Turnout in the performance technique is borrowed from which discipline?

• A. Turnout borrowed from jazz technique.
• B. Turnout borrowed from hip-hop technique.
• C. Turnout borrowed from ballet technique.
• D. Turnout borrowed from modern technique.

Answer: (C)

Turnout in performance technique is borrowed from ballet. Turnout means rotating the legs outward from the hips so the feet point in different directions while the knees stay aligned with the toes. In ballet, this outward rotation creates long, elegant lines and provides a stable base for everything from simple poses to jumps and turns. Because ballet trains dancers to manage this rotation from the hips and derive balance from it, other performance styles adopt turnout as a foundational idea, even if they don’t use the same degree of turnout for every move. In jazz and hip-hop you’ll see turnout, but often with a more relaxed or limited range and sometimes a parallel stance; modern dance blends turnout with parallel depending on the choreography. To use turnout effectively, initiate the rotation from the hip while keeping the knees tracking over the toes and the ankles solid, so the feet don’t twist or collapse the knees.