom didn't mention that the "excitment" of the ballet in its early days was the fact that the dancers showed the inside of their thighs to the audience, and not really that the dancers' feet were turned out 180 degrees! >Guys, I'm on the cusp of 47, and want to know what other dancers who are also long-of-tooth do to improve and maintain turnout. My instructor has fantastic turnout and is in her 60s, but she's been dancing for 50+ years; I started last January. What do you do, when and how often do you do it? And, do you have any practical suggestions for staying flexible, 9-5, at the office? Thanks! Answers to this message:
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