Pirouette en Dedans

A pirouette en dedans is a turn in which the dancer spins inward, toward the supporting leg. “En dedans” means “inward,” and it names the direction of rotation: the body turns toward the standing side rather than away from it. It is the counterpart to the pirouette en dehors, which turns outward.

Which Way Is Inward

The simplest way to picture it is by the standing leg. In a pirouette en dedans, the dancer turns in the direction of the supporting leg, so a turn on the right leg spins toward the right. The working leg is usually drawn into passé at the knee, and the dancer often steps or pushes into the turn from a lunge in fourth position or from a preparation that gathers the leg inward. Spotting the head keeps the turn balanced and prevents dizziness.

En Dedans and En Dehors

Every classical dancer trains both directions so turns feel even on each side. En dehors, the more commonly taught first, turns away from the supporting leg; en dedans turns toward it. Because the two use slightly different preparations and feel different to the body, dancers practice each deliberately. Choreography often calls for one or the other by name, so knowing the direction from the term alone is important.

A clean pirouette en dedans depends on the same fundamentals as any turn: a strong passé, a lifted core, a solid push, and steady spotting. Mastering it rounds out a dancer’s turning vocabulary.