How do you get shapely legs for a ballerina?

Answer 1

PILATES, PILATES, PILATES. Go to some Pilates Mat classes, and ask the instructor to assist you with regard to flexibility and strength training. It takes time so don't over do it.Pilates was developed on The New York City Ballet, so it is basically designed for dancers. Make sure your instructor is qualified and/or has a dance background.

You can also try Yoga for some great stretching and core strength excercises.

Performing developpes in succession will also help extension, but only if you make it a regular habit.

Answer 2

Stretch, stretch, and stretch some more!

Basic Tips:

* First warm up, then stretch. When your muscles are warm you will get a much better stretch. If you are not warmed up you could injure yourself (I have).

* Hold every stretch for at least 30 seconds. * Never pulsate or bounce in a stretch.

* Take slow deep breaths. When you exhale push yourself further into the stretch. * Always do everything equally on both legs. * Stretch often; once a week won't do it. Even if it's only a little bit every day you will see and improvement. * While stretching your legs, focus on stretching out rather than down. Maintaining a flat back can be helpful. Think out to your toes, not your knees. * Stretching shouldn't be comfortable, but it should not hurt. Never push a stretch too far, you could injure yourself.

Barre Stretches (because we all know how to bend down and touch our toes):

Standing at the barre (or holding onto a counter at home) grab the inside of your outside foot while bending your standing leg. First straighten your outside leg and then try to stand up straight on your standing leg. Pull your leg closer into your body until you feel the stretch.

From here pull your leg to the side and rotate your hips under. Keeping both legs straight, lean forward and backward off your hips. Returning to a straight position lean into the bar (or counter) pulling your leg with you.

For arabesque, lift your outside leg to passe and hold the inside of your knee with your outside hand. Push your leg into a back attitude, using your hand to maintain height. Extend your leg into arabesque using your hand to push it higher. You may have to grab the inside of your thigh at this point. Keep your back up.

Another barre stretch: Place your leg turned out on the barre off to the side of you and turn to face your leg. Keeping your standing leg straight, bend and flex the barre leg and stretch over onto it, making sure to keep your whole body facing the leg. After standing back up, straighten your leg, point your toes, and bend over your leg again. During these stretches try to maintain a straight back, stretching further towards your toes rather than down toward your knee.

Standing back up, leave your leg in place and turn your body toward the barre (your leg will be in 2nd/to the side). Using your opposite arm, reach over your head and stretch your whole body sideways towards your leg. Stand up and repeat but with a bended standing leg. This second time you will be able to stretch further toward your leg.

For arabesque, turn towards the barre, away from your leg so it is behind you. With the arm not holding onto the barre, reach down toward the floor, stretching your standing leg. Stand back up and keeping both legs straight, bend backwards as much as possible using your outside arm above your head.

Answer 3

A guy was visiting New York City and he needed help with directions. He asked a passing pedestrian: "Excuse me, sir. How do I get to Carnegie Hall?" The man said "Practice, practice, practice..."

There are other ballet-related exercises that can help you with the process: Yoga, Pilates swimming, biking, gymnastics. Other forms of dance. Not to mention just basic stretching. Also, try listening to music as often as possible. Preferably ballet music.

Try your absolute hardest ALL the time, deticate yourself to the music and expression, and practice, practice, practice.

Answer 4

Well stretch 1.

-straddle simply sit on the floor open legs far as possible and just stretch

-spike simplysit on urbottom and legs out in front of u and clos as possible sit staright up and toes pinted and lean near your feet do not force

-you have to eat green foods cause after i did i got way better

-half spit simply bring ur leg that in the back when u do a split in the back flat then bring your foot pinting towards the back way in line likethe leg has no foot ur foot is under ur thigh

-check on my YouTube channel for videos kingdomheartsqween in the search engine

-stretch day and night and always shower before u stretch to have warm musscles if ur at home

-stretch for 30mins toa hour but ifu want to get flexible have some friends i stretched 5 hours today cause i made it fun with my cousins and i made progress

-pain is goodmeans your progresseing but if it just hurts stop for a day but if you wake up the next day with pain still stretch cause it will work the pain on for a few hours

-its gonna hurt don't expect it not to

-emailme at blackroseemotokyohotel@Yahoo.com

Answer 5

There are a lot of different excercises you could do but one in particular that I find helpful is simply rising up onto the ball of your foot and back down again multiple times. It might not seem like much of a work out at first, but believe me, after about 100 of the your calves will burn. This also works your ankles and will help prepare you for pointe work. Here's how to do it:

1) Stand about 1 to 2 feet away facing a wall or something sturdy that you can hold onto to help your balance.

2) Have you feet parallel, about shoulder width apart.

3) Slowly press up onto the ball of your foot, working through your ankles. Hold onto the wall or sturdy object for balance but do not use it to pull yourself up.

4) Slowly roll back down, working through your feet and ankles.

5) I would suggest doing this about 30 times to start out with if you are new to it and not very strong yet. Once you get stronger, you may even be able to do 100 or more. Make sure that you do not hurt yourself! You will feel the bur in the back of your calves. Take breaks if needed, and drink water. Don't over do it! You should do this atleast once a day.

*You can do this on one foot at a time as well. However, this obviously wears out your leg faster so you won't be able to do as many at one time.

Answer 6

You should probably run a lot. My dance and cheer team are required to run 1-4 miles each practice depending on certain things. Also stretch a lot. Lunges, squats, and splits will tighten legs as well. Hoped I helped.(:

Answer 7

I'm no physican but turnout is from the hips, perhaps the frog stretch (look it up on Google or youtube or something) may help. Also stretching in second, and when you do tendu's try to really turn it out as much as possible without hurting yourself. Don't turn out more than you are designed to, though. If you are standing in first and you plie and your knees are pointing inwards more than your feet, you are not turning out correctly. make sure the knees are the same direction as your feet, same for every position. Also when you plie try to force it out as much as possible FROM THE HIPS not the feet, without over doing it.

Answer 8

practice!!!!!