How should knee alignment be maintained during demi-plié?

• A. Knees track over the toes and stay aligned with the second toe; turnout maintained.
• B. Knees collapse inward.
• C. Knees point outward away from toes.
• D. Knees stay over the ankle regardless of toes.

Answer: (A)

During a demi-plié, the knees should move in a straight line over the toes while the turnout from the hips stays engaged. This aligns the knee with the second toe, helping the weight stay centered over the foot and protecting the knee joint from inward collapse. Keeping the knee tracking over the toes gives a clear, safe path for the bend and maintains proper connection from hip to foot.

If the knees collapse inward, the alignment is lost and the knee is at risk of injury. If the knees point outward away from the toes, the tracking is misaligned and turnout isn’t maintained correctly. If the knees are said to stay over the ankle regardless of where the toes point, that ignores the natural line of the feet and toes during plié, breaking the proper tracking and balance.