How to improve my needle (ponche) !?

Question

Ok, so if you'll be able to help me you should already know what a needle (ponche) is. So, I'm trying to get mine good but i have a couple of problems.First off, I have really long legs so its hard for me to touch the floor and have the leg that I'm standing on stay straight, it always bends so how can i keep it straight while having very long legs, and my second problem is that i can't straighten my leg that's its the air. Down to my knee, i can get straight but then from my knee down ,i cant fully straighten it. Obviously I know that i need to stretch everyday but what are some specific stretches or exercises that i can do to get my needle (ponche) good?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Try a forward attitude into arabesque penchée @ the barre.....  keep left hand on barre, the other hand on your leg/ankle like an attitude then lean forwrd like penchée and attitude into arabesque

Voila!!!!

Answer 2

One of my instructors made us stay in a perfect split for five minutes per side after every barr.  That is, back straight, hips even and legs straight with toes pointed.  Your problem is not that your legs are long, it is that you do not have the strength, the stretch, or the balance to perform the ponche.  But why do you want to touch the floor?  Your hand should be close to the floor, but if you touch the floor you have lost your balance and defeated the point of the exercise.