In ballet class, students learn a blend of physical, technical, and artistic skills that build the foundation of this classical dance form. Here’s an outline of the key skills taught:

Basic Ballet Technique

• Posture and Alignment: Maintaining a straight spine, engaged core, and correct body alignment for control and balance.

• Turnout: Rotating the legs from the hips to achieve the outward positioning essential in ballet.

• Foot Positions: Learning the five fundamental foot positions in ballet, as well as arm positions.

• Balance and Stability: Practicing standing on one leg (arabesque, passé) and holding challenging poses without wobbling.

Flexibility and Stretching

• Splits and Extensions: Improving flexibility in the legs, hips, and back to achieve high leg lifts and fluid movements.

• Back and Arm Flexibility: Stretching to achieve graceful and expressive upper body movements.

Coordination and Musicality

• Timing and Rhythm: Moving in sync with music, understanding tempo, phrasing, and accents to match the mood and style of the piece.

• Breath and Flow: Coordinating breath with movement to enhance fluidity and grace, especially in slow, controlled sections.

• Spatial Awareness: Navigating the stage and adjusting placement in group performances to avoid collisions and maintain formations.

Expression and Storytelling

• Port de Bras: Gracefully moving the arms to frame the body and convey emotion.

• Facial Expression and Gesture: Using facial expressions, eye focus, and hand gestures to add emotion and narrative to movements.

• Artistry and Emotion: Learning to express the character or mood of a piece through body language and expression.