In classical ballet and many dance styles, turnout receives a tremendous amount of attention. Dancers spend years working to increase their external rotation and improve how their legs open from the hips. While turnout is undeniably important, another side of hip rotation is often ignored:  turn-in , or internal rotation. Many dancers have strong external rotation but very limited internal rotation. When this imbalance exists, the hip joint cannot move through its full range comfortably or...

In dance, it’s natural to believe that the way to improve a skill is to practice it more. Want better pirouettes? Do more turns. Want higher jumps? Repeat them across the floor. While repetition absolutely has a place in training, it’s only one piece of the equation. There is a major difference between  training a skill  and  training the physical capacity to perform that skill . When dancers blur that line, progress often plateaus — or injuries start to appear. At Performance Pilates and...

The Safe Dance Medicine View At Performance Pilates & Rehab we   emphasize that  extreme passive stretching without control can be harmful , especially for young or hypermobile dancers. Instead, range should be developed through  strength within the movement  and safe progressions. This reflects dance medicine principles that strength through range supports long-term joint health. Encouraging excessive flexibility too early — especially through static “forced” stretches — does  not  improve...