Develope a la Seconde

[balletbum74]

I have the strength (gotta love Pilates) and the flexibility that you need for above 90 degree extension. When I do a partner strech or a heel strech, I can easily hold up my leg. The problem is the movement from passe to the straighten a la second position. It hits 90 whether I'm thoroughly streched out or not. I'm not 100% positive on how the muscles work to support the leg. I know you need to use your abs and gluteas muscles and NOT you hip flexors and quads. Any advice?

[Mel Johnson]

Oh, but you DO use the hip flexors. If you didn't, you couldn't raise the thigh toward the torso. And if you didn't use your quads, you couldn't straighten your knees! But you have to use the maximum rotation of the femurs in the hipjoints in order to get all the muscles you need to extend the leg properly. That's where hamstrings and glutes and the other good muscles come in. Proper placement and alignment doesn't hurt either!

[americanlostinUK]

okay, well not exactly the same problem here, but my leg won't go above 90 either. for me its definitly that i don't have the strength. so, today i learned that you can do the plank (where you support yourself on demipointe and your elbows and your body is a straight line between) on your side (so you only have one elbow and one foot on the floor) and that wiill help with the muscles you need for develope to the side, i heard this from a friend so just checking that its true and, anything else besides just holding the leg up that i can do to try and make it go higher. o and i definitly have the flexibility to get it there.

[Victoria Leigh]

Are you lifting your knee up from the retiré position before extending the lower leg? And don't forget, too, that it takes longer to develop the strength to hold the extensions than it does to get the flexibility. I don't expect to see full extensions from younger teens until they have pretty much finished growing.

[americanlostinUK]

yes, i left my knee up and i can get my leg to its maximum height if its bent, but when i straighten it it goes back to 90. does that tell you what muscles i need to work on most? if so what are they, and what can i do about them?

[Siegelife]

I'm really trying to picture this exercise. Can you explain what you're going again?

[Clara 76]

I'm really trying to picture this exercise.  Can you explain what you're going again?

 

Since this is the Young Dancers Forum, I would suggest asking the following question over on the Parent's thread: What exactly is a developpe ala seconde and could you please describe it? I'm sure you'll get some excellent responses from teachers there!

[saltshaker11]

i have a similar problem, I can easily grande battement my leg up to my ear but when it comes to develope a la seconde i get to passe, and then when im supposed to lift my knee higher it doesnt go...ive done strengthening exercises but they just make my hip so tight that it hurts really bad in the flexor...then i tried stretching it ...but that doesnt help either? i do not have any ideas on how i can get my leg higher. Help!

[Siegelife]

I know what a develope a la seconde is....I was just questioning the whole 'have one elbow and one foot on the ground' thing.