Stuck at home? Under quarantine? Here’s a fun ballet workout dancers can do at home for strength and conditioning. It was created for us by the former professional ballerinas turned fitness experts at Ballet Body, Lisha Chin and Alison Carroll. They’re former dancers and ballet teachers, so you know you’rein for a workout that builds up ballet-specific muscles. Put on your favourite Patipa score or your favourite pop song, whatever works for you , slip into a leotard (Lisha and Ally are wearing our Lily leotard!), and get ready to move – but gracefully!
THE WORKOUT
Do 3 – 5 sets of this series, depending on how you’re feeling!
Grand to demi plie pulses x 8
Temps leve to arabesque knees x8
Weighted swan arms x 8 sets
GRAND TO DEMI PLIÉ PULSES x 8
From first position, go into a grand plié , up to a demi and down into a grand again – so your inner thigh, glute and core muscles are engaged the entire time. Hold on to a barre, chair, a table or a friend for support.
For an extra challenge, try doing them in second and fifth position in subsequent sets – or maybe even try them unsupported.
TEMP LEVÉ ARABESQUE KNEELS
If you want to go into a full kneel, control it on the way down so that your knee doesn’t whack the floor (also, it’s good conditioning). You can do a half kneel, but go as low as you possibly can and turn out. ✨
Keep your foot pointed so that you’re not pushing off from the balls of your feet, but working your thigh muscles instead.
WEIGHTED SWAN ARMS
1 set = 8 x full arms bringing them up fifth position, 8 x half arms, 8 x push aways.
Swan Arms in Fifth
Half Swan Arms
Push away swan arms
Keep your shoulders down and engage your lats by keeping your arms long and pretending you’re pushing through water. Remember to elongate and relax your fingers like your ballet teacher told you.
If you have some wearable weights, use them to really work (i.e kill) your port de bras muscles. You could also use water bottles, but you’d have to sacrifice working on finger placement – depends on what you want to focus on.
Enjoy!
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