Mastering Devant Extensions and the Foot in Hand Barre Stretch

Elevate your ballet technique with this focused 12-minute practice session at Broche Ballet, designed to refine your flexibility and alignment during barre work. This class dives deep into the mechanics of devant and à la seconde extensions, providing dancers with the tools needed to achieve higher legs and a cleaner line. One of the most common challenges in ballet is maintaining proper pelvic placement as the leg gains height.

Throughout this session, our instructor emphasizes the critical importance of squaring the hips and finding stability through the standing leg. By incorporating a soft fondu on the standing leg, you will learn to ground yourself, allowing the working leg to find more freedom and range of motion. The lesson also explores the integration of the upper body, using port de bras and cambré to deepen stretches and connect the entire body's movement.

You will practice manual traction techniques to encourage external rotation or turnout, ensuring that your extensions are not just high, but also technically sound and aesthetically pleasing. A central highlight of this practice is the foot in hand stretch. This advanced stretching technique focuses on the mechanics of lifting the leg by the heel while maintaining absolute core stability.

You will learn how to avoid the common pitfall of leaning or compromising your posture to gain height. Instead, the focus remains on releasing the hip flexors and utilizing the correct muscle groups to support the leg's weight. Whether you are looking to improve your développé devant or find more ease in your side stretches, this targeted session provides actionable drills that you can incorporate into your daily training.

Join Broche Ballet and transform your flexibility through anatomical awareness and precise ballet technique.