Ballet Beautiful: Transform Your Body and Gain the Strength, Grace and Focus of a Ballet Dancer (23 page)

This exercise really works the butt and thigh!

a
From the Tendu Arabesque Lift, drop your back leg onto the floor, as shown, keeping your arms in first position, your right leg back, your chest very open, and your front knee in demi-plié.

b
Slide your back leg out onto the floor in arabesque as you deepen your plié into a low lunge.

/B.
If you’re a beginner, you can keep your arms in first position as you extend down, as shown.

/A.
For an advanced version of the movement, take a twist through the spine as you take your arms into third position.

c
Take care that your standing knee is over your toe. Deepen the standing knee slightly in plié and pulse there. Extend through your spine and keep your neck relaxed.
8 counts, 2 sets.

Stretch
:
Slowly lift your upper body as you stretch the standing knee into a tendu arabesque with straight knees.

Repeat Tendu Arabesque in Plié, Arabesque Lift with Swan Arms, and Arabesque Plié en l’Air on the other side.
8 counts, 4 sets.

STARTING POSITION:
Start by extending your right leg into a tendu front, lifting up through both knees. Make sure your front toe is pointed and that both knees are fully straight. Pull your stomach in tight and open your arms to third position by bending your left arm into first position, curved in front of you, and extending your right arm into second position.

a
Bend your standing knee into a plié and slide your front leg out along the floor.

b
Pull in through your stomach and reach your left arm down toward your right foot. On your standing leg, keep your knee over your toes.

c
Pulse here in plié, with a slight deepening through the standing knee. Keep your arms steady and your stomach engaged. Working in this lowered position really challenges the muscles in your legs, butt, and center.
8 counts, 4 sets.

These are very challenging movements, so we will only do one set of 8. Be careful to use your center and engage your ab muscles. Also, do not arch your back and fully bend and stretch your knees.

STARTING POSITION:
From the beginning position for Plié Tendu Front, pull in through your stomach to engage your center and lift your arms up high to third position as you lift your upper body and stretch and lift both knees. This is a great ab workout too!

a
As you stretch up with your legs and upper body, you will pass through a Tendu Front. Then, as your leg lifts off the floor and extends into the air, you will move from a tendu into a Dégagé en l’Air.

b
Keep your stomach engaged and do not arch your back.

c
From this lifted dégagé position, carefully lower the working leg onto the floor, again in Tendu Front, and bend the standing knee back down into a plié.