nzgirl Quickies: Top 5 Ballet Exercises

Stand with your feet, toes and heels together in a parallel position. Rotate your toes outwards, making a pie shape with the inside of your feet. While keeping your back straight and tall with your head up, slowly bend your knees outwards over your toes. Don’t stick your bum out and don’t bend forward. It doesn’t matter how low you go as long as you squeeze your legs, your butt and your abs as you straighten your legs.

 

Stand with your heels together, with your toes turned out until your feet are in a straight line. Facing the barre (or wall) with your back straight. Rest your hands lightly on the barre for balance. Slowly bend your knees, keeping your knees over your toes. Continue bending your knees, allowing your heels to rise off the floor. Keep your hips on top of your thighs, directly over your feet. Slowly push your heels into the floor, straightening the knees to the starting position.

 

3: Battement Tendu
With both feet touching, the toes of each foot should reach the heel of the other (this is known as fifth position). Rest your hand lightly on the barre. Leading with your heel to maintain turnout, slide one foot slowly to the front, transferring all of your body weight to the other leg. Lift the heel off the floor and point the foot, stretching the leg as far as you can. Slide the foot slowly to the side, keeping all of your body weight on the other leg. Lift the heel off the floor and point the foot, stretching the leg as far as you can.
 
Slide the foot slowly to the back, keeping all of your body weight on the other leg. Lift the heel off the floor and point the foot, stretching the leg as far as you can. Finish the tendu by slowly pulling your feet back into the starting position.

4: Rond de Jambe
While holding the barre lightly for support, point your foot to the front, as in battement tendu. Leading with your foot, circle your leg to the side, sliding it slowly on the floor. Continue circling your leg around to the back, allowing your toes to gently sweep the floor. Move your leg freely and smoothly. To complete the rond de jambe, slide your foot back into the starting position, maintaining contact with the floor. Remember that a rond de jambe may be performed in reverse, with the foot first pointing to the back, then circling around to the front.

5: Eleve
Face the barre, with both hands resting lightly on the barre for balance. Your weight should be balanced evenly between both feet. Slowly press up to the balls of your feet, lifting your heels off the floor at the same time. Slowly lower your heels to the floor.