Hi there my Beginner and Intermediate Ballerinas! I’m Mellii, and I’m going to be your Ballet teacher this season. I’ve never taught a class before, so if you have any feedback, tips or ideas, please share them! I’ll do my best to make sure that this class is informative and enjoyable for all of you.
If you haven’t got any previous ballet experience, or you just want to recap on the basics, please read this informative post by slonecker_dance -
www.dance.net . . . (slonecker_dance – I hope you don’t mind me using your post as a reference point )
Also, if you aren’t quite sure on a move, a good place to look is ABT’s Ballet Dictionary -
www.abt.org . . .
Okay, now for the actual class!
BARRE
PLIéS
-Remember to use all your counts
-Keep your movements flowing, plies are not supposed to be sharp and jerky
-When lowering the arm from fifth through second, think of drawing a semi-circle with your fingertips
Begin in first position, arm bras bas.
Demi plié and stretch, with a breathe in the arm, for 4 counts
Demi plié and stretch, with a breathe in the arm, for 4 counts
Rise to demi pointe, take arm up to fifth for 4 counts, then lower arm to bras bas for 4 counts (lower the arm and heels at the same time)
Grand plié and stretch, with a breathe of the arm, for 8 counts
Raise the arm to first, for 2 counts
Degage the foot to second, take arm to second, for 2 counts
Lower heel, lower arm to bras bas, for 4 counts
Repeat in second
Repeat in fifth
(At the end, degage to first, and look towards the front. Present your work nicely.)
Turn and repeat on other side
BATTEMENT TENDU AND GRAND BATTEMENT
-Try to look as though you are enjoying the exercise
-Pretend you are in your favourite ballet, wearing a beautiful tutu, and perform for you audience
Begin in fifth position, arm bras bas
Basic port de bras to second
Tendu front and close, for 2 counts (1 count out, 1 count in)
Tendu front and close, for 2 counts
Grand battement front, for 2 counts (counting: 1 – kick leg up, and – lower leg to ground, 2 – close to fifth)
Tendu side and close behind, for 2 counts
Tendu side and close in front, for 2 counts
Grand battement side and close behind, for 2 counts
Repeat at back, then on the side again
Finish nicely.
Turn and repeat on other side
A QUICK STRETCH
-When bending forwards over your leg, try to keep your back straight
-Feel free to do any more stretches that you would like to do
Facing straight ahead, place your foot on the barre
Take your arm to fifth, and bend forward over your leg
Leaving the arm in fifth bend backwards away from your leg
Pivot your body so that you are facing the barre. The leg on the barre should now be in second
With the arm in fifth, bend sideways over your leg
Put that arm on the barre, take the other arm to fifth, and lean sideways away from your leg
Turn and repeat on other side
CENTER
ARABESQUES
-Don’t worry about the height of your leg, let’s just work on balance
-First arabesque for the arms – one straight ahead, fingertips level with your eyebrow, the other straight out to the side. Palm facing down for both hands
Begin in fifth with your right foot in front, arms bras bas.
Tendu your left foot to the back, raising your arms to first, for 2 counts
Raise you left foot to arabesque, take your arms to 1st arabesque (right arm forward), hold for as long as you can
Lower your leg and arms to starting position
Repeat 2 more times
Repeat on other side
PORT DE BRAS
-Music-
www.youtube.com . . .
-If you ballerinas like the music and the choreo so far, we will elaborate on this each lesson, until it is a little dance
Begin in fifth position, right foot front, arms bras bas.
As the music begins do a breathe of the arms
When the melody begins, raise the arms to first, for 3 counts
Open the arms to second, for 3 counts
Raise the left arm to fourth, for 3 counts
Raise the right arm to meet the left arm, making fifth, for 3 counts
Hold for 3 counts
Lower the left arm to second, for 3 counts
Lower the right arm to second, for 3 counts
Lower both arms to bras bas, for 3 counts
Raise both arms to fifth, for 3 counts
Lower right arm to second, making fourth, for 3 counts
Switch the fourth so that the left arm is on top, for 3 counts
Lower both arms to second, for 3 counts
Lower both arms to bras bas, for 3 counts
Step onto your right leg, on demi-pointe, and bring your left leg to meet it in fifth, arms in first arabesque (left arm forward, right arm to the side), for 3 counts
Staying on demi-pointe, lower both arms to bras bas, for 3 counts
Still on demi-pointe, step your left foot across your right foot, so you are in fourth, arms to first arabesque with the right arm forward, for 3 counts
Close your feet to fifth, standing on flat foot, lower both arms to bras bas
Extra for Experts: Repeat on the other side. Good luck!
JUMPS
-Always land in a plie to prevent injury
-While in the air, point your feet and straighten your knees
-Echappe sauté – beginning with right foot front, jump out to second, then jump back in to fifth with left foot front. Then jump out to second, then back in to fifth with right foot front etc. etc.
Begin in fifth position, right foot front, arms bras bas
Do 8 sautés , for 8 counts (1 count per jump)
Do 8 changements, finishing with right foot front, for 8 counts
Do 4 echappe sautés, finishing with right foot front, for 8 counts (1 count to jump out to second, one count to jump back in to fifth)
Repeat on other side
And that was this weeks class!
Just a little homework, if you don’t mind.
I’d like you all to post introducing yourselves, and please include your favourite ballet move, what you really want to get better at, and what syllabus and level ballet you do/are. (Syllabus meaning RAD, Cecchetti etc). Also, if you are an Intermediate ballerina, please tell me what was waywayway too easy in this class. Thanks!
Here’s my Homework: Hi, I’m Mellii, my favourite thing to do in ballet is adage, my favourite moves are developpes, I really want to work on my arabesques and pirouettes. I do Grade 7 and Intermediate RAD, and I hope you all enjoyed my class!
. I do Grade 5 BATD and Grade 6 RAD but will be starting Intermediate soon, and I don't have any complaints about the class, as sometimes its nice to take a slightly more basic one 
x
It's good to go back to the basics sometimes. Thank you!
