THE EXERCISE

How to work out like a ballet dancer

Hip opener: to create the optimum space in the joints, allowing you to move freely

— Lie on your stomach, head turned to the right, left cheek on the floor. Your legs should be extended and relaxed; your arms bent at a 90degree angle, palms facing down. — With your foot relaxed and on the floor, slide your right leg along the floor, with your knee bent towards your right elbow, without forcing it. — Keeping your foot relaxed, slide your right leg back towards your left leg until it’s at the starting position. Do not hold the rest of your body rigid; allow your core and your stationary leg to let go of their positions freely. — Repeat the movement, and on the third repetition of bringing your knee towards your elbow, lift your foot and lower leg. Turn them in and pull your knee towards your stationary leg. — Repeat this step once, your knee out, turning your foot up to the ceiling then dragging your knee in towards the stationary leg. Lengthen your right leg next to your left. — Turn your head and repeat the combination with the other leg. — Repeat the entire exercise, this time lying on your back.

Dégagé: good for length, strength, and alignment

— Begin on your back with your feet in first position (heels together and toes apart, pointed). — Place your arms at your sides, palms facing down. Keep your legs elongated, straight on the floor. — Use your palms and arms by pressing them to the floor. This will help to strengthen your core and align the spine. — Lift one leg two or three inches from the floor, with your toes still pointed out, by pressing your non-moving leg, arms and head into the floor. This will help you maintain stability throughout your body. — Do four movements to the front, then switch legs and do four more with the other leg. — Do four dégagés to each side: your working (moving) leg will brush along the floor as it extends to the side. Do not disturb the balance of the pelvis or the back as you move the working leg.

Seaweed: great for freeing and lengthening the spine, and for strengthening the core

— Begin on your back, legs together and parallel, and feet pointed. — Bend your legs slowly, bringing them off the floor, still bent, and lifting your feet off the floor as well, while your back hugs the ground. — Keeping your lower back on the floor and your shoulder blades drawn down towards your waist, curl your upper back off the floor, around your lower abs (your arms should act like seaweed being moved by the motion of the tides, around and behind your lifted legs). — Float your upper back and arms down to the floor, legs still bent, body still energised. — Repeat four times, bringing your legs gently towards your head as your core and upper body lift, igniting the lower abdominal muscles. — After the last time, hold one hand (or wrist, depending on the length of your arms) with the other, behind your thighs. — Lengthen your legs straight into the air, pressing the backs of your legs into your arms. — Propel your legs to the floor, arms still around them, until you get close to the floor. Then open your arms to the sides and move them for ward towards your feet, over your head. — Your upper back should bend for ward over your legs as you transition from lying to sitting, with the backs of your hands on the floor to help stabilise and keep the backs of your legs on the floor. — Roll down through your spine until your back is on the floor and you are in the starting position, with your shoulders relaxed. Repeat two to four times.

Demi-plié: a bend as far as you can go without releasing your heels from the floor

— Prepare for your first position by starting with your feet together, parallel to each other. Slide your toes and the fronts of your feet along the ground, outwards from the heels, and allow your toes to open as far as they naturally go without forcing them. — Your knees should be lined up over your toes, to keep your joints safe. Your bottom should remain in line with and right under your hips. — Heels together and toes pointed out, bend your knees as far as you can while keeping your heels on the floor, then straighten. Repeat three times, arms down. — Do four demi-pliés in second position (feet pointed in the same direction as in first, with about a foot’s distance between the heels), with your arms out to the sides, angled down and for ward, palms facing for ward. The rule for holding your arms is: shoulders, elbows, wrists and fingers, in descending order. — Do four demi-pliés in third position (one foot placed in front of the other so that the heel of the front foot is near the arch of the other). The toes of each foot should point away from the other, towards the side walls.