Move · Videos · Dance · 45 min

Beginner Ballet Barre Class with English National Ballet

Beginner Ballet Barre Class with English National Ballet — video by English National Ballet Play · 44:36

Video by English National Ballet on YouTube · Open on YouTube

Sarah Golightly, who teaches English National Ballet's adult beginners and improvers, leads a home barre: a marching warm-up and stretches, then pliés, tendus, rond de jambe, fondus, frappés, adage and grand battements, with clear posture tips.

  • 45 min
  • Beginner
  • Moderate impact
  • chair
  • Ballet barre

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Step by step 11

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Warm-up: marches and little steps to raise your heart rate. 0:37
  2. Gentle stretches: roll down, twists and side stretches, then calves and quads. 2:13
  3. Posture at the barre: pull up, zip up the tummy, lengthen the tailbone and close the ribs. 4:47
  4. Pliés in first, second, fourth and fifth: knees over the little toes, only as deep as is comfortable. 5:20
  5. Tendus from first: the heel leads forward and the little toe leads back. 13:32
  6. Rond de jambe: find your own second position and keep both hips facing forward. 18:17
  7. Battement fondu: peel off, extend and lift to retiré without sickling the foot. 22:56
  8. Frappés: strike out like striking a match, then doubles and petits battements. 29:50
  9. Adage: chassé, développés and an arabesque, adding a lift or back bend only if you wish. 34:35
  10. Grand battements: crease at the top of the leg at the back to protect the lower spine. 39:18
  11. Port de bras and a révérence to finish. 42:22

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

Form cues from the coach

  • Knees over the little toes in pliés; only go as deep as a straight back allows
  • Rest your fingers lightly on the barre so your legs hold your weight
  • Work within your own turnout and keep both hips facing forward

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
  • Knees takes loaddemi and grand pliés, fondus
  • Ankles & feet takes loadrises, tendus, frappés, balances
  • Shoulders movesport de bras arm lines
  • Upper back movesupper-back bend, port de bras
  • Lower back movesroll downs, upper-back bend, arabesque
  • Standing on one leg. Keep a chair or a wall within reach.

Easier option from the coach: Go only as deep in pliés and as high in the legs as is comfortable

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

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Video by English National 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