Any tips for how I can get my leg higher??
I am currently trying to work in a more forward second extention with the heel leading to keep the hip down.
I need 90 degrees for my exams but more importantly myself!

Also any tips on strength/technique tips for all extentions? I hate developpes and grande rond de jambe as to be correct, I have to lower devant and derriere to be consistent with second and avoid bobbing leg syndrome!

Please help!!!!
niw102

Standing with one hand on the barre developpé your leg onto the barre to the front. Make sure your leg is definitely aligned correctly, hips/shoulders and leg squarely in the front where it should be. Now, lift the leg off the barre as much as you can, even an inch or two will do. Then after a count or two lower your leg back down to the barre. Repeat several times and then repeat with the leg in second position. I found this extremely efficacious. Even though I am retired, I still do this regularly and my extensions are still shoulder high. But they originally were barely hip high.

It must be done religiously. Progress will not be speedy but it will occur.

Another thing:

Do your developpés (front/side/back) in fondu, then when fully extended, straighten your supporting leg. Usually we are able to develop the leg a bit higher when in fondu and so taking advantage of that, try to keep the leg at that height as you straighten the supporting leg.

Another thing:

Rise onto either demi-pointe or full pointe, standing at the barre and do your developpés, after fully extended slowly come down to a flat foot. Since this was done on a demi or full foot the extension was a bit higher, and now as you descend try to keep that extra bit of extension.

Another thing:

When you do grand battements don't allow the leg to drop back down, - lower it with control. This will take advantage of the stretch through the back of the leg on the way up and build strength to keep it there. Brush up quickly with a strong push off through the toe, then retard the descent as much as possible.

Another thing:

This is a visualization - and visualizations can be important. As you develop your leg picture a hand lifting the thigh from underneath and another hand pulling up your foot right where your shoe ribbons cross on top of your foot.

Another thing:

When you start your extension lift the knee as high as you can, and then develop the rest of the leg from there.

Another thing:

If you can do the stretch where you take your heel in your hand and extend to second position, try to slowly let go of your foot and maintain it in the air. If you can't do it holding onto your heel, then hold onto your ankle or calf.

A good stretch/strengthener for arabesque:

Stand at the barre in fifth position, sideways, with one hand on the barre. Tendu your outside foot to the back. Now, do your very best back bend, remembering to obey all the rules of alignment and with ABSOLUTELY no weight on your back tendu foot. Now at the depth of your backbend, lock into that back leg with your back muscles, come up bringing your tendu back leg with you into arabesque. Don't come up one inch without bringing your arabesque leg with you.

Keep it coming up, up, up, and then go into penché without unlocking that arabesque leg from your back. When you've hit the extent of your penché, come back up to arabesque - leg still locked in your back.

None of these things will work over night - but with dedication and work - they will help.

Great idea!

The problem with rond de jambe en l'air is the placement of the hip and torso. If you take the leg from front to side, and then to the back, there is a point where one can feel an "obstacle" - a sticking point - in the movement. It's smooth up to a point, and then there's a "bump/hump." The natural inclination is to hoist that hip to "help" the leg over the "hump." But just the opposite is what must happen. The hip must be held down. But just as importantly is that the torso must MUST be held up out of the hip - lifted up.

If your teacher takes your leg and moves it from front to side to back whilst you absolutely concentrate on holding that working hip down and the torso up - you will find that the "bump" disappears! It's gone!

The action from front to side to back becomes very smooth.

The lesson here is that while moving your leg, you MUST concentrate on keeping the hip down and keeping the torso from sinking down at all - even a tiny bit. Suddenly everything is smooth.

Of course, the rotation of the moving leg within the hip socket must be turned out as much as possible. The knee must be kept looking outward in front, up to the sky in second, and outward in arabesque.

There are two turnout operations going on during rond de jambe (either a terre or en l'air) - the moving leg within it's own hip socket and at the same time in the outward movement it describes either on the ground or in the air. Sometimes we forget one of these types of turnout as we concentrate on the other. Both have to work together.

Did I make that clear as mud?

I will take the advice and practise! I like the barre one!!

