This exercise is designed to enhance students' understanding of alignment and external rotation in à la seconde. It is suitable for students who are ready to deepen their ballet technique, focusing on the precision of leg movements and foot articulation while maintaining proper hip alignment.

Preparation: Instruct students to lie on their side at the front of the mat, placing the fusion ball between the lower calf muscles. Their legs should be externally rotated, with the supporting foot on demi-pointe and all five toes equally pressed into the mat. This is an extension exercise, however if they can't maintain five toes pressed equally onto the mat, they must point the supporting foot.

Steps:

1. Guide them to draw the working leg up the supporting leg into a high retiré, articulating through the supporting foot while maintaining hip placement.

2. Then, internally rotate the working leg, before externally rotating and moving into à la seconde.

3. Instruct them to move into the développé à la seconde while maintaining stacked hips.

4. Then, they bend to working leg and flex the foot and return the leg to a full extension. Repeat.

5. They, bend the knee into retiré and roll the ball down the supporting leg.

6. Adjust the port de bras into fifth position and roll to the other side of the mat. Flex the working foot and repeat in full.

Focus: Ensure students maintain steady hips throughout the movement. When bending and stretching the working leg, they should focus on articulating through the foot.