Ballet is a beautiful and demanding art form that requires not only natural talent but also dedication to developing technique and strength. The journey of mastering ballet begins with a solid foundation of basic exercises, many of which are performed at the barre. The barre serves as a support for dancers to focus on posture, alignment, and the precision of movements without the distraction of balance. It is where a dancer builds the strength, flexibility, and control necessary for more complex and dynamic steps.
In ballet, certain exercises are fundamental and serve as the building blocks of a dancer’s technique. These exercises strengthen the muscles, increase flexibility, and refine coordination and control. Among the most important of these exercises are plié, elevé, battement tendu, and rond de jambe. Each of these basic movements plays a unique role in a dancer’s training, helping them to develop the core strength, turnout, and fluidity required for both classical and contemporary ballet performance.
This article will explore these four essential ballet barre exercises in depth, highlighting their importance in ballet training and providing insights on how to execute them correctly to maximize their benefits. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced dancer, understanding and mastering these foundational movements will set the stage for further progress in your ballet journey.
What is ballet? Ballet is not just a form of dance; it is an intricate and sophisticated art that combines beauty, strength, discipline, and storytelling. Known for its grace and elegance, ballet is characterized by its precise technique, rigorous training, and its emphasis on body control and fluidity. It has evolved over centuries and today, ballet continues to be a global art form that transcends cultural boundaries and speaks to audiences worldwide. Ballet is much more than a physical performance; it’s a way of expressing emotions, conveying stories, and showcasing the human form through movement.
The origins of ballet can be traced back to the Italian Renaissance in the late 15th century. Initially, ballet was performed in the courts of Italy and France, where it was part of elaborate social gatherings and celebrations. Over time, it evolved into a professional art form, with the development of specific techniques, terminology, and an emphasis on structure and formal choreography. Ballet began to shift from court dances to more theatrical performances, becoming more structured and focused on technical prowess and artistic expression.
In the 17th century, King Louis XIV of France, who was himself a dancer, played a pivotal role in shaping ballet as we know it today. His creation of the Royal Academy of Dance in 1661 formalized ballet as a distinct art form and set the foundation for its technical development. This period also saw the rise of the first professional ballet companies and the beginning of ballet’s international spread.
The French, Russian, and Italian influences on ballet have given rise to several distinct styles, with classical ballet being the most recognized. Classical ballet is known for its formalized techniques, including strict body positions and movements such as pliés, relevés, and pirouettes. Dancers often perform with precision, elegance, and fluidity, following specific choreographed sequences that showcase their technical skill and artistic expression.
There are several fundamental elements in ballet, such as posture, balance, and alignment, which are integral to every movement. The most iconic movements in ballet include jumps (like grand jetés), turns (such as pirouettes), and poses (such as arabesques). Each of these movements is not only a physical feat but also carries artistic significance, often expressing emotion or advancing a story. Ballet performances typically involve storytelling, with classical ballets like Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, and Sleeping Beauty featuring narratives that are communicated through movement, facial expressions, and gestures.
Ballet also emphasizes the importance of turnout, which refers to the outward rotation of the legs from the hips. This fundamental principle allows dancers to achieve a graceful and open position, enabling them to execute movements with greater freedom and ease. Maintaining proper alignment is another crucial aspect of ballet technique, as it ensures that movements are executed safely and with optimal aesthetic form.
Ballet training is demanding and requires years of dedication and practice to perfect. Ballet dancers undergo intense physical training to build strength, flexibility, and endurance. The rigorous training involves exercises that target every part of the body, especially the legs, feet, and core. Dancers typically start their training at a young age, with beginners learning basic positions and steps, gradually progressing to more advanced techniques as they grow older. To excel in ballet, dancers must not only be physically strong but also mentally disciplined, as ballet requires focus, precision, and the ability to execute movements with exacting detail.
In addition to classical ballet, neoclassical ballet and contemporary ballet have emerged as important subgenres of the dance form. Neoclassical ballet incorporates many of the traditional techniques of classical ballet but often with more abstract and dynamic movements. This style of ballet became popular in the early 20th century, with choreographers like George Balanchine pushing the boundaries of classical forms by introducing modern ideas into ballet choreography. Neoclassical ballet focuses less on narrative storytelling and more on the movement itself, often utilizing stark, minimalistic staging and costumes to highlight the dancers’ bodies.
