In Cecchetti Grade 4, what is the correct alignment for the working leg in développé at the barre?

In Cecchetti Grade 4, what is the correct alignment for the working leg in développé at the barre?

• A. The working leg extends along a straight line from hip to toe with turnout maintained.
• B. The working leg flexes knee and juts forward.
• C. The leg moves randomly.
• D. The working leg rotates inward with knee locked.

Answer: (A)

In a développé at the barre, the working leg should lengthen in a clean, straight line from the hip to the toe while turnout is maintained. This means the thigh and lower leg stay aligned, the knee is fully extended (not bent or hyperextended), the foot points along that line, and the hips remain turned out with a tall, stable spine. This alignment preserves the long, graceful line Cecchetti aims for and protects the knee by avoiding misalignment. The other options break this line: bending the knee and jutting the leg forward disrupts the extended path; moving the leg randomly has no controlled trajectory; rotating inward with the knee locked defeats turnout and creates unsafe, incorrect alignment.

In a développé at the barre, the working leg should lengthen in a clean, straight line from the hip to the toe while turnout is maintained. This means the thigh and lower leg stay aligned, the knee is fully extended (not bent or hyperextended), the foot points along that line, and the hips remain turned out with a tall, stable spine. This alignment preserves the long, graceful line Cecchetti aims for and protects the knee by avoiding misalignment.

The other options break this line: bending the knee and jutting the leg forward disrupts the extended path; moving the leg randomly has no controlled trajectory; rotating inward with the knee locked defeats turnout and creates unsafe, incorrect alignment.