MIDAS workshop

[straceydor]

My DD has come out of your workshop very happy thank you, very tired but happy.

I need to know what the turning boards are and where can I get one sorry two one for each foot

[drdance]

Great to hear she had a good day. I think all the dancers learnt a lot from Daniel and Kei, and had lots of fun too! The turnboards I have came from www.balletisfun.com - but they're not cheap!

[rainbowmagic]

I bought my daughter a turning board for Christmas. She loves it!

[Anna C]

I've always been slightly confused about turnboards and ballet. I can see how they would be useful in ice skating, jazz and gymnastics, where (I assume) turns are performed with the supporting leg in parallel? But surely for ballet it is difficult to maintain turnout on the supporting leg when using a turnboard?

 

Also you are learning to turn on a flat foot, (so ideal for skaters), instead of maintaining balance on demi-pointe or pointe. Is it more difficult to un-learn that?

 

As an aside, I'm very glad the workshop went so well. :-)

[drdance]

Thank you Spannerandpony!

 

Re turnboards: Yes you are turning on a flat foot but I think that with good enough teaching the skills are transferable. The boards are helpful to feel the core strength and control needed, as well as the use of the head. A lot of students try too hard with their pirouettes, and all of the 'effort' throws them off their balance, and the tension has a negative effect too. When using a turnboard, if you try too hard, you fall off. If you have any unnecessary tension, you fall off. Because of the limited contact with the floor you can still maintain turnout on the standing leg, but it's just on flat instead.