by Kyra Laubacher | Dec 29, 2025 | Audition Advice, Pointe+, Summer Intensives, Summer Study, Technique, Training
At my first summer intensive audition, I was doing a développé à la seconde when my supporting leg suddenly felt like jelly. My foot rocked back and forth, I hopped, and my working leg came down. It was frustrating. I could do a stable développé in normal class! But...
by Kyra Laubacher | Nov 19, 2021 | Training, Wellness
We all have that step—our ballet Bermuda triangle. Whether it’s a grand pirouette, petit allégro or double saut de basque, every dancer struggles with some things more than others. And we often make it even harder with self-sabotaging thoughts. So, how do dancers...
by Katie Slattery | Sep 2, 2021 | Technique
Some dancers may seem born to turn, but most of us spend years in the studio working to improve our pirouettes and fouettés. Is there a secret to turning well? Magaly Suárez, founder and artistic director of The Art of Classical Ballet in Pompano Beach, Florida, has...
by Hannah Chang Foster | Apr 21, 2021 | Cross-Training
Whether you’re aiming for effortless pirouettes onstage or trying not to bump into furniture while training at home, we all want sailing, suspended turns. While many components go into a controlled pirouette—a powerful preparation, a balanced relevé, a stable...
by Amy Brandt | Nov 24, 2020 | Ask Amy, Technique
I have a terrible fear of falling when doing turns on pointe. I sometimes cry in class when we have to do new turns that I’m not used to. I can only do bad singles on a good day, while some of my classmates are doing doubles and triples. How can I get over this...
by Amy Brandt | Jan 14, 2020 | Ask Amy, Technique, Training
I am a competitive ballet dancer. Currently I’m dancing the third Odalisque variation from Le Corsaire and want to know how to master quadruple turns. Any suggestions? —Anonymous The first step towards mastering a quadruple turn is having a clean, consistent...
by Natalia Boesch | Nov 20, 2019 | Technique, Training
Michelle Martin, associate artistic director of Ballet Austin, says that pirouettes en dehors from fourth position allongé are full of “traps” for dancers. Whether you trained with a straight back leg or have never tried it before, Martin’s...
by Amy Brandt | Oct 25, 2017 | Ask Amy, Technique, Training
I had a few weeks off, and I didn’t practice my turns. Now, after being back for a while, I can’t seem to turn like I used to. My teacher said it was a mental block, but I can’t figure out how to push past it. —Devon Ahh, I know this feeling well. I...