Lateral & Medial Rotation of the Leg

Muscles in the hips are what create turnout. The most obvious muscles of the hip are located in the buttocks. The large gluteal muscles act as hip extensors (taking the leg to the back such as in arabesque) and external rotators.
In contrast, the muscles that are more important for turnout, the deep lateral rotators, are small and are
buried under the gluteus maximus. These six lateral rotator muscles are attached to different
parts of the pelvis. They all then run laterally, spanning the back of the hip joint capsule and the
ischiofemoral ligament. Finally, they all attach on or adjacent to the greater trochanter of the femur. In
addition to the six lateral rotators and the gluteus maximus, there are additional muscles around the hip
that contribute to external rotation. The sartorius is an external rotator that is thought to be particularly
active when the hip is flexed or abducted such as in a passé or front attitude. The adductor
muscles on the inner thigh may contribute to external rotation when the femur is in extension and is
already turned out by the primary external rotators. Straightening the legs from the bottom of plié is a
good example of using adductors in outward rotation. The function of all six deep rotator muscles is to laterally rotate or turn out the leg, relative to the pelvis.
They achieve this goal by pulling the femur’s greater trochanter backwards, that is, toward the back of the pelvis. It is often difficult for dancers to isolate the contraction of this muscle group. It is not necessary to tighten or “clench” the gluteals to activate the deep lateral rotators.

Teachers encourage their students to turnout only from the hips, and as a working cue, this is sound
advice. However, anatomically, there are contributions to a fully turned out leg that come from the
structure of the knee and lower limb joints. Research suggeststhat on average, 60% of turnout is created
by outward rotation of the hip. Twenty to thirty percent of turnout may then emanate from the ankle, with the remaining percentage created by the tibia and knee joint. The limiting anatomical structures include bones, ligaments, the joint itself, and muscles surrounding the hip joint.
There are five main factors that affect turnout:
1. Angle of femoral anteversion
On average, the neck of the femur is angled 15 degrees forward relative to the shaft of the femur. An increase in this anterior angulation, called anteversion, often will cause
someone to toe in when they walk. This is often referred to as being pigeon toed.
In children who are born with more anteversion, the orientation of the femoral shaft in the hip
socket makes the knees face towards each other when standing or walking. In ballet class, when
they turn out their legs from the hip, the knees face the front, leaving little additional hip rotation
to create the expected angle of outward rotation visible at the feet.
However, a decrease in this angulation, called retroversion, will allow one to have greater turnout. Children born with retroversion have a much easier time with turnout. Just
standing in parallel, the knees and feet tend to face outward. By adding external rotation at the
hip, they can achieve a larger angle of outward rotation visible at the feet than the average person.
Currently, most researchers agree that these are not conditions that can be altered with training.

2. Orientation of the acetabulum
The socket of the hip faces out to the side and somewhat forward, but there are individual
variances. The socket that tends to face more directly to the side with a less forward facing will
allow a greater amount of turnout to come from the hip.
3. Shape of the femoral neck
The neck of the femur is subject to some variability. A longer and more concave neck allows a
greater range of motion at the hip; it is less likely to contact the outer edge of the acetabulum in
turnout and is therefore considered to be advantageous. A shorter and less concave neck will have
the opposite effect and limit turnout potential.
4. Elasticity of iliofemoral or Y ligament
As previously mentioned, the three ligaments surrounding the hip restrict extension. The
iliofemoral ligament, strong and with minimal elastic properties, opposes extension of the hip.
This ligament also resists lateral rotation or turnout of the hip. Thus, the more the hip is extended
to the back, the greater the resistance to turnout. It is controversial whether attempts should be
made to alter the flexibility of this ligament, as it may alter its capacity to stabilize the hip. In
order to gain greater turnout when standing, dancers sometimes flex the hips by tilting the pelvis
forward. This flexed position creates some laxity in the ligaments, providing slack that can be
used to increase hip rotation. However, this attempted compensation creates a position of lumbar
lordosis (low back sway), thrusts the buttocks backward, and is aesthetically undesirable and
potentially damaging. Additionally, with a pelvis in this tilted position, the angle for using the
deep external rotator is less effective.
5. Flexibility and strength of the muscle-tendon unit
The muscles surrounding the hip, if unnaturally tight, may restrict a dancer’s ability to achieve an
acceptable degree of turnout. Proper stretching techniques will enable dancers to achieve their
maximal turnout potential. Similarly, adequate strength and optimal activation of the hip external
rotators may help dancers to achieve their potential turnout.

Wilmerding, Virginia, Ph.D, and Donna Krasnow, M.S. "Turnout for Dancers: Hip Anatomy and 
Factors Affecting Turnout." Www.iadms.org. “International Association for Dance Medicine and Science, 2011. Web. 22 Apr. 2013. <http://www.iadms.org/associations/2991/files/info/turnout_for_dancers_anatomy.pdf>.

Maria Tallchief

Elizabeth Marie Tallchief (January 24, 1925 - April 11, 2013) was considered America's first major prima ballerina. 

Tallchief grew up in Los Angeles, California where she studied ballet for many years. During her early career, in the 1940s, Tallchief danced with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. It was also around this time that she became known professionally as Maria Tallchief, combining the two parts of her Indian name. In 1947, she became the first prima ballerina of the New York City Ballet—a title that she would hold for the next 13 years. That same year, Tallchief became the first American to dance with the Paris Opera Ballet. In addition to her work with the NYCB and Paris Opera Ballet, she was a guest performer with the American Ballet Theatre.

