Dear Katie: I'm a One-Sided Turner!

In our “Dear Katie” series, former NYCB soloist Kathryn Morgan answers your pressing dance questions. Have something you want to ask Katie? Email [email protected] for a chance to be featured!

Dear Katie,

I’m a one-sided turner, and it’s becoming a serious problem. I can do quadruple turns to the right, but can barely manage a double to the left. What am I doing wrong, and how can I even myself out?

Aubrey

Dear Aubrey,

You’re definitely not alone! For a very long time, I couldn’t turn left to save my life. To figure out what’s going wrong, break the turn down into parts. First, assess your relevé. Start in fourth position, relevé to passé, and come back down. Did you fall a certain direction? Did you tip to one side? Once you figure out your balance, you can start compensating for any flaws when you turn.

Many dancers don’t bring their right sides around when turning left. So next, consider: Are you leaving one side behind? Focus on pulling that right shoulder around when you turn. You can also think of it as bringing the left shoulder back.

The last thing to do is never fun, but it’s necessary: Practice your left turns more than your right. Repetition really is key. The more you practice, the better your turns will get!

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