Pirouette

[Loopy]

Hey
I need some help on Pirouettes
Im not a dancer or planning to in the near future but am looking for some tips on this.

What are some tips for a faster pirouette?

Im not to worried about how good it looks as this is for my juggling

Thanks guys.

Jake

(Hopes that i will still be answered even though im not a dancer)

[waltzgirl]

Welcome, Loopy! You might want to use the search function to look for threads on "spins." There's been lots of discussion on how to do these and you'll probably get some tips.

[latingal]

Hi Loopy, welcome to DF! I'm sure as waltzgirl suggests, you will find many good tips by searching through old threads.

But here's my two cents for what it's worth. Four things I concentrate on in turns and pirouettes; body alignment over the leg, a toned/activated center (core muscles), whatever part(s) of my body that is providing the impetus for the spin (different parts in different types of dance), and spotting.

Body alignment and core activation gives the balance for the turn and contributes to speed by keeping the mid part of the body moving in one/stable piece.

The impetus of course starts the turn and must not knock the alignment of the body off. My impetus' are usually some combination of the following parts; shoulders, arms, hips, feet and/or core muscles.

And spotting allows me to do multiple spins without getting too dizzy, keeps me aligned in the room and makes the spins look faster. Spotting is basically focusing your head/eyes on a spot at the intiation of the turn and leaving it there until the turning of the body no longer allows the focus, at which time you turn the head to refocus on the same spot.

Hope that helps somewhat....it's kind of a complicated subject with so many types of turns....

[PasoDancer]

Well, the pirouette is best executed with minimal poll-to-croup flexion. If the horse is green, and hasn't previously been introduced to the pirouette, first practice the preremptory exercises at a walk, then a trot, providing the horse is sufficiently conditioned.

First make "boxes"... ride the straight, and cue through the outside leg behind the girth the horse to turn on it's haunches at each corner. When the horse satisfactorily plants and pivots around the inside hind foot, try it on the rail, also called a reining-back by some people (although this may be misnomered, as the rein-back is also just backing up). Just execute a 180 on the haunches along the rail- you can also do this at the longe.

When the horse can work up (gradually) and perform the turn on the haunches at a canter, canter your circles increasingly smaller until you can request a half-halt and get one or two strides of a pirouette in at a time. Might be wise to implement splint and bell boots to avoid damage, until the horse figures his feet out.

Eventually, the pirouette can be achieved by assuming a deep vertical seat with the pelvis tilted slightly forward and down, the seatbones driving weight into the quiet and steady leg so that weight is distributed through the heels, irons or not. The seat pushes the horse into the canter, the legs direct the horse, the hands control forward movement. If at any time the horse wrings his tail or pins his ears, he is frustrated or uncomfortable. Immediately loosen the reins and trot out to relax him.

Don't request speed, request accuracy, and speed will come naturally.

:lol:

[latingal]

Yeah, but PD....at what point does the horse start juggling? *grin*

[Peaches]

Well, the pirouette is best executed with minimal poll-to-croup flexion.

*snort* LOVED IT!!! Glad to know that someone else's thoughts went in the same direction mine did!

Granted, I had no idea of how to do one...still couldn't if my life depended on it.

[PasoDancer]

:D I just like to hear my teeth rattle sometimes! :lol:

[pr]

Welcome Loopy! :D

Also check out the sister forum that is dedicated to non-partner dancing... :arrow: www.danceforums.net ;)

[Loopy]

Thanks for the links / info / welcomes

Hopefully I shall get better soon

Thanks

Jake.