7 Highly Effective Habits In Ballet Training

There are 7 highly effective habits in ballet training that affect:

• the key area of dancing for young ballerinas, pointe work, and; 

• a key area for men in ballet, jumping. 

In early training, regardless of age, these will contribute to excellence in both these areas. This analysis can apply to other areas of dance in the same way also, I'm choosing this one for the sake of discussion.

Understand your own physical attributes and shortcomings. 

For example, every dancer would like to have long and stretchy Achilles tendons, and flexible ankles.

These 2 advantages provide the biggest range of movement between the bottom of a demi-plie and the take-off point of a releve or jump.

One of the dancers in my class at the National Ballet School of Canada had a very shallow demi-plie. Yet, she had very flexible ankles and a high arch, and this gave her the range of movement and thrust to jump very high.

Get the best technical education. 

Regardless of physical advantages, progress can be made by understanding the ideal ballet movements and by learning correct ballet stretches.

Also, get the correct preparation for dancing in pointe shoes.

There is no restriction on your access to information.

Find a well-credentialed teacher who is both kind and demanding in class. 

This is a variable, and inexperienced teachers do not realize how often they are going to repeat the same old correction over the years of training, to the same students.... in a million different imaginative ways.

Learn safe cross-training to help you compensate for your physical shortcomings. 

If you need to get more flexible, there is Pilates, massage, and Yoga. If you are flexible but weak in some areas, Pilates, and weight training will help.

Coordinate your knowledge of your physiology.

 

You might be compensating detrimentally to get the deepest demi-plie and best take-off that you can, and instead compensate more with cross-training and less with bad habits. It's only a life-long process, even for the most gifted.

Don't lose sight of your uniqueness, talents, intelligence, and determination. 

There will always be an invitation to doubt yourself, envy others' real or imagined superiority, and waste time thinking negative thoughts.

Get proper rest and good nutrition. 

Body and brain fatigue, and nutritional deficiencies are directly related to mood. Please be curious and get the information you need.

These 7 highly effective habits are just the tip of the icebergs, but they are a great guide to go with until you develop your own uniqueness in training priorities.