Ballerinas??💕✨🌸

Question

Hey there!

I'm interested in taking a few barre core classes in the upcoming months, and progressing to ballet lessons for beginners eventually. I'm 19 and by no means dream to be a professional dancer, but getting "en pointe" would be a goal of mine within 5-7 years.

Does anyone take ballet and if so, what can I expect from my first few lessons? Should there be any terminology I should look into?

Thanks!

Answer

Have you done ballet before? I've been dancing, mostly ballet, for over 10 years now. I've yet to reach pointe but it's a goal of my own as well. My suggestion: buy a theraband! Use it around your feet (or each foot) and extend your feet to strengthen your calves and enlongate your relevé.

I built a ballet barre at home for less than $40 using PVC pipe. The thing is huge! (About 6 feet long).

If you're a beginner and you'd like to go en pointe within the next 5-7 years, you'll need to attend classes at least 5 days a week as well as taking private lessons in between. Pointe is a very dangerous form and therefore, you may only go en pointe with an instructors permission. This rule applies at every institution so that students don't go into pointework blindly and severely damage their muscles and bones, though it may happen regardless. You'll need years and years of strengthening.

Ballet classes start at the barre usually with relevés. Then it moves on to degages and ronde de jambes. Next you'll do center work, usually jettes, battemonts and jump. You'll move on to doing combinations across the floor often in groups of 3-4 but eventually solo. You'll end the class with a reverence - a short teacher-led combination that is an applause and "thank you" for the days lesson.

Ballet 1 is generally the basics... How to stand: knees over feet, shoulders over hips. How to hold your arms. How to straighten your back, how to turn out your legs and how to avoid sickling.

Ballet 2 is more advanced where you'll be more responsible to know all the ballet 1 material and follow the course. As you advance to Ballet 3 and 4, you'll move into Adagios - which are the worst (lol). They're very slow, very painful movements that really test your limits as a dancer.

Ballet is an incredibly rewarding dance. I fell in love with ballet at a young age and haven't given up (I'm 23. Although I've been dancing for over 10 years, I've had some breaks due to finances)

Answer

Not a ballerina, but have a fondness for the art. I'd start by learning your positions, practice your plié, and tendu beforehand. These will be done at the bar for warm ups/stretching. Your positions will eventually play out into your moves though. Be prepared for your whole body to ache girl. Waiting so long to get into ballet is going to be taxing on your body. You'll work muscles you never even thought you had and your feet will feel like they're falling off if your shoes aren't broken in already or if you aren't used to dance shoes. Good luck! I hope you enjoy it! 😊

Answer

I danced ballet for 15 years and had to quite because of an unrelated accident. They will teach you terminology, poses, stretching, etc in your classes but the internet is a great place to learn some terminology to "get ahead" before you start classes. Depending on what studio you dance at and their requirements and how dedicated to classes and practicing you are (lots and lots of hours) I think you could do pointe within your goal time frame. Ballet is beautiful but tons and tons of hard work and dedication. It was devastating when I had to quit, ballet was my life and I was trying to be a professional ballerina but everything works out the way it should. Good luck and remember to have fun!

Ballerinas??💕✨🌸

Let's Glow!

The Top Baby Tracker App: Embrace New Beginnings with Tender Care

The Top Fertility Tracker App: Your Path to Achieving Pregnancy

The Top Pregnancy App: Nurturing Your Journey to Motherhood

The Top Period Tracker for Empowering Your Menstrual Health Journey