Differentials in Turnout Among Professional Classical Ballet Dancers

Area of Science:

• Dance science
• Biomechanics
• Kinesiology

Background:

• Ballet training often emphasizes extreme turnout, potentially leading to injury.
• Dancers with limited hip rotation may compensate at the knee and ankle.
• This study investigates the relationship between dancer level and hip rotation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if dancer hierarchy (corps, soloist, principal) correlates with hip external rotation and functional turnout.
• To establish average ranges for hip external rotation and lower limb external rotation in professional ballet dancers.
• To analyze the relationship between hip rotation and functional turnout.

Main Methods:

• Assessed active and passive hip external rotation (hip ER) using inclinometers.
• Measured functional turnout in ballet first position (lower limb external rotation, LLER) via foot traces.
• Calculated below-hip external rotation (BHER) and analyzed correlations.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in hip ER or LLER were found across dancer levels.
• Average passive hip ER was 50.2°, active hip ER was 35.2°, and functional turnout was 133.6°.
• Correlations existed between LLER and BHER, but not between LLER and hip ER.

Conclusions:

• Hip rotation range of motion is consistent across professional ballet dancer levels.
• Established average values for hip external rotation and functional turnout.
• Findings challenge the notion that higher dancer ranks require greater hip rotation capabilities.