Anybody teaching ballet will attest to the fact that this is one form of dance that needs some daily homework. Just dancing at the lessons that you take may not be enough to make you a great ballet dancer. This means that before or after your lessons you will need to do various exercises at home that will help you execute the intricate and complex movements of this beautiful dance. Here are seven of the best at-home-exercises for people learning ballet.
1. Lower body exercises – fill in your home exercise routine with lower body exercises such as squats because your lower body and especially your legs play a major role while teaching ballet. Do exercises that will stretch your thighs, calves, ankles, feet and your toes as well because each of these are responsible for important functions such as extensions, turns, leaps and holding up your weight.
2. Body core exercises – a professional teaching ballet will tell you that to be prepared for ballet class, you will have to have a strong body core. To achieve this you must perform exercises that work the core of your body, which means the middle waist part. The core supports lifts and leaps during ballet and partners lift you up by holding you from the waist, which is why these muscles must be well toned.
3. Arm exercises – watching your instructor while they are teaching ballet will show you that the arms play a major role in making the dance look as graceful as it is. The arms are regardless the most visible and obvious part of a ballet dancer's body and for this reason students should perform exercises at home to keep their arms loaded such as lifting small weights.
4. General muscle tone – at the ballet barre in lessons you will have to hold in your stomach muscles, tighten the muscles under the rear, hold up your chest, push your shoulders back and keep your chin up; all at the same time. This is the basic post that you need to volume and for this it applies that practice makes perfect; at home practice standing, sitting and walking with your muscles lightly adjusted.
5. Mimic ballet barre exercises – while instructors are teaching ballet they lay great emphasis on ballet barre exercises and if you do not have a barre at home, use something as a substitute such as a chair or dresser.
6. Ballet shoes on at home – practice routines that you learn in class at home with your ballet shoes on; these help to strengthen and firm your feet, ankles and legs.
7. Stretching – teaching ballet involves communicating the importance of practicing stretching at home with exercises such as the split stretch, hamstring stretch and calf stretch.