The technicalities of turn out, whilst important, are not the be all and end all when it comes to dance performance. If a dancer does not have the greatest turn out due to tight hips, they can take comfort knowing some of the world’s greatest dancers have (had) limited turn out too. Beautiful lines and performances definitely go some way in compensating for limitations elsewhere – fake it until you make it!
It can be disheartening when there is a good range when doing the splits and lifting the legs but the line remains turned in, especially with a teacher constantly reminding the dancer to hold their turn out. Turn out naturally enhances the aesthetics of dance and conforms to traditional balletic notions, so if your turn out is a little lacking, there are some things you can do to improve it.
Forcing turn out can cause injuries to the knees and ankles, so make sure you are working correctly. Accept the range of movement you have in your hips and make the most of it. Many dancers try to make the most of their turn out by forcing it lower down their legs, however it is vital to keep a strong, correct alignment running all the way down your leg.
Pilates is a good way to work on areas of weakness or tightness that could be improved, such as in the hips or bottom. When trying to improve your turn out, combine ways of stretching and opening up the hips, and add strengthening elements too. When you return to the barre, work on your natural turn out from the back of your legs, rather than the front of your hips to then build up the strength to use it in the centre.