
Better Turning Skills for Ballroom Dancing
One thing that many dancers struggle with and always want to make better is their turning skills! You can never be too good at turning! Here are some tips to think about the next time you are practicing your turns:
1. Tighten your core (abs) when you turn.
2. SPOT! I’m sure you’ve heard your teacher say this before, and I’m sure you gave them the “what?” look. Trust me, it is a very important skill. It keeps you from getting dizzy (allowing you to turn more) and it helps increase your speed (making your turns super sharp and quick). Keep your eyes on a fixed spot on the wall. When you lose sight of it, turn your head as fast as you can back to that spot.
3. Make sure you are in your legs a little bit. You don’t want to turn on wimpy legs, so make sure your muscles are engaged.
4. Back to #1: CORE! Tighten your core. Use those abs! They are there, I promise! If you have trouble engaging your core, imagine someone is about to punch you in the gut. What’s the first thing you’re going to do? Tighten your stomach, of course!
5. Practice, practice, practice. You cannot get better at anything if you do not practice. Turns are simply no exception.