Beginning Level Barre Work
1. Five Positions of the Feet with Demi Plié
begin facing barre in 1st and point and step
and demi plié and straighten into each position
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
2. Grand Plié in 2nd Position
facing and both hands on barre,
2cts. to plié and 2 cts. to straighten
3. Foot Exercise
begin feet parallel facing barre:
R foot to half toe, then point toe, then flat;
L foot to half toe, then point toe, then flat
4. Battements Tendus Preparation
L hand on barre, 1st position,
R arm in 2nd,
point to 2nd on the '&' count,
and close back to 1st on the whole number,
repeat with R hand on barre
5. Battement Tendu
"beat stretch"
from 5th position slide to 2nd stretching the ankle,
close in 5th back with demi plié, then in front with a demi plié for 8x.
Then 16 battement tendus from 1st to 2nd pointing
6. Battements Degagés Preparation
L hand on barre, 1st position,
R arm in 2nd,
as in battement tendu but brush the foot
so it just leaves the floor on the extension and close,
repeat with R hand on barre
7. Battement dégagé to 2nd position
"beat disengage"
in 1st position slide F to 2nd with toe off the floor.
8x in 4 cts and 8x in 8 cts
8. Rond de Jambe à Terre
L hand on barre, R arm in 2nd,
from 1st position point RF to 4th front,
side, back in 4th, and brush to close in 1st,
repeat with R hand on barre
9. Rond de Jambe à terre et Battement dégagé
"circle of leg on floor and beat"
6 circles of the leg on the floor
and 7 battement dégagés fwd, back, and close in 1st
10. Battement retiré
"beat withdraw; a retiré is a thigh lift"
facing barre from 5th front raise R. leg & lower in 5th back;
repeat by reversing sequence
11. Battement Pecá
facing and holding barre,
step to side in 2nd on R half toe, L foot behind ankle, lower to flat,
step back to 1st
repeat with LF
12. Relevé in 5th Position Soutenou
facing barre, plié, spring to tight 5th, slight bend of knees,
spring to land in demi plié, straighten
13. Battements Tendu, Turn into Arabesque à Terre
L hand on barre, R arm in 2nd, feet in 1st position,
point to 2nd position,
rotate on ball of foot to face barre leaving RF in place
which is now behind in 4th,
R hand joins L hand at barre -
repeat all beginning with R hand on barre
14. Battement tendu and turn into arabesque en l'air
"beat stretch - long flowing line"
slide RF to 2nd & turn to face barre in arabesque,
lift leg in arabesque and close in 5th back
15. Echappé Sauté
facing with both hands on barre,
springs from demi plié in 1st to demi plié in 2nd,
and back to 1st, continue on
16. Echappé on demi pointe
"escape"
spring to 2nd on 1/2 toes,
spring together in 5th coming down through the feet
17. Preparation for Third Port de Bras
L hand on barre, standing in 1st position,
simple 3rd port de bras:
R arm begins low in front of R thigh,
raises through waist height, raises fwd almost overhead,
opens to side slightly in front of body
and lowers to front of thigh,
repeat all with R hand on barre
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Classical Ballet Beginning to Advanced by Susan Kramer. Preballet, beginning, intermediate and advanced levels of ballet with hundreds of combinations including a separate section of pointe work. 100 pages. Buy as an Ebook or Paperback Book.
Article by Susan Kramer
