Verified answer

The better you are at pirouettes the better you will be at pump turns. Pirouettes are like working up to the a la seconde turns.

When doing the pirouettes make sure your posse is turned out. And try to figure out which leg has the best balance, and do them on that. And pmp like you would in an a la seconde turn.

A la seconde turns are always inside turns, so whatever leg you are on, turn into it. And pump when you turn to face the front, never before or after. If you don't spot correctly, you will never get the turns, I promise you.

Also, your arms go from first position when turning to second position when pumping, and once you get better you can hold them in one or the other.

Make sure that your (for lack of a better word) flyer leg is turned out and 100% (as is your supporting leg) and that the flyer leg is sticking straight out of your hip so that it creates a 90 degree Angle

I won't lie to you, at first they are very difficult and they take a lot of hard work to get correctly. But the more you practice the easier they'll become.

Your straddle split is also another important thing to work on because it will help with the positioning of your leg. And every once in a while check in with your teacher and ask for an opinion from him/her.

I couldn't do them until I really worked on my turnout. You need to easily be able to do straddle splits and a lot of stregth to hold your leg. The typical problem is that one's hips usually begin closing, so you do need extreme turnout muscle. You also need to really pull up to give space for your leg and make sure your arms are working properly. Good luck!