Ballet Dance

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This package has been prepared to familiarize you with the Ballet Dance

What Is Ballet

Most of us are acquainted with some form of dancing. Anyone can dance — all you have to do is turn on the radio and make up movements to the beat of the music.  Ballet is a theatrical art, since it is performed on stage for live audiences. It is stylized dancing, meaning that in order to perform it, dancers must learn a very specific technique.
This technique, established centuries ago, involves steps and body movements that are unique to this discipline. Dancers apply their technique to perform dances created by a choreographer The dance is accompanied by music and the dancers wear costumes and make-up appropriate to the ballet being performed. Scenery is used to set a ballet in a certain period and give it atmosphere and authenticity.

We can create a formula for traditional classical ballets: Dancing + Drama + Décor + Music= Classical Ballet . However, many modern ballets don’t use special costumes or scenery. Dancers might wear simple leotards and tights, and instead of pointe shoes, they might dance in bare feet or soft slippers. In ballets where there is no story to follow, the audience’s attention is drawn to the shapes of the dancers’ movements and the music. Some choreographers don’t even use music, and the dancers are accompanied only by their breathing.

Some Of The Things You Will See

In the short ballet warm-up, you will see our dancers executing ballet technique. Just as you have to learn your ABCs in order to read and write, dancers have to learn the basic exercises and positions of ballet in order to perform the choreography. They practice these exercises every day in order to keep their bodies limber and in top performing shape.

The language of ballet is French. The terminology was originally developed in the court of Louis XIV during the 17th century. Today, wherever in the world a ballet class is given, the names of the steps are taught in their original French.

Barre exercises

All dancers begin their day with class where they warm up and perfect technical exercises. They start with approximately thirty minutes of barre exercises. The barre – a horizontal rail fixed to the wall of a dance studio or free-standing on two parallel bars – is used as a balance-check. All ballet exercises begin and end with one of the five basic positions of the feet. There are also complementary arm positions. The positions are executed with the legs and feet turned out from the hip socket. They allow for greater flexibility, range of movement and also for a beautiful and long line of the body.

Plié 

Pliés at the barre are the introductory exercises of any ballet class. These are essentially knee bends that warm up the legs and ankles and improve elasticity. They assist the dancer in turns, pointe work and landing jumps.

Tendu 

Tendus are leg and foot stretches that help elongate and strengthen the muscles of the legs and torso. They are executed to the front, side and back with the foot brushing along the floor through half-pointe to a full extension. While executing numerous variations of tendu exercises, the dancer is continually working on the proper turn-out of the legs and feet.

Dégagé

Dégagés are the same brushing movement as tendus, but in dégagés the working leg leaves the floor slightly when extended.

 Rond de jambe

This exercise increases the turn-out of the legs. The toe traces a semi-circle on the floor around the body. The working leg moves steadily with the toe on the ground from the front to side, side to back and then past the stationary heel.

Frappé

Frappés prepare the legs for jumping. The raised foot touches the other ankle and from the knee down, the leg is thrown strongly out to the side.

 Petit battement

This exercise prepares the legs for more complicated and intricate steps. The heel of one foot touches the other ankle. The lower part of the leg moves out and in very quickly. This is made more difficult when the dancer rises on the supporting leg. Artists of the Ballet in Ballet Class

Grand battement

High kicks of the leg are called grand battements. The leg is thrown in the air and then brought down to a tendu position with great control and with as little movement as possible in the upper body. These exercises loosen the hip joints and keep the legs flexible.

Arabesque

At the end of the barre exercises, dancers test their balance by letting go of the barre and rising on their toes. One of the most common positions for dancers to test their balance is the arabesque. In an arabesque, one leg is stretched behind the body. The leg can be on the ground or in the air at a 90-degree angle or higher. The weight of the body is on the supporting leg. The arabesque shows off the body at its longest and most extended line from the fingers to the toes.

Centre work

The barre exercises are always followed by centre work. Many exercises at the barre are performed during centre work without the support of the barre. These exercises include pliés, tendus and fondus. New exercises are also introduced including pirouettes, adage exercises and allegro exercises.

Adage exercises

Adage means slow, soft, lyrical and sustained movements. A series of steps are combined in adage exercises to develop these special qualities in the dancer’s body. Adage creates the illusion that the positions flow into one another.

Allegro

As in music, allegro in ballet involves brisk and lively movements, usually jumping steps and sequences. Jumps begin and end with a plié. The plié serves many purposes, most importantly, it prevents injury and allows for height in the jump. 

Stretching

Dancers must be extremely flexible to execute many of the difficult movements without hurting themselves. To increase and maintain their flexibility, dancers stretch their muscles every day, during class and between rehearsals. Pirouette

 Pirouette

This is the name given to the many kinds of turning steps in ballet. To execute proper turns, a dancer must begin with a strong preparation, a plié and a pulled-up body. During the turn, the dancer’s head must quickly snap to the front so they can focus on one spot at all times. This spotting technique prevents dizziness. The arms are positioned in front of the body at waist level to keep the body balanced and assist with the turn.

Grand pirouette

Grand pirouettes are very complicated turns. In some ballets the dancer performs a grand pirouette called a fouetté. During this series of turns, the working leg whips out to the side and then into the knee as the dancer turns on the supporting leg, rising on pointe at each revolution. Male dancers perform an equally challenging turn called a pirouette à la second. The dancer starts the pirouette and extends his leg directly to the side of his body and maintains his momentum by rising at each or every other revolution.

To be continued