This exercise focuses on developing dancers' understanding of hip and pelvis alignment to enhance the leg line in à la seconde. This exercise is crucial for strengthening core muscles, promoting proper alignment, and improving flexibility and turnout. By incorporating port de bras, the exercise not only challenges the core but also integrates upper-body grace, essential for ballet.

Preparation:

Have the student lie sideways on the mat, placing the fit ball between their calf muscles, ensuring both legs are rotated with the working foot in dorsiflexion.

Steps:

1. As the music starts, instruct the student to raise their neck to align with the spine and stretch the working foot. Guide them to lengthen through the spine, maintaining hip and pelvis alignment while drawing the working leg up. Internally rotate the working leg, keeping the hip alignment, and open the port de bras to touch the fit ball, extending into a développé à la seconde.

2. Have the student fondu with the working leg, articulating from dorsiflexion to plantar flexion during the extension and repeat the fondu and stretch.

3. As they return through enveloppé to the starting position and adjust the port de bras into fifth position.

4. Have them activate their core and adductors as the student rolls to the opposite side to repeat.

Focus:

Stress the importance of hip and pelvis alignment and the lengthening of the spine throughout the exercise. Turnout should be maintained, and movements should be fluid and controlled.