This exercise is fundamental within the Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) for its multifaceted benefits. It focuses on strengthening the hip and glute muscles, essential for performing movements, jumps, and maintaining positions with power, control, and endurance. Moreover, it plays a significant role in preventing dance-related injuries, enhancing technique precision, improving balance and stability, promoting correct alignment, developing muscle memory, and increasing body awareness. This comprehensive conditioning is key to a dancer's performance quality, injury prevention, and overall technique.

Preparation: Arrange two mats side by side and have a ½ inflated fusion ball ready. Instruct students to lie supine with their left leg extended straight, their right knee bent, and the fusion ball placed at the back of their bent knee. Arms should rest by the sides, palms up.

Steps:

1. Have students begin with deep breathing to relax their ribs, then lift their right leg as high as possible without altering pelvis position. After repeating the lift twice, hold the third lift momentarily. Externally rotate and return into parallel.

2. Transitioning the students to a four-point kneeling position, while reminding them to maintain their core control. Hover the right knee just off the mat. Raise the right in parallel and they bend forward using the triceps and raise the right leg and return to the upright position. Externally rotate and return the working leg into parallel. Hover the knee just off the floor and repeat this movement.

3.They transfer the body back onto their side followed by a side-lying position. Remind them to keep their hips stacked.

4.They raise the right leg externally rotated, adjust into internal rotation, bring the leg forward and return into neutral. Adjust the right leg to move backwards while not compromising the hip placement. Rond de jambe the leg en dehors. Repeat this section.

5. They finish by rolling onto their back and rest in the original starting position.

6. Repeat on the alternate side.

Focus: Emphasise maintaining pelvis stability, engaging abdominal muscles for support, and ensuring proper alignment throughout the exercises.