What is a safe practice tip for improving landings in petit allegro?

• A. Land with locked knees and tense shoulders.
• B. Land with heavy feet and loud landing.
• C. Soften knees on landing, engage core, land quietly.
• D. Look to the corner and not the center.

Answer: (C)

Soft knees on landing, engage your core, land quietly. In petit allegro, absorbing the impact with a gentle plié as you touch down keeps joints safe and your body in control. Bending the knees acts as a shock absorber, protecting ankles, knees, and hips from jarring on each small jump. Keeping the core engaged provides stability for the pelvis and spine, helping you stay centered over the feet and maintain relaxed shoulders, which prevents wobbling. Landing quietly reflects good technique: it shows you’re transferring weight smoothly through the feet and not slamming down, which is safer and looks cleaner.

Locking the knees and tensing the shoulders eliminates that absorption and can lead to knee strain and upper-body tension. Landing with heavy feet and a loud thump indicates poor control and greater impact. Looking to a corner isn’t a direct safety cue for landing and can disrupt balance and alignment during the jump and landing.