If your turnout can't be held that well yet (ex., In attitude derrierd, my foot keeps falling lower than my knee), should you just work with a lower attitude until it gets better. Another question; my teacher always says that in atttutide the goal is to get your foot and knee at the same level-or your knee higher- but In a lot of pictures, I see attitudes derrriere with the foot way higher. Is that because of the winging of the foot, or is that just how it looks when your turnout is that good?

This is an excellent question Bebounce...<P>Attitude derriere is probably one of the most beautiful lines in the ballet - however, if not done correctly - well - er - it is less than beautiful!!<P>There is no doubt that a good turnout helps. Both the height of the leg as a whole and the length of the attitude (how much the knee is bent) are based on individual attributes. The amount of turnout that you have, your ability to hold that turnout, and the length of your torso. Often it is felt that a more stretched out attitude is better for a person with a longer torso - the lines are more synchronous.<P>As for the height of the foot and knee. You teacher is right the knee and foot should be on the same horizontal line - but the foot can wing higher. However, if the attitude is held lower - less than hip high then of course the knee is higher than the foot.<P>I was always taught - and so taught my students that an exception to the rule - is when the attitude is exceptionally high - like above the waist - then the foot is higher than the knee. I could be wrong, but I was always told this was more of a Russian style - very high attitude in which the foot is higher than the knee.<P>So the rules might break down like this:<P>low attitude - below hip high - knee is higher than foot.<P>hip high attitude - knee and foot on same horizontal line.<P>high attitude - above the hip - and the foot is higher than the knee.<P>

one more thing to add.....maybe a good way to think about attitude is - just like arabesque only with a bent knee. <P>If you were in arabesque at 90 degrees - would your foot and knee be on the same horizontal line? (except for a possible wing in the foot) Sure they would. So this is no different.<P>And the same if your arabesque was low - the knee would be higher than the foot. <P>And if your arabesque was above your waist - would the foot be higher than the knee? I think so.<P>So - think arabesque (turnout, pointed toe and all) and just bend your knee.<P><p>[This message has been edited by Basheva (edited June 07, 2001).]

About the first part of the question: I was taught to only lift the leg as far as it could go with proper turnout. My guess is that otherwise you train your muscles to lift the leg in a turned-in position, which would be a difficult thing to overcome at a later date. Always work correctly, and then when the height comes you will have developed the proper technique to support it. Or so I've been taught.

You were taught correctly Katheryn. One should never work beyond what can be held correctly - turn out, height, control, placement.<P>And you gave a great answer to the first part of Bebounce's question. Thank you.

They are excellent response - really clear explanations. It is confusing when you see the pictures of top ballerinas doing what seems to be the opposite of what we ahve been taught - but those explanations above really clarify the situation.