This exercise will help students understand the correct placement of the pelvis during a développé devant. The pelvis influences the position of the femur in the hip socket, affecting the knees, ankles, and feet. That's why it's so useful to train this movement in a non-weight bearing position before progressing to standing positions in your ballet class.

Preparation: Have the students start by lying on their mats with legs in demi-plié and feet in 5th position (crossing the calf muscles) on top of a fit ball. If a student has hyperextended legs, position the feet further over the fit ball.

Steps:

1. Ensure they release their breath through the mouth to relax the rib cage, then inhale through the nose while bridging and elongating the body.

2. Check that the students' hip bones are square to the ceiling and aligned with their femurs. At the top of the bridge position, have the students exhale.

3. Then draw the top foot into sur le cou-de-pied while inhaling, and exhale as the foot returns to 5th position. Repeat, ensuring hips stay centred.

4. When stability is achieved, progress the working leg through the movement into passé trajectory as per your ballet class code and repeat.

5. Only when the student is ready, extend into the full développé devant, focusing on alignment over height.

6. They unbridge and change the legs to repeat on the alternate side.

Focus: Emphasise pelvis placement and hip alignment. Make sure that students don’t lock their knees and maintain alignment throughout the movement.