pasdedeux94, I will actually disagree on the idea that that stretch helps anything with turnout.
The idea that turnout can be helped through 'stretching' the legs is very much a misunderstanding of how the turnout 'works'. First and foremost, if the issue is little to no turnout naturally or if you want to improve what you naturally have, then there isn't much that will help (except working at it in class through normal 'ballet exercises', or at home again doing simple ballet exercises like tendus and pliés, working very slowly and exclusively on understanding how the turnout works).
Basically, the way to increase the turnout is to constantly work AT it, or WITH it, when you dance.
There is no shortcut to a better one though (certainly not through what is called 'the butterfly on the stomach) and because you can only increase it if you work at it dilligently through reminding yourself to use the correct muscles, I would rather advise to sit straight, legs in front of you, and work from feet together (pointed and flexed) to opening the feet in a first position -still legs in front- (pointed and flexed).
Things where the turnout can be felt better too are tendus (en croix), demi pliés in all positions, fondus, petits battements etc... (basically most of the barre exercises).
For footwork, again flex/point is a good one, and truly point/extend the foot through the ankle (don't shorten the foot in all exercises). The best way to work through that is to be conscious of the top of the foot (it's easier to do only that, rather than do that while thinking of everything else in a normal ballet exercise -but you should still attempt to do that well of course
<small>[ 25 October 2004, 07:26 AM: Message edited by: balletowoman ]</small>