[That exact humiliation is probably one of the reasons Sephiroth doesn't ever gel with students in the same way Angeal might have done. He just doesn't compute that putting them down physically might also be putting them down mentally too; never letting them win until they were good enough to give it all they'd got.

He could have at least gone and offered her a hand up, but he doesn't. He does raise both of his eyebrows, fractionally, as Akane recovers and gets back to her feet. It's not really a smile, so much as an acknowledgment. That she hasn't immediately raged at him and stormed off is a good start, indeed.]

I can.

[Slowly, he raises a hand while stepping in a little closer towards her. Balling it gradually into a fist. Sephiroth puts that fist lightly against the center of Akane's torso, directly over the base of her breastbone as it would be on anyone.]

It's all about balance. Imagine there is a ball here, and it's your center of gravity, keeping you on your feet. Everyone has one.

Learning how to judge how it's balanced in an opponent, whilst in motion will veritably give you the upper hand in any confrontation.