I have trouble balancing in first position?

Question

In ballet the feet are supposed to be at a 180 degree angle, with heels touching....but i can't keep my balance. Maybe I'm doing something wrong? How can I keep my balance?

Answer 1

You will not be able to attain that degree of turn out immediately; some people never will. 180 degrees is an ideal position, but it requires a great deal of flexibility. Turn out must come from the hips, not the feet or knees. If you are having trouble balancing then it is likely that you are turning out from the feet, knees, or both. To find your own, natural first position, stand with your feet together (parallel first) and, keep the heels together, open your feet into a V as far as they will comfortably go. Wherever your feet end up is your natural first; if you try to turn them out further you will not be turning out from your hips and you will risk damaging your knees. In order to improve your turn out you have to improve the flexibility of your hips. One way to do this is to lay on your stomach with your knees bent and legs turned out (you will look somewhat like you are doing a grand plie while laying down) and pushing your feet toward the ground; you should be able to feel stretching in your hips. Keep in mind that if your hips naturally turn in, then you may never attain a 180 degree first position. If your instructor insists on this degree of turn out from everyone, then he or she is not considering your best interests and you should look for a new school.

Answer 2

Yes, first is supposed to be 180 degrees, but until your flexor muscles are stretched and used to that stance, you will have trouble balancing... Always stretch your hips completely. Tuck your butt and squeeze everything. Until your hips have been stretched to the point where 180 degrees is normal, you may need to bring the angle in some... 120 degrees or so. Keep working until you finally hit that 180. It is better to not completly have a 180 than to not have balance.

Answer 3

If you are having trouble balancing in First Position then try holding on to the back off a chair or something that could help you balance.

Answer 4

usually the problem here is that in order to turn out so much, people stick their butts out too far. I suggest you concentrate on tucking the butt in. This will line up your backbone with the center of balance. Also pay close attention to your head. It should be held straight, as if suspended from a thread. Imagine the whole body hanging from the head and you'll have it right.

A useful exercise is learning to stand, any foot position at all, on a bowling ball.

Answer 5

I had the same exact problem and I still have now but rarely. LIsten, there are two ways to solve. One way is to tuck everything in especially butt and stay still with your head. Also strech your knees as much as possible. Second way is to practice. Practice makes perfect. Some people were just born with perfect balance. We were not. But it is ok, especially if it is your first year dancing.

Answer 6

You don't have to get 180 your first time. You can hurt yourself really bad. Dont try to turn out so much.

Answer 7

you need to tuck your hips under, keep stomach in and shoulder back. Other than that you could have pronated feet (rolling in).

Answer 8

scrunch up your toes and move your hips to balance yourself out - ie stomach in shoulders back

Answer 9

your probably experiencing problems because of leg tightness. Make sure you are warming up and stretching properly.

Answer 10

you might have hyperextensive knees. I do and you have to keep a small gap between your knees in order to straighten them.