The perfect relevé

For the perfect relevé, rising onto demipointe should involve equal effort from the outer and the inner muscles of the lower leg. In dance physiotherapy we check your relevé alignment when you come to see us.

Try this exercise for relevé alignment awareness:

🌼Rise onto demipointe🌼

🟡Roll the foot out over the last 2 toes and feel the outside muscles of your lower leg contract.
🟡Now turn the outer border of the heel towards the ceiling bringing your weight back into the centre of your foot.

🟡Roll your foot inwards over your big toe so your weight is going through the inside of your foot. Feel the inner muscles of your lower leg contract.
🟡Now lift the inner arch up towards the ceiling.

For the perfect relevé……….

🌼Now imagine you have a stirrup under the arch of your foot and the stirrup is pulling the heel up equally on both sides. Rise onto demi🌼

🟡You should feel that you are equally contracting both sides of the lower leg and your weight is positioned over your 1st and 2nd toe.
🟡Imagine the stirrup under your heel lifting your arch up even higher onto your demipointe.

🟡Check the post: how do your calves measure up to test your endurance.

This plus other tips are included in the dancer’s handbook.