During reformer footwork, what is the purpose of the knees over toes cue?

• A. To promote turnout.
• B. To allow knees to move ahead of toes.
• C. To ignore hip stability.
• D. To keep knee alignment with second toe and protect the knee.

Answer: (D)

In reformer footwork, the knees over toes cue focuses on where the knee should track in relation to the foot to keep the whole leg in a stable line. When the knee stays aligned with the second toe, the knee joint tracks straight under the hip and ankle, distributing load evenly through the leg and protecting the knee from valgus or torsional stress that can happen if the knee drifts inward or outward. This alignment also supports the pelvic and spine position during the movement, so you don’t compensate by collapsing at the hip or rounding the back.

This cue isn’t about turning the feet or driving the knees ahead of the toes. Allowing the knees to move ahead or relying on turnout can misalign the joints and increase risk to the knee, and ignoring hip stability would undermine the whole alignment pattern. Keeping the knee aligned with the second toe is the best way to safeguard the knee while maintaining proper alignment throughout the movement.