by Natalia Boesch | Jun 29, 2017 | Technique, Training
Updated on 1/26/2022 Few turns make dancers more tempted to cheat than pirouettes from fifth, especially doubles. Former New York City Ballet principal Jenifer Ringer, who is now on faculty at the Dance Conservatory of Charleston, gives her tips for nailing them...
by Madeline Schrock | Mar 15, 2017 | TBT
What do you get when you mix a dizzying amount of pirouettes with Mikhail Baryshnikov? Pure cinema gold—and one of the most famous dance movie scenes of all time. In this clip from the 1985 hit movie White Nights, Misha combines his technical prowess with his...
by Nicole Loeffler-Gladstone | May 9, 2016 | Views
A beautiful pirouette is one of ballet’s most elusive elements. Sometimes you float through multiple rotations and sometimes you can hardly balance on one leg. Here are some of our best tips for nailing your turns, every time. Go back to basics. Make sure...
by Amy Brandt | Apr 17, 2016 | Ask Amy, Technique
This story originally appeared in the April/May 2016 issue of Pointe. Do you have tips for prepping a pirouette with a straight back leg? I’m dancing a Balanchine ballet and I’m having trouble changing my technique. —Liza I was in a similar situation when...
by Hannah Chang Foster | Mar 31, 2016 | Training, Wellness
This story originally appeared in the April/May 2016 issue of Pointe. Suddenly, all I could see in the mirror was a fuzzy, dancer-shaped outline. I had accidentally rubbed out my contacts right before pliés and, frustrated, resigned myself to an unproductive two...
by Amy Brandt | May 31, 2010 | Company Life
No matter what I try, I have trouble turning. What exercises can I do to improve my pirouettes? What should I think about when I’m turning? —Kiana, CA Turns are tricky—there’s a lot of room for things to go wrong. For me, I’ve learned that I have to...
by Jennifer Heimlich | Nov 28, 2001 | Company Life
When I was at an ABT summer intensive years ago, one of my teachers told our class that the most thrilling pirouettes aren’t the tazmanian devilishly fast spins, but they are the slow, smooth turns that look like they’re effortlessly in control. This made...
by Jennifer Heimlich | Nov 28, 2001 | Company Life
Few things in ballet are more satisfying than the feeling of soaring around effortlessly in a perfect pirouette. Los Angeles Ballet wants to teach you how to nail that smooth sailing sensation every time. This Sunday, February 24, LAB’s monthly community day will...