Quick Tips for Ballet Class

Hey everyone, I decided to come up with a list of tips for dance class.


1. Warm up before class. Try to get warmed up 10 minutes or so before class so you are in the mood to dance and don't get any cramped muscles. The warmer you are the more flexible you are, so that's good too. A simple warm up could be jogging in place, jumping rope, doing a jumping combination, or playing Just Dance (I love JD). When I'm running short on time, I do some gentle stretching in the car on the way to dance, usually just sticking my feet on the dashboard and touching my toes.


2. Focus in class. As hard as it is, try not to let your mind wander. In my classes at the academy, we go over combinations once or twice before doing them. If you aren't paying attention, you become so lost. My teacher might say something like, "We'll start in first, do two tondues, a tondu in plie, and another tondu, close in fifth. Repeat to the side, closing front first, and back. Reverse the combination. Then go to passe, close front, passe, close back, passe close front. Then do a circular port de bras. Plie releve, and hold." If your mind wanders, you might catch one sentence, resulting in a really bad looking barre combination. I have definitely done that before, and it is pretty embarrassing.


3. Don't eat an hour before class. It's ok to eat something light, like a granola bar, half an hour or so before class, but always try to time meals so you have an hour after finishing before ballet. Big meals plus ballet is not fun.


4. Put your hair up in a bun. It is so much easier to turn if your hair is up in a bun. Plus, it looks cleaner and neater.


5. Don't talk in class. This comes off as disrespectful to the teacher, and it's distracting to students. It's ok to ask for help, of course, and to talk during water breaks, but keep chatter in class to a minimum.