Contemporary ballet blends elements of classical ballet with modern dance, jazz, and other forms of movement. This genre allows for greater freedom of expression, often with more experimental and innovative choreography. Contemporary ballet performances tend to be more fluid and less structured than traditional ballet, and the movements can range from highly athletic to abstract and interpretive. Many contemporary choreographers seek to challenge the established norms of classical ballet, experimenting with new movement techniques, unconventional music, and modern-day themes.

Plié
Pliés are often the first exercise at the barre in any ballet class. The word “plié” translates from French as “bent” or “folded.” This foundational movement involves bending the knees while maintaining proper alignment of the body. The purpose of pliés is to warm up and stretch the muscles of the legs, prepare the body for more complex movements, and reinforce the dancer’s sense of balance and posture.
Pliés should be practiced in all five basic ballet positions:
- First position: Heels together, toes pointing outward.
- Second position: Feet wider apart with toes pointing outward.
- Third position: One foot placed in front of the other with partial overlap.
- Fourth position: Feet placed in a staggered stance with some distance between them.
- Fifth position: Feet fully crossed, heel of one foot touching the toe of the other.
There are two types of pliés in ballet:
Demi-Plié: In a demi-plié, the knees are bent halfway while the heels remain firmly on the floor. This exercise helps strengthen the muscles around the knees and improve the dancer’s ability to jump and land softly.
Grand Plié: In a grand plié, the knees are bent completely, bringing the body as close to the ground as possible while maintaining proper posture. Depending on the position, the heels may lift slightly off the floor, except in second position, where they remain grounded.
Pliés not only warm up the legs but also encourage fluidity and grace. Dancers often perform this exercise slowly to focus on alignment and control. As one of the most fundamental movements in ballet, mastering pliés is essential for achieving a solid foundation in this elegant dance form.
Elevé
The elevé is a simple yet powerful exercise that plays a crucial role in building strength and stability in the lower body. Derived from the French word meaning “raised,” elevé involves rising onto the balls of the feet, lifting the heels off the floor while maintaining control and balance. It is a movement often performed at the barre to improve posture, strengthen muscles, and enhance the dancer’s ability to rise with grace and precision.
In essence, the elevé is a more controlled and deliberate movement than the relevé, though they share similar mechanics. While the elevé is a rise onto the balls of the feet directly from a standing position, the relevé involves a rise onto the balls of the feet from a plié. This subtle difference highlights the importance of flexibility and muscle control in ballet training.
By practicing elevés and relevés at the barre, dancers can effectively strengthen the muscles of the calves, ankles, and feet—key areas of the body that require endurance and stability in all ballet movements. These exercises are vital for creating the lightness and grace that are characteristic of ballet dancing. The engagement of the core, calves, and feet during an elevé also helps to maintain proper alignment and posture, which is essential for performing more complex steps later on.
Like pliés, elevés should be performed in all five basic positions of ballet:
- First position: Heels together, toes pointing outward.
- Second position: Feet apart, toes pointing outward.
- Third position: One foot placed in front of the other, with partial overlap.
- Fourth position: Feet placed in a staggered stance.
- Fifth position: One foot placed in front of the other, fully crossed, with the heel of one foot touching the toe of the other.
In each position, dancers will rise smoothly and with control onto the balls of their feet, ensuring their movements are graceful and fluid. As elevés require precision and strength, they serve as a foundational exercise for all dancers, regardless of their level. Mastering the elevé will not only improve one’s technique but also increase stamina and foot articulation, both of which are essential for executing jumps, balances, and pirouettes with poise.
Repetitive practice of elevé helps dancers build a deeper connection to their bodies and improves their ability to move through space with ease. With consistent practice, elevé can lead to greater strength in the lower body, as well as better balance and overall body awareness—important qualities for any ballet dancer.

Battement Tendu
The battement tendu is a fundamental and essential exercise in ballet that involves a controlled and deliberate stretching of the foot along the floor. The term “battement” translates from French as “beating,” and while battements can refer to a variety of movements where the leg beats or opens, the tendu specifically refers to the action of stretching the foot out to a pointed position. In a battement tendu, the dancer extends the working leg along the floor without lifting the toes off the ground, maintaining an elegant, elongated line with a pointed foot.
The primary goal of the battement tendu is to warm up the legs, strengthen the muscles of the feet and lower legs, and improve overall body alignment. This exercise also helps dancers develop the necessary strength and flexibility to execute more advanced movements, such as jumps and turns. It’s often the first step in the process of learning more dynamic battement movements, such as the battement frappé or battement dégagé.
