Desmond Richardson

Battement means “beat,” tendu means “to stretch.” This exercise will make your legs, feet, and toes strong and prepare them for jumps and relevés. You will practice battements tendus in different directions and do several repetitions in each position. Your toes stay touching the floor as you slide out and in. Your heels are under your hips.

 

Keep all your toes on the floor so that your ankles are not rolling forward. Keep your legs turned out from the hips on the way down and up. This will strengthen your turnout. When you reach the grand plié,try to have your knees out and thighs in a straight line before going back up. When you have learned all your plié positions facing the barre, you can begin to practice them with one hand holding the barre.

 

The barre should be the right height so that you can go all the way down without raising your shoulder. Stand sideways to the barre, feet in third, arm in second. Keep your arm, head, and legs moving smoothly together as you plié. Keep shoulders and hips facing forward. Heels are always on the ground in demi-plié. Your arm is in bras bas as you reach grand plié—lift it through first and open to second as you come up.