Tips for Teachers and Dancers
Michel Maling 
My pupils often ask me why we need to do battement tendu in ballet. Although it does seem like a mundane exercise, there are many good reasons that dancers should be practising their battement tendu. Balanchine quoted “If you just do battements tendu well, you don’t have to do anything else.” I am sure that … Read more
Here are some Swan Lake Gifts you can purchase for the ballet lover in your life. Swan Lake is one of the most popular ballet productions of all time and is one of those timeless productions that will continue for years to come. If you know someone who loves ballet, then why not purchase them … Read more
Lots of people, not just dancers, suffer from shin splints, and how to cure shin splints is a question a lot of people are asking. What Are Shin Splints and how do you get Shin Splints? Shin splints, which are also known as medial tibial stress syndrome, is defined as pain along the inner edge … Read more
Plies in ballet are a very important part of the ballet training. Plie means to bend or fold, and in ballet, it is to bend the knee or both knees. If you watch a ballet production, plies are used all the time in the following ways: to cushion the landings after a jump or leap … Read more
Ballet dancers aim to be strong, slim and flexible. To keep their flexibility, they need to focus on ballet stretch exercises. Although certain muscle groups predominate, a ballet dancer uses all their muscle groups. As the dancer spends much time developing their technique and form, so must they also dedicate a portion of their training … Read more
Cambre in ballet is a french term in ballet that means arched. It also means ‘to throw out one’s chest.’ In ballet, we don’t literally throw our chests out, as you would do some serious damage. Instead the dancer would bend gently to the back, side or front, or even in a circular motion. If … Read more