This exercise is designed to address the common challenge of activating the adductor muscle groups while standing upright in ballet. By practicing non-weight-bearing movements, students can focus on achieving correct alignment and muscle activation. This approach allows for the development of correct technique before integrating the movement back into ballet classes. This exercise aims to strengthen the adductor muscles, improve posture, and enhance the precision of batterie movements.

Preparation: Ensure students are positioned to focus on lengthening their body away from the top of their head, extending their neck, and opening their shoulders. Instruct students to relax their ribcage while engaging their deep abdominal muscles towards their spine and activating their gluteus muscles.

Steps:

1. Emphasise the importance of breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth in sync with the music, aligning each breath with a sideways activation of the body.

2. Guide students to maintain a lengthened neck with the trapezius muscles drawing down towards their feet.

3. Encourage students to activate the inner thighs, visualizing energy extending through the legs and toes during each beat, aiming to reach the opposite wall with their movements.

4. Incorporate the batterie combination of changement battu (royale), entrechat, echappé battu and entrechat six.

Focus: Stress the significance of maintaining a lengthened posture, engaged core, and activated gluteus muscles throughout the exercise for optimal alignment and effectiveness.