Many thanks for taking time to reply! I shall let you know how I get on!
Naomi x

Within two weeks of working on your excercises- the results from your tips have been very noticeable- my strength has improved and I am holding extentions comfortably just over 90 degrees which is awesome! I look forward to adage!!(now theres a result!)

I have more stability within Centre practice also.

Off to buy a vat load of supplies today- i can spend hours in ballet shops!!

Coolio! Now if that doesn't encourage the rest of us.......

I'm sorry, but I completely disagree with the idea that splits are 'necessary', and I know very few teachers who would agree with that thought as well.

The splits are a strech, first and foremost. Their use in choreography is something different.

They also do not require the same type of strength building that developpes do. The pied de la mans stretch (which you described with the hand at the hamstring instead of the heel) with an attempt to 'hold' is good, but I'm with Anjuli here - I think releve lent (either from the barre or from the floor - I do it from the floor, from tendu), if done correctly, can really show results. It takes time, but it also trains the body and the turnout (if done correctly!).

I agree with Ami - it is not necessary to do splits in order to accomplish developpé - in any direction. The splits are stretches, developpé is both a move of strength as well as stretch. The allignment is different, the intent is different, the end result is different.

Sheilabee's questions:

<<<< it's great to actually think about the moves,>>>

The "moves" must be thought about. Always and forever.

<<<rather than just doing them. >>>>

If one is just doing them, then the mind is not engaged. Ballet is about the mind as much as the body - that's why it's an art form.

<<<<I find doing the same barre work each week makes me lazy>>>>

Doing the same barre was a complete no-no for me both as a student as well as a teacher. It would drive me crazy. I have to be honest here, but it was precisely one of the reasons why I chose (except for taking Cecchetti for three years) that I did not pursue syllabus work either as a student nor as a teacher. My wonderful Cecchetti teacher offered to mentor me into the Cecchetti Council, and while there is much be to gained, there were too many negative factors with syllabus work. I know I am in a minority here - but that's my honest assessment.

<<<<- I love it when we have a free class and I really have to think!>>>>

Having to think on your feet (pun intended ) is part of what must be learned in ballet class. To have new things thrown at you (dependent upon technical level, of course) is part of the lesson to be learned. How quickly you can capture and execute a enchainment is part of the schooling.

<<<<My question tonight - when doing a grand battement how do I engage the muscles underneath my thigh to control the upward/downward action, I feel all the stretch on the top of my thigh?
Many thanks to you all!>>>>

The "capture" of the muscles under the thigh doesn't begin in grand battement - but in tendu. From the very first moment in ballet class, the very first exercise "capture" of the correct muscles begins.

A good way to feel it is to stand in fifth position (or first) and extend your leg to the front (or side or back) in tendu, whilst the leg is extended in tendu, place the heel on the floor. Now put weight on that tendu foot, and then pull it back to fifth (or first). Feel the weight on the entire foot. Use those muscles behind the thigh to pull that foot back. Really feel what they FEEL like when in use.

The object is now to find that feeling again in subsequent exercises as you go through the barre sequences. The leg never "comes" back to fifth - it is decisively brought back - in every exercise.

Another way to feel those muscles whilst in developpé is after extending your leg - enveloppé back to retiré.

Remember visualization will help too. "See" the muscles in your mind, that will help the mind "locate" them.

In grand battement the way to feel those muscles in as you push off from the floor into the grand battement. As you push off - feel the floor very definitely through every part of your foot - into your pointed toe as it leaves the ground. If the leg is extended fully, and the pointe extended fully, it will be almost impossible to NOT use those behind the thigh muscles.

Try it. See if you can push off strongly, extended leg, pointed toe - without engaging those under muscles. It's almost impossible for them to be loose if the rest of the leg/foot is engaged.

Let me know if you can accomplish that!

PS does anyone know of a good ballet exercise video - I want a challenge (doing the old Elly classes) but need to just watch and follow at 6am! Thanks

Well, don't panic!

It's not really possible to completely not use the upper thigh muscles and I don't think that is the intent anyway. (Must be a prize somewhere for a sentence with a triple negative - but I think you know what I mean!)

Each group of muscles plays its part and no one part is completely unused. So - no panic, please! Besides you wouldn't want flabby upper thighs would you?