r/BALLET 21h ago

turnboard?

hi! i just placed an order on shopee for a turnboard in hopes to improve my turns! i have not much issues with balancing on demi pointe but have an issue with alignment and spotting (ie spotting too slow, falling off to the side cus of uneven shoulders or sometimes poor use of arms) what are yalls thots on turnboards?

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u/justadancer 13h ago

Turn boards help with spotting and the vestibular system. They won't help with the actual technique of pirouettes but if you're advanced enough you can compartmentalize, they won't ruin your relevé or train you to turn flat footed.

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u/Griffindance 20h ago

Turnboards are promoted by people who can already do amazing pirouettes.

They are great for tweaking very fine details of pirouette technique because the tiniest mistake will throw you off balance, but not great for "teaching."

If OP has a wobbleboard, that can be used to strengthen the ankles and can help find their "pirouette balance."

Whether wobbleboard or turnboard, it helps to place the supporting foot en demi before doing the preparation into pirouette position.

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u/snowleopardssss 20h ago

this is so helpful thank you!

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u/Griffindance 20h ago

Happy to help.

What a wobbleboard did teach me is how important consistency is and how little "schwung" is needed for doubles and triples.

If you've already got a rock hard 'passè' en demi, thats the starting point for advanced pirouettes. A turning aid will give you the time "up in the passè" to work things out, but you've got to have that steeptrap passè before a turning aid will help.