How do you do an aly second dance turn?

Answer 1

An al a seconde turn also known as a turn in second or pump turns. This turn is just like a fouette, only your leg stays in second position the entire time through your turns. After you prep for your turns you shift and rotate to the corner where you plie to the corner (bending your supporting leg) with your leg at 90 degress with your arms in first position. After plieing to the corner you are going to open up to face the audience with your leg and arms in second position with your supporting leg up on releve. This is repeated for the duration of your turns. To finish a turn in second you will finish with a nice, clean pirouette. I would suggest learning how to do a good pirouette before trying an al a seconde. when doing these turns, it's very important to spot, otherwise you won't be successful when executing a clean al a seconde. A way to practise spotting, it standing in front of a mirror and staring at something on your face while slowing turning, when you get to the point where you can't look at yourself any longer, whip your head around keeping the exact same spot where you were staring at. The point to spotting is trying to keep the exact same focal point for the duration of your turns. Spotting also helps you not get dizzy. Another thing you must do during your turns is holding your centre, which means squeezing your core and also your tooshie. This will help you stay in control during your turns. Remember to really use your plie throughout your turns and if your having trouble going up onto releve and find yourself hopping to try and get up there, try to have a deeper plie when your at the corner, you might also want to do some exercises, to strengthen the leg muscles that are used in these turns. Open chest, long neck, strong arms and shoulders back also can be the difference between a good or bad turn. Another useful drill you might like to try before actually getting into your turns isholding onto a wall, pole or a chair back, anything sturdy, and practise the two positions. So practising plieing to the corner and opening up onto releve and holding there, remembering squeezing your core to balance on releve. Repeat this until you feel confident to get into your turns. It's very important to take it slow, try practising one al a seconde on your own and if you have perfected one, then two, then three and maybe four, but just remember if you are stuggling, go back one step and do one less turn and try again. These turns aren't easy, it is a slow process it doesn't just happen over night, they can take up to a year to master depending on the student. But keep trying and practising and if you are dedicated your will get your al a secondes in no time!