There are many ways you can improve your leaps/Saut de Chat. Most importantly dancers need a good balance of strength and flexibility in order to achieve a full split in the air. Sometimes, dancers have both of these things, but still lack the 180 degree range. There are many methods used to teach leaps, but we're hoping this one clicks with you.

The leap is only as high as the passe. A Saut De Chat or leap, unlike a grand jete, passes through passe before straightening. If your passes are low when you extend your leg, ypur leg will remain at that low level. Instead, try to have the highest passe possible. This high passe has a greater chance of remaining high during the completion of the saute chat/leap. With the front leg reaching a full 90 degrees at extension, you are free to work on getting your back leg up- along with the other necessary leaping technique. See the below pictures:

As dancers, leg extension is something we all strive for. And for many of us we ask "I can bring my leg up high to my shoulder, but once I let go it just falls back to the floor." Sound familiar?

Achieving a higher leg extension requires two things: strength and flexibility. A dancer needs to have very flexible hips and legs as well as strong hip and leg muscles.

Flexibility
As every dancer knows, flexibility is extremely important for all types of dance. Every dance move can be improved by increasing your body's overall flexibility. Stretching is the only way to improve this, however, so you meed to be doing it every day. You need long and flexible hamstrings in order to straighten your leg when lifted to the front or side. You also need flexible abductors, or upper thighs, in order to lift your leg high to the side. Slow and easy stretching is usually most effective, and remember your breathing tk sink even lower into these stretches.

Strength
Strong quadriceps, the muscles of the front of the highs, are needed to be able to get your leg up to about 90 degrees. The muscles of your back are used to get your leg even higher. In particular. you need to have a strong iliopsoas, a muscle that connects the spine to the thigh. The iliopsoas is licated behind your abdominal muscles and controls the movements of the hip joint.
- If you can't seem to get your extension above 90 degrees, you mist likely need to strengthen your iliopsoas. When performing an extension, pay attention to the muscles of your leg as it begins to go above 90 degrees. Instead of using your quadriceps to continue lifting, try to focus on using the muscles underneath. Your hip flexors will be responsible for any higher movement.

What You Can Do
A good exercise to help improve your leg extensions is to place your foot onto a high barre. Using the muscles underneath your leg, or your hip flexor, raise your leg off the barre. Make sure you keep your leg turned out and your supporting leg straight. Visualize the muscles under your hip and spine engaging to lift your leg even higher. Hold your leg for a few seconds, then relax.

​Increasing the hight of your leg extensions takes time and hard work. Try to push yourself beyond your normal comfort zone to strengthen the muscles that will help you achieve your goals.

Happy Spring Dance family and friends!!! 🐥🐣🐝🐞💐Here is to brighter and warmer days to spend dancing 💃🏽 and being with those we love ❤️!! Come dance with us!!

As dancers, we all want that beautiful turnout. Many techniques however are not safe for our bodies and can put stress on your knees and hips. Below are some safe and effective ways to increase your turnout without injury.

1. Supine Butterfly
Supine is another term for laying on your back. So to start this exercise, begin by laying on your back with your feet and knees together. Keeping your feet together, slowly allow your knees to fall away from each other to the sides. Once they will not go any further, hold this position for one to two minutes, beathing slowly. Next slowly use your hands to push your knees towards the floor even further. This will move you past your current turnout ability, and will be slightly uncomfortable. After holding for one to two minutes, release your knees back to their original natural turnout.

​2. Center Split
​Begin by sitting upright, with legs stretched out to either side. Push your legs out until you have reached your maximum stretch, making sure knees stay upward towards the ceiling and not rolling foward. Once you're here, slowly walk your hands forward until your yorso touches the ground. If you cannot reach the floor, hold thr position where you feel the most lengthening. In this position slowly shift all of your weight forward until your legs have rotated from knees pointing upright to pointing forward. Support any extra weight on your torso or arms and gently push into a deeper center split. Hold for one to three minutes.

​3.Band Rond de Jombe
​Start standing in second position with a band around both legs slightly below the knees. Rond de jombe right 10 to 12 times and then left. Make sure the band is never around the knee, only below or above.

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TIPS FOR STRENGTHENING YOUR ANKLES

Ankle strengthening is something every dancer can work on! It will help with everything from balance, plies, to leaps. Here are a few easy exercises you can work on from home!

Thera-bands
One thing to try is doing exercises with a Thera-band. You can purchase one of these at a retail store, medical supply store or online. Because of the resistance the Thera-band provides, you can practice pointing and flexing against the band to create strength. You can also tie the band around your ankles and do your releve using the resistance to keep your ankles straight on both the way up and down.

​Releves
Another great strengthening exercise is to do simple releves. This will strengthen the muscles surrounding the ankle as well. Do these in first, second, and fifth positions. You can also do them on one foot holding the opposite leg in passé.

Alphabets
Something else to do is to spell out the alphabet with your foot. You can do this at school or at home, watching TV or anywhere!

Be sure to always stretch first and listen to your body. Don’t overdo it and if you keep working hard your strength will improve!