Your plié is one of the most important parts of your training. If you do not execute it correctly, it could be very dangerous. Many dance moves involve a plié either in the beginning, during, and/or after. There are also different types of plié--fast and quick, fluid and smooth, and rebounding (bouncing like a ball.)

A two legged plié involves balancing your weight on both legs equally. Your pelvis alignment is very important. As the word plié means to bend, you bend your legs either half way (as in a demi-plié) or to the fullest bending of your legs that you can do (as in a grand plié.) In both of these plié's, your knee cap MUST be over the ball of your foot. In other words, when you look down over your leg, there will be no twisting, especially from the knee down. This is where injuries may occur. If you are doing your plié in a turned out position, then any turn out or rotation of the thigh MUST come from your hip socket.

In a demi-plié, you bend your knees as far as you can go as long as you do NOT release your heels from the ground. If you release your heels from the ground, then it is no longer a demi-plié. You could also put additional strain on your Achilles tendon and the attached muscles, and your calf muscles.

In a grand plié the heels will release from the ground, (except when in a 2nd position.) In 2nd position, you do not release the heels at all. In any other position, you must go through your demi-plié and then into your grand plié on your way down, and reverse this process on your way up. A grand plié can place great force on your knees. Be careful that you are not "gripping" your thighs. Also, you must make sure that you are keeping good body alignment.

It is very important to have a good plié. It is not just a basic exercise. It is essential to your training and safety.