Tips and Techniques for a Perfect Developpé

Developpé means to unfold. The developpe is one of the last exercises you perform on the bar. But you can also do it in the centre, where its difficulty increases even more.

The developpé will be one of the bases of the adagio, that is, that set of slow movements, balances and leg elevation that require strength and balance while demonstrating elegance and fluidity. Specifically, the developpé is usually a fundamental movement in a pas de deux.

How to do the Developpé

In this movement, you draw up your leg to the knee into the retiré position, extend out, lower down into a tendu and return to the fifth position. A developpé can be done devant, to the front, a la seconde, to the side, and derriere to the back, which should bring you into your arabesque line.

Devant (to the front)

So if you were standing in fifth position, your developpé comes up to your retire position where you’re using the hamstring to support the leg. You´re just touching the toes to the front of the knee. Start to unfold this leg, and come through your attitude before you extend unfolding the leg, lowering down to a tendu position and back to fifth.

A la seconde (to the side)

For a la seconde, slide your toes up to the front of the knee, take the leg, extend it out to the side, lower to a tendu and let’s close behind.

Derriere (to the back)

For derriére, you slide the toes up to the back of the knee as you extend again. You´re going through attitude, but allow the pelvis to tip forward slightly. So, you get freedom in the back to lift the leg. You lower to a tendu and close.

Tips to do Developpé perfectly

• Keep your pelvis as neutral as possible when performing a developpé to the front and the side.
• To the back, when you´re creating your arabesque line, you can allow the pelvis to tip forward. But you should work the back against the leg to create that arabesque line.
• The developpé is a characteristic movement of the Adagio. Therefore, it should be executed at a slow pace.
• The supporting leg should be taut like a rope, with the knee perfectly en dehors.
• When you do it backwards, think about the knee. And when you do it in front and to the side, think about the ankle since they are the parts that fundamentally direct the movement.