Barre

now before i go through classical ballet vocabulary, let me site an important ballet equipment, the Barré (oh not the pinoy vodka stuff!). "A barre is a stationary handrail that is used during ballet warm up exercises" (wikipedia.com).

i want my own barre at home and i want it to look exactly like this

picture credit: ste

lesson #1: basic ballet positions

before i talk about tutus and pointe shoes (which, by they way, can only be worn by those who have been dancing ballet for at least 2 years), i need to refresh myself of the basic ballet positions.

ballet positions is not much different from the basic dance positions that i learned in grade school and in high school. they are pretty much the same. only that, in ballet, there is this certain stance and grace that you must exude. also, the feet positions are a bit different and a little difficult if you are not flexible enough. here are the five basic ballet positions as i know it. (there are different schools of ballet and each has its own rules, styles, and tradition.)

First Position

feet: with the feet turned outwards, slightly bend your knees and aim toward a straight, 180-degree line with your feet. (just like Marry Poppins!) if you cannot turn your feet out this far, don't force it. it has to be worked at. you may start by standing next to the back of a chair for support. with your knees slightly bent, turn out as far as you can from the hip. this is where your own first position is.

arms: tuck your fingers, keep your shoulders down (making your neck look a little longer), then round your arms in front of you as though you are hugging a tree, only that the tips of your hands should face each other.

Second Position

feet: from your first position, make a space between your ankles about a foot by moving either your left foot to your left side or your right foot to your right while retaining your feet turned out.

arms: again, keeping your shoulders down, swing your arms out to the sides (keep it rounded) so that they are extended on either side of your body.

Third Position

feet: from the second position (where your feet are apart and turned out), bring your feet together again by tucking either your left heel in front of the arch of your right foot or your right heel in front of your left arch while, of course, keeping your feet turned out. (feet turned out are the operative words for ballet :P)

arms: depending on which foot is in front, bring to front the arm coming from the opposite side while keeping the other arm in second position. for instance, if your left foot is tucked in front of the right, you should bring your right arm in front of your chest (keeping it rounded, your shoulders down, and fingers tucked) while keeping your left arm in second position. if your right foot is in front, do the reverse arm positions.

Fourth Position

feet: bring forward whichever foot is in front in third position.

arms: raise above your head whichever arm is extended to the side in third position while retaining the third position of the other arm in front of your chest.

Fifth Position

feet: bring the front foot in fourth position back to the back foot and try to achieve two parallel lines with your feet. if your right foot is in front, your right heel should be in front of your left toes and your left heel behind your right toes. this is the most difficult of the foot positions; do not injure yourself trying to (achieve this position.)

arms: raise whichever arm is in front of the chest in fourth position. both arms are rounded above the head. make sure that your arms are not too far back. this is one of the most common ballerina arm poses.

there you go. they say practice makes perfect. in ballet, it must be true. go practice!

[picture credit: http://kinesphere.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/balletpositions.jpg]

why Lei wants to do ballet

it was my dream as a kid to become a ballerina but my mom didnt seem to like the idea. she didnt enrol me along with my childhood friends in a ballet class when i was four or five. i nearly died in envy because i really love the outfit and the graceful moves of ballet.

maybe fate has another plan for me. i didnt totally give it up though. i learned doing the split by myself when i was nine or ten. but it still wasnt enough for me to dance ballet. back in college, i realized i need to learn the basics in french such as Plié, Pirouette, and Jeté. yes, i did enroll for a ballet class as my college PE. i enjoyed the first three or four sessions up to the part where Arabesque was taught. but i had to drop it because my mother insisted. i dunno what she has against ballet dancing. now that i no longer live with her, i decided to pursue my long time dream to become a ballerina. i dont think it's too late for me for i still am as flexible as i was when i was four.

[picture above is Veronica Tennant, a Prima Ballerina, National Ballet of Canada. taken from http://artsalive.ca/en/dan/meet/bios/artistDetail.asp?artistID=138]