Technique Tips: How to Achieve a Higher Développé Devant
- The Ballet Academy
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Many dancers find that développé devant is the most challenging direction. Side and back extensions often feel easier, but lifting the leg to the front while staying upright and controlled requires a different combination of flexibility, strength, and alignment.
A higher développé devant isn’t just about flexibility — it’s about strength, coordination, and control. Many dancers focus on lifting the leg higher, but true improvement comes from stretching in correct way, engaging the right muscle, and train with consistency.
Flexibility: Know What You’re Stretching
For développé devant, flexibility mainly comes from the hamstrings, not just your splits.
You might have a good side or oversplit, but if your hamstrings are tight, the leg will stop lifting forward. Focus on:
Hamstring stretches (parallel and turnout)
Dynamic stretches that involve lifting the leg, not just sitting in a stretch
Controlled battements or slow extensions to the front
Follow along Isabelle's exercise for a higher devant extension.
Remember: flexibility should feel long and supported, not forced.
Strength of the Hip Flexors
This is where many dancers get confused.
You may be able to hold your leg to your nose using your hands, but when you try to lift it into développé without support, the leg drops. That’s not a flexibility issue — it’s a strength issue.
Développé devant relies heavily on:
Hip flexors
Quadriceps
Core stability
Without enough strength, the leg simply cannot lift or stay lifted, no matter how flexible you are.
One simple but effective exercise we regularly use in class to improve développé devant strength is as follows:
1️⃣ Sit upright with both legs stretched out in front of you.
2️⃣ Place a yoga block beside one foot.
3️⃣ Lift the working leg up and over the block, then lift it again to return to the starting position.
4️⃣ Repeat this movement 10–20 times on each leg, focusing on control rather than speed.
✨ Teaching tip:
Keep the spine tall, avoid leaning back, and aim to lift the leg using your hip flexors and core — not momentum. If the movement becomes sloppy, reduce the height and focus on quality.
This exercise helps build the strength and coordination needed to lift the leg independently in développé, without relying on flexibility alone.
This is a great example demonstrated by Nina:
Alignment Comes Before Height
Before chasing a higher leg, make sure your body stays upright.
Common mistakes include:
Leaning the torso back
Tucking in the lower back
Tipping the pelvis to “fake” height
A slightly lower leg with correct alignment will always look stronger and more professional than a high leg with compromised posture.
Train with a Stretching Band
A stretching band is a great tool to develop both strength and control.
You can use it to:
Practise slow développés with resistance
Strengthen the hip flexors without gripping
Improve control when lifting and lowering the leg
This video shows a good example of how to improve your extension by using a resistance band:
Another Way to Train with a Stretching Band:
Psoas Activation with Stretching Band
This exercise follows the same concept, with added resistance for strength training.
Secure one end of a stretching band to the barre.
Loop the other end around your thigh (close to the hip, not the knee).
Lie on your back and draw the knee into hip flexion against the band’s resistance.
Keep the knee stable as you slowly extend the leg, maintaining control throughout the movement.
Check out this video:
Key focus: Resist the pull of the band without allowing the knee to drop or shift. This strengthens the psoas and supporting muscles needed for lifting the leg independently in développé devant.
Be Patient with Progress
Flexibility and strength develop gradually. Pushing too hard too soon often leads to tension or injury. Consistent, mindful practice will always bring better results than forcing height.
A higher développé devant is not built overnight. It’s the result of targeted flexibility, functional strength, and disciplined alignment working together.
Focus on doing it well before doing it high — the height will come naturally with time and consistency. Keep going everyone !!
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