This exercise enhances the student's ability to maintain proper alignment and stability, with an increased focus on balance and weight placement. Students need to cultivate a sense of lift through the pelvic floor and engagement of deep abdominal muscles for balance, in order to execute ballet movements with grace and precision. This exercise progresses from basic alignment to more complex challenges, emphasising pelvic stability and correct foot alignment on the fit ball.

Preparation:

Have students place their working foot on the fit ball, ensuring that the foot aligns with the ball's contour in devant. This position encourages proper leg alignment from the start.

Steps:

1. Guide the students through moving their arms from first to second position, accompanying the movement with a fondu and cambré and recover.

2. Introduce a slow rise to test weight placement and control in lowering.

3. Incorporate a promenade (pivot) to écarté devant alignment, followed by a fondu with port de bras over the working leg, ensuring stable pelvis alignment. Repeat the slow rise to test weight placement and control in lowering.

4. Progress to an arabesque line, emphasising the projection of the eyes forward and the correct placement of the leg derrière. Repeat the rise and balance and return to the starting position. Repeat in full on the alternate side.

Focus:

Stress the significance of maintaining a stable pelvis throughout each movement and the engagement of the core for balance. The alignment of the foot on the ball is important for developing proprioception and balance in balletic poses.