Hi everyone! Sorry this is so late. I have been extremely busy with the National Science Fair that I haven’t had time to do anything else. I will post classes every two weeks from now until the beginning of July. Sorry for the inconvenience, and I hope you enjoy them!

Definitions for this lesson:
Plie Bent, bending. A bending of the knee or knees. This is an exercise to render the joints and muscles soft and pliable and the tendons flexible and elastic, and to develop a sense of balance. There are two principal pliés: grand plié or full bending of the knees (the knees should be bent until the thighs are horizontal) and demi-plié or half-bending of the knees. Pliés are done at the bar and in the centre in all five positions of the feet. The third position is usually omitted. When a grand plié is executed in either the first, third or fourth position croisé (feet in the fifth position but separated by the space of one foot) or the fifth position, the heels always rise off the ground and are lowered again as the knees straighten. The bending movement should be gradual and free from jerks, and the knees should be at least half-bent before the heels are allowed to rise. The body should rise at the same speed at which it descended, pressing the heels into the floor. In the grand plié in the second position or the fourth position ouverte (feet in the first position but separated by the space of one foot) the heels do not rise off the ground. All demi-pliés are done without lifting the heels from the ground. In all pliés the legs must be well turned out from the hips, the knees open and well over the toes, and the weight of the body evenly distributed on both feet, with the whole foot grasping the floor.
Tendu Pointing of the feet with the toes touching the floor.
Releve Raised. A raising of the body on the points or demi-pointes, point or demi-pointe. There are two ways to relevé. In the French School, relevé is done with a smooth, continuous rise while the Cecchetti method and the Russian School use a little spring. Relevé may be done in the first, second, fourth or fifth position, en attitude, en arabesque, devant, derrière, en tournant, passé en avant, passé en arrière and so on.
Battement Jete Small battement. An exercise in which the working leg is raised from the hip into the air and brought down again, the accent being on the downward movement, both knees straight. This must be done with apparent ease, the rest of the body remaining quiet.
Changement Changing of the feet. (Ex. Right foot front in fifth, changement, the left foot will be in front.) Always land in a plie.
Echaper Escaping or slipping movement. An échappé is a level opening of both feet from a closed to an open position. There are two kinds of échappés: échappé sauté, which is done with a spring from the fifth position and finishes in a demi-plié in the open position, and échappé sur les pointes, or demi-pointes, which is done with a relevé and has straight knees when in the open position. In each case échappés are done to the second or fourth position, both feet traveling an equal distance from the original center of gravity.
Soutenue

Barre Work


Flexing the feet

Flexes will be preformed with two counts each
Face the bar, feet in first. Begin with right foot.
Tendu front, flex the foot(2), point the foot(2)tendu, close.
Tendu to second, flex the foot(2), point the foot(2), tendu, close.
Tendu to the back, flex the foot(2), point the foot(2), tendu, close.
Tendu to second, flex the foot(2), point the foot(2), tendu, close.
Tendu front, flex the foot(2), point the foot(2)tendu, close.

Repeat with left foot

Plies: Remember, turn out from the hips, tailbone down, suck in the abdominal muscles

Arm in second First position: Demi – plie (2) stretch(2)
Bring arm down to first First position: Grand – plie (2) stretch(2)
Arm in second First position: Demi – plie (2) stretch(2)
Bring arm down to first First position: Grand – plie (2) stretch(2)

Tendu to second

Arm in second First position: Demi – plie (2) stretch(2)
Bring arm down to first First position: Grand – plie (2) stretch(2)
Arm in second First position: Demi – plie (2) stretch(2)
Bring arm down to first First position: Grand – plie (2) stretch(2)

Tendu to third

Arm in second First position: Demi – plie (2) stretch(2)
Bring arm down to first First position: Grand – plie (2) stretch(2)
Arm in second First position: Demi – plie (2) stretch(2)
Bring arm down to first First position: Grand – plie (2) stretch(2)

Tendu to fifth

Arm in second First position: Demi – plie (2) stretch(2)
Bring arm down to first First position: Grand – plie (2) stretch(2)
Arm in second First position: Demi – plie (2) stretch(2)
Bring arm down to first First position: Grand – plie (2) stretch(2)

Turn around and repeat on other side

Grande Battement

Arm in second First position: battement en avant (2) close (2).
Arm in second First position: battement to second (2) close (2).
Arm in second First position: battement en arriere (2) close (2).
Arm in second First position: battement to second (2) close (2).
Arm in second First position: battement en avant (2) close (2).

Arm in second Fifth position: battement en avant (2) close (2).
Arm in second Fifth position: battement to second (2) close (2).
Arm in second Fifth position: battement en arriere (2) close (2).
Arm in second Fifth position: battement to second (2) close (2).
Arm in second Firth position: battement en avant (2) close (2).

Turn around and repeat on other side

Tendu
Begin this exercise with your right hand on the barre.
Arm in second Fifth position: tendu en avant (2) close (2) [use left leg]
Arm in second Fifth position: tendu en arriere (2) close (2) [use right leg]
Arm in second Fifth position: tendu to second (2) close en arriere (2) [use left leg]
Arms in third Soutenue, turn to other side.

Now, your left hand will be on the barre.
Arm in second Fifth position: tendu en avant (2) close (2) [use right leg]
Arm in second Fifth position: tendu en arriere (2) close (2) [use left leg]
Arm in second Fifth position: tendu to second (2) close en arriere (2) [use right leg]
Arms in third Soutenue, turn to other side.

Center Work
I would like everyone to work on balance in center work.

Jumps
ALWAYS LAND A JUMP IN A PLIE TO AVOID SHIN SPLINTS
Feet in fifth, arms in first.
- 8 jumps in first position
- 8 jumps in second position
- 8 jumps in fifth position, doing a changement for each jump
- From fifth echaper changement (repeat 8 times)


Great class everyone, hope to see you in 2 weeks.

thank you for this class!!
I really like that you wrote the explaining of the words in the beginning of the post´.

see you in 2 weeks!

Great class, as always
Thank you!