Degagé with rotation activation

I love this exercise for helping students really feel their turnout, and for helping them feel that the degagé is initiated by the turning of the hip. It also helps them keep their leg straight when doing a degagé to the back, as the hamstrings like to kick in and try to bend the knee in that position.

Set 1:

1: Flex and degagé the leg to the front

2: point the foot (really focus on articulation)

3&: close in 5th, and degagé out again

4: close in 5th.

Repeat side and back, then,

5: degagé side close in 1st

6: degagé side close in 5th front

7: degagé side close in 1st

8: degagé side close in 5th back.

Reverse from the back.

Set 2:

1: degagé front

2-8: en cloche back and front, ending back on 8

1-6: repeat, you can double the tempo if desired

7: cloche front and demi plié

8: sous-sus and soutenue to finish or repeat on the other side.