Ballet is one of the most elegant dances in the world. Although it appears that learning ballet is complex, you can do most movements with surprising ease. It takes patience, hard work, and a great deal of flexibility to master the art of ballet. With some training, you can go from a ballet beginner to an expert performer in no time.
As with many things in life, learning ballet requires a tremendous amount of practice. You will make some inevitable mistakes at first, but that’s part of the learning process. If you are serious about learning the performance dance, then slip on those shoes and get dancing.
Here is a helpful guide on how you can learn ballet as a beginner:
Warm Up
Before engaging in any physical exercise, warming up is extremely important. Your body has to become acclimated to the physical exertion it will soon be undergoing. Ballet isn’t simply just going for a walk either. You will be sweating once you become more familiar and comfortable with the dance.
For warming up, find a room that has enough space for you to move around. Low-intensity cardio exercises and stretches for five to ten minutes will be an adequate amount of time to get your body adjusted.
Practice the Main Positions
Ballet usually has a few main positions that are used to complement other parts of the dance. You should first rehearse these movements in a mirror so that they can become muscle memory later on. Try practicing with portable ballet barres to make the movements more accurate.
First, stand straight with your heels touching and your toes pointed outwards in a “V” shape. Then, spread your arms and legs out, with your toes still pointed outwards. Keep standing straight and cross your right leg over your left leg with your right arm curved in toward your body. At its core, ballet is about remaining as comfortable as you can be while maintaining flexibility.
Try The Demi Pliés
After becoming familiar with the core positions, it is now time to practice some of the movements. One of the most basic movements is the demi pliés. Get into your standard first position to start. Then, bend your knees and lower your body. At the same time, place your arms out in front of your body in the shape of an oval.
Once you become more familiar with this beginner movement, there are advanced techniques you can incorporate into the routine. However, this is only done once you mastered the first stage!
Attempt the Tendu
Not unlike the demi pliés, doing a tendu requires familiarity with the main positions. To start it, stand tall with your heels together. Push one foot against the floor and slide it in front of you, behind you or to the side.
Once you lift your heel so that it points towards your toe, slowly lower your foot back down to the floor. Finally, drag it across the floor back to the first position. It may seem more challenging than it appears, but practice always makes perfect. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
Shoot for a Relevé
The relevés are relatively easier to complete when compared to other actions. To do this movement, stand tall with your heels together and toes pointed outwards. Then, slowly raise your heels off the ground as high as you possibly can. Pause for a couple of seconds before returning your heels to the ground.
The best tip to keep in mind while conducting the relevés is maintaining balance. Make sure all parts of your bodily movements function as one, and you’ll master this movement in no time.
Perform the Sautés
Sautés should only be practiced when you become familiar with the demi pliés. To complete it, follow the usual steps for the latter’s movement. When you are ready, spring off the ground as high as possible and return to the demi plié position. Once it is mastered, you can try incorporating sautés in other movements as well!
Keep Practicing
Once you’ve become familiar with the basic positions and movements, you should always make time to practice. If you are a relative beginner, you might want to do yourself a favour and become familiar with some movements and terms first. Thankfully, you don’t have to go out of your way to do that. Many video bloggers on YouTube, for example, create ballet tutorials that are easy to follow.
Like many sports or bodily movements, conducting ballet successfully is no small feat. The key, however, lies in taking the first step. You can join a ballet class for some personalized tutoring. You’ll find yourself doing a routine like a professional in no time!
