As any ballet instructor will tell you, stretching is an important part of a ballet class. It prepares your body and your mind for the more physically and mentally demanding dance movements later on, which means that the chance of injuries is significantly lessened. Of course, stretching can also make the body more flexible and more agile, not to mention stronger, all of which are required of ballet dancers.
If you are going into ballet for the first time, however, you must be aware that improper stretching in itself can be injurious. So, on your first few tries, do make sure that a competent ballet instructor is on hand to put you through the paces.
With that being said, there are four basic stretches in ballet that should be performed one after the other with a few seconds rest in between to achieve total body stretching. Plus, do wear comfortable clothing like leotards or a unitard with maybe leg warmers, which will protect your leg muscles from being exposed to the cold while you are warming them up.
First, the lower back stretch is performed by lying flat on your back on the floor with one leg bent and the other leg straight. Now, move the bent leg towards your chest, hold for 10 seconds and then slowly touch your bent knee to the floor across your body. You are forming a sort of a “4″ but make sure that your back and shoulders remain in place. Reverse sides and repeat.
Second, the groin and inner thigh stretch is done by sitting upright on the floor, your legs bent, and your feet touching from the toes to the heels. Slowly, you must squat down to the floor so that your feet almost touch your groin and your knees are almost touching the floor.
Third, the buttocks stretch is performed by lying flat on your back, both of your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Now, slowly bring one foot up into the air and then hold with your opposite hand. Hold the position for 15 seconds, release and then repeat on the other side.
Fourth, the lying V stretch is probably the hardest but the most beneficial in terms of warming up your leg muscles. You lie flat on your back on the floor, your legs straightened up in the air perpendicular to the ground. Now slowly part your legs so that your toes are pointing towards the floor and your legs have assumed the V position. Go as far as possible without your muscles screaming in pain. Hold for a few seconds, rest and then repeat.
Once you have performed all these stretches, you will probably start to feel the burn in your leg muscles. You are usually then ready to perform your barre exercises and your ballet dance movements after that activity.
By: Svetlana Marintcheva
Stretch Your Body Through Ballet
by adminThe "Too Old To Start Ballet" Age – And Build Strength To Dance In Pointe Shoes
by admin
Whatever art or workout you choose, you start just where you are. How to choose a teacher is what deserves the first careful focus of your time.
If there are several studios in your area, check out their site, and then phone and visit them. Ask if you can watch part of a class.
While most older students will not immediately produce the right look or execution of any ballet position or movement, the teaching should be the same. Accurate technique should always be explained.
The pace and presentation of ‘late starter’ classes will be different. There may be an assumption that certain aspects of ballet will never be achieved, and working safely is the priority. The more imaginative teachers will be able to present an adult beginner class with simple, artistic and elegant exercises.
Fears about weight should be dealt with from a health point of view. Ballet is definitely more difficult if you are overweight. If you are still growing, cut out the junk food and extra breads and carb snacks. Eating real fresh food is best, and you need never be starving.
An adult who wishes to lose weight might add an aerobic workout to their daily routines, 2-3 times a week. And if eating fresh whole foods without breads, potatoes and pasta does not achieve weight loss within a few weeks, see a medical doctor. Low thyroid, blood sugar irregularities and other hormone imbalances, and medications may be playing a part in this. (This could be true for teens too).
If you want to eventually do classes in pointe shoes, you simply must persist with the basics of ballet technique until your work is correct and strong. How long this will take depends on the teacher, how many classes you take per week, and your ability to concentrate.
So not being too old to start, choose a ballet teacher, build strength, deal realistically with fears about weight, and perhaps you will study in pointe shoes one day.
By: Dianne M. Buxton
Can You Appreciate the Art of Ballet?
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Ballet is an art and it is different from other dance forms. You may take ballet lessons or you probably have seen ballet on television or in the movies. Whatever your association with ballet, it is a graceful and beautiful kind of dancing .The letter “t” on the word “ballet” is silent, so we pronounce it as “ballay.”
Ballet is a specific dance form and technique. Works of dance choreographed using this technique are called ballets, and may include dance, music, acting and mime.
Ballet was first performed in Italy in the early 1600’s. The first ballet school was opened in France in 1661. It is one form of dance that developed in the courts of Renaissance Italy. It was brought to France at the time of Catherine de Medici and became a great favorite with King Louis XIV who cast himself in the leading roles of elaborately costumed court spectaculars. Only men were allowed to dance. Slowly things changed and Women first danced the ballet in 1681.
Throughout the beginning years, until 1789, the performers not only danced, but also sang songs and recited poems. The dance steps taught so long ago in France are still used today. Most steps still have their original French names.
Beauchamps, a French ballet teacher created the basic five ballet positions in the 1600’s. These arm and leg positions helped the dancers to balance while still looking graceful. Most ballet steps and combinations begin with one of the basic positions.
Ballet has since spread to all the corners of the world reaching new heights of perfection in Russia and now worldwide. You can view professional ballet companies on every continent. New York has been called the Dance Capital of the World.
The ballet dancers you see on movies, television or at the ballet are usually professionals. The lady dancers, or “ballerinas,” dance on their toes. This is called dancing “en pointe.” A dancer is usually at least 12 years old before she begins to dance en pointe. She then wears “toe shoes,” Lambs wool is put into the toes of the shoes to cushion the ballerina’s toes. Sometimes a foam pad is also worn on the toes. These shoes are stiff-toed slippers with ribbons that tie around the feet and ankles.
Long ago ballet dancers used to wear ankle-length dresses. But now things have changed and dancers dress more elegantly. For performances, the ballerinas wear “tutus,” which are short, full skirts, often made of netting or satin material. Sometimes, they wear a slightly longer skirt, which flows gracefully as the ballerinas dance.
Ballerinas traditionally wear their hair in a bun, pinned high on the head. All ballet dancers wear “tights” on their legs. They are like stockings and cover the entire leg.
Male dancers, simply called “ballet dancers,” always dance in soft-soled shoes. They do not dance en pointe. The men must be in good shape to be able to lift the ballerinas into the air.
By: Jeffrey Meier