Around this same time, Tallchief met and became involved with the famed choreographer George Balanchine. The couple wed in 1946 and separated in 1951. While their marriage was short-lived, the two worked well together. After joining the New York City Ballet in 1948, Tallchief danced to Balanchine's choreography.

Maria Tallchief quickly became a popular figure in ballet, performing in productions such as Orpheus, Scotch Symphony, Miss Julie, Firebird and The Nutcracker (performing as Sugar Plum Fairy). She also created roles for Orpheus and Scotch Symphony, both choreographed by Balanchine, among other plays he choreographed. In addition to wide fame, Tallchief earned strong reviews from critics for her technical precision, musicality and strength.

In 1957, Tallchief married Henry Paschen. After the birth of their daughter, Elise, in 1959, Tallchief took some time away from ballet. She eagerly returned to the stage, working on several more productions until her retirement in 1965. Thereafter, she became a ballet instructor and began serving as artistic director for the Lyric Opera Ballet. Later, she founded and became artistic director of the Chicago City Ballet.

In 1996, Tallchief became one of only five artists to receive the Kennedy Center Honors for their artistic contributions in the United States. That same year, the dancer was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.

In 1999, Tallchief was awarded the National Medal of Arts, the highest award given to artists and arts patrons by the U.S. government, which honors individuals who "are deserving of special recognition by reason of their outstanding contributions to the excellence, growth, support and availability of the arts in the United States."

"Maria Tallchief." 2013. The Biography Channel website. Apr 22 2013, 10:32http://www.biography.com/people/maria-tallchief-9501522.

"Lilac Garden" Ballet by Antony Tudor

Having The Other Woman dance with Caroline and The Man She Is To Marry shows the dynamic between the 3 of them. It almost seemed as if Caroline was welcoming of the other woman.
The relationship between the man and the other woman is made clearly obvious to be forbidden by their frantic dancing and trying to be kept a secret.
Group dancing is beautifully synchronized.
Costumes with long skirts are beautiful and graceful. Skirts stop above the ankle so we are able to see the dancers feet.
The love between Caroline and the man she loves is very clear. They seem very much in love though they are not allowed to be.
The man Caroline is to marry tells the other woman to fo away when Caroline comes near.
Dancing hasty between Caroline and the man she is to marry - obviously do not want to marry each other.
Caroline shows how badly she wants to be with the man she loves when given the choice - but she must choose the man she is to marry.
The other woman looks away when they are married.
The small gestures in this ballet make every movement significant.

Cecchetti Arabesques vs. Vaganova Arabesques

The Cecchetti method uses five principle arabesques while the Vaganova method uses four.

The Cecchetti Arabesques
First Arabesque: The body is held upright and supported on a straight leg with the other leg extended and at right angles supporting the leg. The shoulders are held square to the line of direction with the arms extended, palms down, so that the fingertips of the forward arm (the same side as the supporting leg) are in a line with the center of the space between the eyes, and the extended back arm slightly lowered so that the arms are in one straight line. The forward hand should be slightly turned outward.
Second Arabesque: The arms are reversed so that the forward arm is the opposite to the supporting leg. The head is slightly inclined and turned towards the audience.
Third Arabesque: Both arms are extended forward to the side of the supporting leg. The fingertips of the arm farther from the audience are in line with the center of the space between the eyes while the arm nearer the audience is in a line with the shoulder.
Fourth Arabesque: The supporting leg is nearer the audience and is in demi-plié. The arms and head are held as in the first arabesque with the arm on the side of the raised leg being forward.
Fifth Arabesque: The arms and head are held as in the third arabesque with the arm farther from the audience being the higher. The supporting leg is the leg nearer the audience and is in demi-plié.
The fourth and fifth arabesques are usually taken facing the right front corner of the room or stage if the supporting leg is the left, or facing the left front corner if the supporting leg is the right.

The Vaganova Arabesques
First Arabesque: The body is supported on one leg with the other lifted at a right or greater angle to the supporting leg. The body is inclined forward from the waist with a strongly arched back. The arm on the side of the supporting leg is extended forward and the other taken out to the side a little behind the second position.
Second Arabesque: The body and legs are the same as in the first arabesque but the arms are reversed. That is, the arm on the side of the supporting leg is taken back far enough to be seen behind the body while the other arm is extended forward. The head is turned toward the audience.
Third Arabesque: Faces diagonally towards the audience. The supporting leg is nearer the audience with the other raised in croisé derriére at right angles to the supporting leg. The body is inclined forward with the arm opposite the supporting leg extended forward on a level with the shoulder and the other arm extended to the side. The head is turned towards the forward arm.
Fourth Arabesque: The legs are in the same position as in the third arabesque but the arms are reversed and held at shoulder level. The arm on the side of the supporting leg is brought forward and the other arm is taken back far enough to be seen behind the back. The body is half turned away from the audience by the strong arching of the back, with the head turned towards the audience.

Grant, Gail. Technical Manual and Dictionary of Classical Ballet. New York: Dover Publications, 1967. 2-3. Print.