Menu
Menu

Ballet AZ Blog

BAZ Blog_Ballet Exercises

At Home Ballet Exercises to Help in the Studio

31 March 2021

AT HOME BALLET EXERCISES TO HELP IN THE STUDIO

GRAB YOUR WORKOUT CLOTHES BECAUSE WE ARE SHARING SIX EXERCISES THAT WILL HELP IMPROVE YOUR BALLET TECHNIQUE AND PERFORMANCE IN THE STUDIO!

Plié Squats Lower body strength helps give ballet dancers the endurance and power perform for long periods of time. Improve your lower body strength at home by performing plié squats. To perform plié squats: Stand in second position - second position is feet placed hip-width apart and turned out. Hands are placed on the hips or held out to the sides Slowly sink your lower body by bending your knees Hold your body in the sunk position for 30 seconds Press your heels into the floor and straighten your legs Repeat this exercise three times for beginners, five times for intermediate, and seven times for advanced dancers Raised Leg Crunches Strengthen your core by performing raised leg crunches. Raised leg crunches are performed by: Lay on your back - make sure your lower back is flat to the floor and your back isn’t arched Lift your legs in the air - keep your legs straight and even with your hips Lift your upper back and reach for your toes Repeat this anywhere from 10 to 30 times Plank Another exercise that can help strengthen your core is the plank. To perform a plank do the following: Get into the same position you would to do a pushup Lower your elbows to the floor - bending them at a 90-degree angle and keeping them even with your shoulders Keep your back and legs straight Hold the position for anywhere from 30 seconds to 3 minutes Bridge Bridges will help improve the strength and flexibility in your back so you can perform those amazing backbends that happen so often in ballet. To perform a bridge: Lay on your back - make sure your lower back isn’t arched and that your shoulders are pushed into the ground Bend your knees so they are at a 90-degree angle - keep your feet even with your hips Push into the floor and raise your hips towards the ceiling - keep your shoulders to the ground Slowly roll up until only your feet and upper back is on the floor Hold this position for 15 to 30 seconds Slowly lower back down to the ground Repeat three to eight times Relevé This simple at home exercise will improve the strength in your feet, calves, legs, and glutes. To perform a relevé: Stand in your preferred ballet position - first position is extremely popular, but some people prefer to stand in second, fourth or fifth Push into the ground with your feet while raising your heels Hold the position once you are standing up on your toes - hold it for three to eight seconds Slowly lower back down Repeat several times - approximately three to seven times Side Lunges Inner and outer leg strength is needed to perform a lot of the movements in ballet. Side lunges work to strengthen both the inner and outer leg while also strengthening other parts of your lower body. To do a side lunge: Stand with your feet together - make sure your knees are together and your feet are parallel Take a large right or left step - make sure to not put the foot too far away from your body Bend your knee - keep the knee over the foot when bending and keep the opposite leg that isn’t bending straight Straighten your knee and pull your foot back in - so you are standing in the same position you started Repeat the same movement on the other side Do three to eight sets of lunges - both left and right side

P.S. Check-out the adult open classes at The School of Ballet Arizona, offering beginner, intermediate, and advanced technique. Click here for our Spring 2021 schedule. 

Visit The School of Ballet Arizona

Share it:

Recent Articles

DONATE NOW

Related Articles

Free Family Events

Your ‘Ballet Under the Stars’ Guide

  YOUR ‘BALLET UNDER THE STARS’ GUIDE Gather with your community for a starry evening of dance! Here are the…

Read More
2025 Hazel Hare Award of Artistic Excellence

2025 Hazel Hare Award of Artistic Excellence

Established in 2018, the award honors one male and one female dancer whose spirit echoes the strength, dedication, and passion…

Read More
From Folklore to Contemporary Ballet: The Making of Akelarre

From Folklore to Contemporary Ballet: The Making of Akelarre

This past March, the curtain rose on Ballet Arizona’s newest world premiere, Akelarre. Created by Resident Choreographer, Nayon Iovino, and…

Read More

Make an Impact

Donors are the heart of our organization. Each instance of support, from donations to volunteering, supports a company of dedicated dancers, dance education and community initiatives all year long. Ready to make a donation?

Give Now
ON SALE NOW! Single tickets for The Nutcracker and more! Explore Here
close-image
Performances
NEW 2025-26 Season
The Sleeping Beauty
The Nutcracker
ALICE (in Wonderland)
Cacti & Other Works
An Evening at Desert Botanical Garden
Studio Spotlights
Calendar
All Ticket Options
Subscription Tickets
10+ Group Tickets
Company
Company Dancers
Studio Company Dancers
Artistic Staff
Administrative Staff
Board of Directors
Contemporary Council
Your Visit
Performance Locations
Ticket Policies
Bag & Screening Policy
Accessibility Services
Performance Calendar
Adult Open Classes & Workshops
School
NEW Mesa Campus
School Year
Children's & Lower Division
Upper Division & Pre-Professional
Summer Programs
Once Upon a Dance Camp (Ages 4-6)
Summer Ballet School
Upper Division Summer Intensive
Summer Intensive Auditions
Summer Intensive Audition Tour
NSIA Audition
Drop-In & Special Classes
Adult Classes
Creative Movement for Toddlers
Studio Company
Faculty & Staff
Community Engagement
Ballet Under The Stars
Programs For Teachers & Schools
Class Act
DanceAZ
Performance Hour
Student Matinees
Adaptive & Inclusive Programs
Adaptive Dance
Creative Aging
Dance for Parkinson's Disease
Community Programs
Angel Night
Book Club
Hoop Dance
Speaking Engagements
Behind The Scenes Programs
Performance Chats
Studio Spotlight
Resources and Arts Advocacy
Support Us
Dance With Me Gala
Individual Giving
Corporate Sponsorships
Volunteer
Planned Giving
Get Involved
Donor Impact Reports
Donor Spotlight
About
Our Mission & More
Our Story
Financials
FAQs
News
Auditions
Careers
Blog
Contact
Accessibility