Technique · Foundations
The seven foundations
Before steps and tricks come the foundations — the technical concepts that underlie every style, from ballet to hip-hop. These are explained conceptually here; the actual training belongs in a studio with a qualified teacher who can see and correct your body.
Alignment
The body stacked correctly in space — crown, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles in a vertical line. Misalignment is the root of most dance injuries.
Turnout
External rotation that must come from the hips — never forced from the knees or ankles. Anatomical range varies by person; working with your structure (not against it) protects the joints.
Port de Bras
The carriage of the arms. Style-specific (ballet vs. jazz vs. hip-hop vs. tap) and central to balance — especially in turns.
Core Connectivity
"Move from your core" may be the single most repeated cue in dance. The limbs follow; the center leads.
Spotting
The head-snap to a focal point during turns. It prevents dizziness and is the difference between a single and multiple rotations.
Musicality
Interpreting and reflecting music through movement — beyond just hitting the beat, it's rhythm, phrasing, dynamics, and texture.
Performance Quality
The "X factor" that engages an audience: facial expression, eye focus, energy projection, and emotional commitment.
Why foundations beat tricks
Dancers who chase tricks before foundations tend to plateau and get hurt. Clean alignment and a connected core make every skill — turns, leaps, extensions — safer and more reliable. Judges and faculty also read foundational quality instantly, even under flashy choreography.
Concept, not instruction
We explain these ideas so dancers and parents share a vocabulary. We don't publish DIY technique fixes — turnout, alignment, and spotting need a trained eye to correct safely.