Remove your shoes and socks and work barefoot on a hard, smooth surface to better feel the floor with your feet. Stand in first-position, with heels together and toes opened into a V shape. Keep the knees slightly relaxed. Transfer body weight to the right foot, positioning the left foot at the right ankle in coupe. Feel the weight of your body pressing into the middle area of the right foot, between the heel and ball. Draw the left foot up to the right knee and stretch and lengthen the left leg forward. Return the left foot to the right knee and repeat the left leg extension to the side. Return the left foot to the knee, repeat the left leg extension to the rear, return the foot to the knee and extend again to the side. Throughout the exercise, be aware of your weight pressing into the standing foot. Repeat the exercise on the left.
Stand barefoot with your feet together and parallel. Begin with toes facing forward and feet fully flat on the floor. Roll up onto the balls of the feet and find your balance. Once you find your center, there should be no wiggling or shifting of the weight. Focus clearly on a specific point on the wall in front of you. Doing so will help you maintain your balance on the rise and will serve you well when you introduce turns.
Stand barefoot in open first-position, facing a ballet barre or the back of a chair or wall. Rise up on the ball of the right foot, with the left foot held at the knee in passé. Use only a slight touch on a ballet barre to assist you as you find your center. Lower your arms or position them on your waist once you find your balance and hold for as long as possible. Repeat the exercise on the left leg.
Stand barefoot in open first-position. Shift your weight slightly to the right foot, pressing into the area between the heel and toes. Draw the left foot up to the right knee, opening the left knee to the side. Lift the right heel slightly, rise up on the right toes and carefully execute a quarter-turn to the right, lowering the heel after the turn. Repeat the quarter-turn rotation a total of four times, controlling the motion and being careful to remain centered over the mid area of the right foot. Repeat the exercise on the left.
Practice quarter, half and full turns from the fourth position. Begin in the fifth position with the right foot in front and place your hands on your hips. Tendu the right foot to the side and circle it around to plie in fourth position with the left foot in front. Engage the pelvic muscles spring to a releve on the left foot, drawing the right foot to the left knee and opening the right knee to the side. Hold the releve for as long as possible before returning to plie in fifth position with the right foot front. Repeat the tendu to fourth position and spring to a releve, but add a quarter turn to the right. Repeat for a total of four quarter turns. When you return to the front, repeat the exercise, graduating to four half turns. Finally, execute four full turns. Move from the fourth-position preparation to the passé in one swift movement. Repeat the series with the left leg leading and with turns to the left.