I have a full turn-out with my right leg and I can use it fully when I do developpes devant and derriere. But when I do it at the side, I can't seem to 'find' the muscles that can turn my leg out. So I end up with my hips not square, my leg not turned-out and my weight back. When someone holds my leg, I can turn it out but on my own I just can't. Does this mean that I have to work my turn-out muscles more? How come I can use my turn-out in front and back? Any help?

This is a very good question, Annie. The simple answer is that you seem to have the turnout but not the strength to use and hold it in second position.<P>When you lift your leg to the front you have the very powerful abdominal muscles to hold it, and to the back powerful muscles in your back to help. To the side - well, it's sort of in between isn't it? So the side is usually the most difficult.<P>If your weight is back as you mentioned you end up leaning back, that will just about kill your chances to attain and hold your turnout to the side. Keeping your weight forward is crucial. You can't dance with your weight back. <P>When we are talking about turning out to the side we are talking about two things - how far the leg goes to the side, and how far the leg itself turns out. Sometimes you have to compromise, one for the other. Try not taking your leg too far to the side and going instead for turning out the leg itself. When you have to make a choice (and we all have to make this choice) then go for turning the leg itself out, rather than taking it too far to the side.<P>As for being able to turn it out better when someone holds it - well, that is ALWAYS the case - for everyone.<P>Have you read some of the threads we have on turnout? <P><A HREF=../../../ubb/Forum7/HTML/000499.html><B>Turnout - A Ballet Basic</B></A><P><BR><A HREF=../../../ubb/Forum7/HTML/000080.html><B>Turnout</B></A><P><BR>

Annie, many people have good turnout when they are static but it is hard to keep that when you start to move and it is something that takes time to develop.<P>I will quite often get a pupil to perform a move very slowly, almost in components so that we can check that the turnout remains and identify the parts where the turnout starts to wain. That may help.

Basheva, won't not taking my leg so far to the side look ugly? Cause I tried it today and to keep the turn-out I have to have it REALLY not to the side. It looks a bit funny. And I feel weird.

Annie - very, very few people can take their leg completely to the side AND turn out the leg itself. Very, very few.<P>Most of us have to find that place to the side where we can take it, and still maintain the turnout. One thing to be certain to check is that when you are finding out where that place is, be very sure to NOT sit in your hips, that will affect the placement to a great degree.<P>So stay forward on your feet, lengthen out of your hips, then try to take the leg back as far as it will go and still stay turned out.<P>As for it looking weird - it will look even weirder if it is far to the side, but turned it. That will negatively affect the height of your leg, the line of your leg and everthing you do to use it - like rond de jambe en l'air, grand battement, developpé, etc.