Ballet Beautiful: Transform Your Body and Gain the Strength, Grace and Focus of a Ballet Dancer (20 page)

a
In the same position as for One-Leg Extension with a Twist, lift one arm high to fourth position and twist toward the opposite, raised leg.

b
Lower down your torso, pulling your stomach in tight. Remember, you are working your center here. Your leg should remain raised and quiet, as should your arms.
8 counts, 2 sets.

c
Repeat on the other side.

Ballet dancers are constantly engaging their inner thighs because so much of the dancing is done from a turned-out position. From your plié tendus at the barre to the perfect balance in fifth position on pointe, the inner thighs are lifting and working nonstop. This series of movements tightens and tones the inner thighs to build the long, lean muscles that define a ballet leg.

STARTING POSITION:
Lie on your mat on your right side, with your right leg extended down along the mat. Your left leg will be on top. Bend your knee and place your left foot either in front of your bottom leg or behind it, with your foot lifted on demi-pointe or flat. The working leg here is the bottom leg—that is where the focus is. Your upper body should be relaxed; lean on your right elbow or keep your upper body down on the mat, stretching your right arm out long. Pull your stomach in to engage your center and stretch through your bottom knee.

a
Keeping your bottom knee straight and lifted, raise and lower your bottom leg up and down.
8 counts, 4 sets.
Hold your leg up on the last count of 8.

a
From the highest point in the Classic Inner Thigh Lift, lift even higher, with a quick pulse up and down.
8 counts, 4 sets.
Hold your leg up on the last count of 8.

a
Keeping both knees straight extend the top leg out, taking the legs to first position. Engage through the stomach and stay relaxed through the chest.

b
Stretch both knees and engage through the inner thighs as you extend the bottom leg to the front and the top leg back into fourth position.

c
Bring the legs back to first position and extend to fourth again, lifting through the knees while engaging your center.
8 counts, 4 sets.

/A.
Hold this extended fourth position for another 4 sets of 8.

Bring the legs back to the starting position and repeat another set of the Classic Inner Thigh Lifts. Again, you will feel this in your upper thighs and butt. Stay centered and engaged in your abs.
8 counts, 4 sets.

a
Sit up and extend one leg out to the side, as if preparing for a center split, and reach toward your foot.

b
Bend your other leg into a passé position, slightly to the front.

c
Stretch the knee of the extended leg and lift the opposite arm up into a port de bras, curved above your head, reaching up and over toward the extended leg and stretching through your upper body. Curve your other arm low in front of you. Release through the side and back.

d
Switch legs and repeat on the other side.

a
Get down on your side in the starting position, as in the Classic Inner Thigh Lift.

b
Bend both knees into attitude and lift them off the floor, with your right foot in front. Engage your stomach and keep your chest open.

c
Straighten both knees and extend your legs into fifth position in the air on your side.

d
Bend your knees again and return to attitude; then extend again. Keep your chest open and your stomach engaged.
8 counts, 2 sets.

/B.
Since this exercise is more advanced, beginners can start with one set of 8 reps, or they can even try bending and stretching the bottom leg only, leaving the top leg as a balance (as in the top photo on this page).