When should I start pointe work; As a child the minimum age you can start pointe is 11-12 yrs and you should have been studying syllabus...

Here’s a little ‘how to’ guide on sissonne fermée dessus or as I call out in class sissonne over. Start in fifth position left foot...

You will have seen in previous blog posts that I went into lots of detail about balancé de coté bringing the foot to the back. This...

Polonaise a step of polish origin is a slow step which travels diagonally across the stage. It usually uses a 3/4 time signature where...

Rond de jambe en l’air (in the air) consists of drawing an oval shape with the toe starting out in second position, bringing the leg into...

HOW TO; Stand in fifth position right foot in front croisé facing DSL (downstage left see stage directions blog) Prepare the right leg...

A Lame Duck also known as a piqué or posé turn en dehor is aptly named because the up down motion of this step gives the appearance of...

Called many things such as a posé turn, piqué tour en dehor or posé en tournant. This dynamic step can be seen throughout classical...

An en dedan pirouette meaning an ‘inwards’ pirouette involves performing a turn in a retiré relevé towards the supporting leg. Below are...

Grand battement en cloche is an exercise we use frequently at the barre. The swinging action of the leg mimics that of a bell which is...

Épaulement meaning ‘shouldering’ or ‘the placing of the shoulders’ (Grant 2008) involves the body facing croisé either to downstage right...

A balancé is a step which rocks from one foot to the other and is usually performed to waltz music of 3/4 time where the music has three...

A chassé involves moving from one position to another. The step can be taken croisé, effacé or acarté and can travel forwards, backwards...

The term relevé meaning ‘to rise’ is a step used frequently throughout the bbodance grades. The step can be performed in first, second,...

DE COTÉ - Traveling to the side. For example in an exercise you could tendu to second, plié transfer to pointe tendu on the other leg....

The term jeté in french means thrown and therefore a petit jeté involves throwing the working leg landing onto it in a fondu with the...

A grand battement involves kicking the working leg devant, a la seconde or derrière usually from a first or fifth position keeping both...

A tendu is a step in ballet which involves moving from first or fifth position through demi pointe to a fully extended leg with the foot...

Fouetté raccourci is a step which can be executed at the barre or in the centre. At the barre when the leg extends to second en l’air the...

1. Standing in fifth position right foot forward* (This exercise can be performed at the barre or in the centre.) 2. Commence the step by...