Ask Amy: How Do I Improve My Développé Devant?

This story originally appeared in the February/March 2016 issue of Pointe.

My extension to the side and back is fine, but I really struggle to get my leg up to the front. How can I build strength and flexibility? — Abbey

You’re not alone. Controlled extensions to the front are not only physically difficult, but they’re sometimes hard to understand anatomically. (For the record, développé devant is one of my least favorite steps.) Obviously, you want to work on increasing your flexibility with daily hamstring stretches. But often, the culprit is a weak iliopsoas—a group of deep core muscles that attach at the spine and run through the abdomen to the front of the hip. Your iliopsoas is crucial in lifting the leg, but it’s tough to find, and even tougher to activate.

Try this iliopsoas strengthener recommended by kinesiologist Karen Clippinger, author of Dance Anatomy and Kinesiology: Tie a medium-weight Thera-Band around your legs just above the knee and lie back on your elbows with your knees bent and feet lifted off the ground. Your pelvis should be tucked under at first to help you find your iliopsoas. Pull one knee in towards your chest, straighten the leg without letting the knee move away from the torso (it’s okay if you can’t fully straighten it) and return to the starting position, repeating six times on each side (eventually increasing to 10 reps). As you gain strength, practice the exercise with a more neutral pelvis, and gradually progress from leaning on your elbows to a more vertical position leaning on your hands.

Another exercise that always helped me is to simply place the leg on the barre in croisé devant, keeping the hips square and lifting out of the supporting hip. Rotating from the top of the hip, feel a lengthening, spiraling energy through the working leg and lift it off the barre. Hold for five counts and slowly lower. Don’t worry if you can only lift it a few inches—this exercise will strengthen your deep turnout muscles, which will take pressure off the quad and create support from underneath.

Have a question? Send it to Pointe editor in chief and former dancer Amy Brandt at [email protected].