In our July issue, our Health column discusses a perpetual dance problem: weak or wobbly ankles. Strong ankles support solid, beautiful lines and protect dancers while they’re moving, whether through quick direction changes, landing from leaps turning or balancing on pointe. Here’s a favorite exercise from San Francisco–based physical therapist Kendall Alway of ODC’s Healthy Dancers’ Clinic.
Pressed Parallel Relevés
This exercise helps you practice bearing weight in relevé over the correct part of the foot—between the first and second toes.
- With a hand on a barre or lightly touching the wall for balance, stand in parallel with toes and heels together. Make all the skin between the two feet touch.
- Rise up onto full relevé without allowing any space between the anklebones. Slowly lower. Do 10 reps three times a day.
If this is uncomfortable, try holding a tennis ball between the feet, but don’t allow the feet to wing or sickle.
Step 1
Step 2
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