Move · Videos · Dance · 45 min

Beginner Ballet Barre Class with Dutch National Ballet

Beginner Ballet Barre Class with Dutch National Ballet — video by Nationale Opera & Ballet Play · 44:37

Video by Nationale Opera & Ballet on YouTube · Open on YouTube

Dario Elia, a former Dutch National Ballet dancer who teaches at its academy, leads a full beginner barre with live piano: a foot warm-up, pliés, tendus, jetés, rond de jambe, fondus, frappés, an adagio and grand battements. Paced like a real studio class.

  • 45 min
  • Beginner
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • chair
  • Ballet barre

Good forDancing for fun

Open in VideosLog it in Train

Step by step 10

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Foot warm-up facing the barre: flex and point the foot to the front, side and back from first position. 0:30
  2. Pliés in first, second, fourth and fifth, with port de bras and a balance. 2:38
  3. Tendus: hold each position clearly and keep your weight on the standing leg. 8:11
  4. Jetés: brush the foot off the floor and close, then balance on demi-pointe. 16:57
  5. Rond de jambe with port de bras, finishing in a long arabesque line. 22:02
  6. Fondus front, side and back, first at 45 degrees, then higher with a développé. 26:04
  7. Frappés: strike out from the ankle, then doubles and an attitude front balance. 31:57
  8. Adagio: slow développés, then turn to repeat on the other side. 35:40
  9. Grand battements: brush the leg up and close, keeping the knees strong. 39:44
  10. Finish facing the barre: pliés and rises in first, second and fifth. 42:09

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Keep your weight on the standing leg, not on the working foot
  • Keep breathing; it keeps the upper body long and the legs free
  • Hold each position clearly rather than swinging through it

What it works

Tap an area for more videos that work it.

Joints it uses 3 takes load

  • Hips takes loadrond de jambe, développés, grand battements, turnout
  • Knees takes loaddemi and grand pliés, fondus
  • Ankles & feet takes loadrises and balances on demi-pointe, tendus, frappés
  • Shoulders movesport de bras arm lines
  • Lower back movesport de bras bends, arabesque lines
  • Standing on one leg. Keep a chair or a wall within reach.

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

More like this

Browse all 764 videos

Video by Nationale Opera & Ballet; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety