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253 2.5 Exercises with Straight Leg Sliding Away from Supporting Leg Battement Tendu Battement tendu to the front: From fifth position with the weight on the supporting leg and the legs firmly held, slide the whole foot forward on the floor as far as possible without shifting the body weight, passing through a small fourth position and stretch the foot by sliding the toe forward to full point with fully arched and contracted instep. This should be accomplished in one continuous movement. The action proceeds from the thigh and should have the feeling of leading with the heel. The whole leg slides directly front ending with the toe of the extended leg directly in front of the center of the body so that the legs are exactly one in front of the other. The toes should be pressed down, but not curled under, and the Achilles tendon should be taut. The heel and instep should be pressed up so that only the big toe is resting on the floor. The position when viewed from the front should be such that the extended leg conceals the lower half of the standing leg. The inside of the thighs should be pressed together continuously throughout a whole series of battements tendus to the front. During barre exercises the free arm is usually held extended to the side. For some exercises with quick, small footwork, such as petit battement sur le cou-de-pied, the arm is held en bas (curved low in front of the body). Some slow exercises, such as fondue and développé, require appropriate coordinated port de bras. If the toe of the working foot is allowed to be opposite the heel of the supporting leg, the movement of the tendu will be slightly diagonal rather than straight front. During the movement from fifth position to the extended tendu, the foot moves in one piece and not through flexing of the toes as described in the Cecchetti book. To close from the front: From this fully extended position, before lowering the heel or moving the leg, begin to draw the toe back by flexing the ankle. Do not begin by flexing the toes. The foot remains in one piece. Next, while drawing the leg in, with the toe sliding toward the supporting leg, 254 / Balanchine the Teacher, Part 2 lower the heel to the floor and slide the entire foot through fourth position into fifth position. All of this should be accomplished in one continuous movement. Close the leg slowly with pressure in order to develop the inside thigh muscles for beats. This tension control will allow quick, firm closing at fast tempi without the usual “slamming” into fifth. There should be no flexing of the toes. The foot should move as a whole in all battement exercises . The most important part of the movement is that from fourth position to the fully extended position and the return to the fourth position—in other words, the movement of the ankle stretching and flexing independently of the leg movement. The toes must not flex, as that spoils the line. Battement tendu opening and closing to the front should be performed so that when viewed from the side the heel is invisible throughout. In some methods of training, the toe glides forward from fifth position to tendu front with the toes in a direct line with the heel of the supporting foot. Executed thusly, the movement of the leg will actually be slightly diagonal and unacceptable. Battement tendu opening side: Slide the foot to second position maintaining the whole foot on the floor as long as possible, then raise the heel by lifting the instep. The toes should be pressed down so the foot rests on the tips of the toes with the Achilles tendon taut. The working foot should be directly opposite the standing foot in a straight line from first position, when the tendu comes from fifth position. The buttocks should be tight with thighs rotated outward as much as possible while holding the hips square. In some cases when a body is not limber enough to achieve this position easily, a slight “give” or “opening” of the hips may be necessary. The idea is to resist moving the hips, but to “favor” the turnout of the working foot. It is the foot which an audience sees and not the hip alignment, as long as the body is not distorted. When extended, the toe of the working leg must...

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