A battement tendu is typically performed at the barre, where the dancer can use the support for balance while focusing on proper technique and execution. The movement begins by sliding the foot from a resting position (often in first or fifth position) along the floor until it reaches its fullest extension, with the toes pointed and the foot held firmly in place at the end of the stretch. The foot then returns along the floor to the starting position. This action is done slowly, focusing on the control and precision of the movement rather than speed.
The battement tendu is performed in three main directions:
- Devant (to the front): The working leg moves outward from the center of the body, extending directly in front of the dancer. This position helps strengthen the muscles of the hip flexors and quadriceps while also developing the dancer’s ability to maintain proper alignment in the pelvis and core.
- À la seconde (to the side): The working leg extends directly to the side, parallel to the floor. This position emphasizes the development of turnout, as well as strengthening the muscles along the outer thigh, hip, and glutes.
- Derrière (to the back): The working leg extends behind the dancer’s body, stretching out and holding the position at the rear. This movement targets the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back muscles, helping to improve flexibility and strength in these areas.
While it may seem like a relatively simple movement, the battement tendu is deceptively effective at building muscle and improving turnout. It works the muscles of the feet, ankles, calves, thighs, and hips, making it an essential exercise for developing overall strength and flexibility. Through repeated practice, dancers can refine the precision and fluidity of their movements, which are crucial elements in all aspects of ballet performance.
In addition to strengthening the legs and improving turnout, battement tendus also help with coordination and timing. As the dancer becomes more advanced, they will begin to perform battements tendus at faster speeds, incorporating a greater level of fluidity and grace into the movement. The exercise also plays a vital role in preparing the body for more complex ballet steps, such as pirouettes, jumps, and other traveling movements.
To ensure maximum effectiveness, it’s important to focus on several key aspects while performing a battement tendu: maintaining proper posture, keeping the core engaged, ensuring the foot stays pointed throughout the entire movement, and keeping the knees straight. Consistent practice of the battement tendu will help refine a dancer’s technique and contribute to an overall improvement in their ballet performance.
Rond de Jambe
The rond de jambe is another essential exercise performed at the barre, and it plays a key role in developing control, flexibility, and strength in the lower body. The term “rond de jambe” translates from French as “circle of the leg,” and this exercise involves making a semi-circular or circular motion with the working foot on the floor or in the air. The movement can be performed with the foot tracing a circular path on the ground or, for more advanced dancers, in the air with the leg lifted. The rond de jambe is a versatile movement that serves multiple purposes, including enhancing turnout, improving hip flexibility, and promoting overall fluidity and grace in movement.
One of the primary goals of the rond de jambe is to increase flexibility and strength in the hips, as well as to refine the dancer’s ability to control the leg and maintain proper alignment. This exercise targets the muscles of the hips, thighs, and glutes, and by repeating the motion, dancers can significantly improve the range of motion in the hips and the articulation of the leg. Additionally, rond de jambe strengthens the muscles of the feet, helping dancers develop the ability to stretch and point the foot effectively, which is vital for many ballet steps.
The rond de jambe is typically performed in two directions, each of which has its own specific name and purpose:
- Rond de Jambe en dehors (outward): In this variation, the working leg begins in the front and makes a circular motion toward the side and then moves to the back. This is known as rond de jambe en dehors, which translates to “circle of the leg outward.” This exercise emphasizes the outward rotation of the leg (turnout), as the foot moves in a semi-circular motion, helping to strengthen the muscles that support turnout. It also works to stretch the hip flexors and inner thigh muscles, while engaging the outer hips and glutes. The en dehors movement is crucial for developing the fluidity and grace that ballet requires, especially when transitioning from one position to another.
- Rond de Jambe en dedans (inward): In this variation, the working leg begins in the back and makes a circular motion toward the side, before coming to the front. This is called rond de jambe en dedans, meaning “circle of the leg inward.” This movement works on improving the internal rotation of the legs and strengthening the muscles responsible for this inward rotation. It helps develop the inner thigh and hip muscles and is particularly effective for improving control over the legs, ensuring that the feet are properly placed in the correct position during turns, jumps, and other movements.
Both variations of the rond de jambe help to improve the dancer’s ability to control the leg throughout a wide range of motion. As dancers become more advanced, they can perform rond de jambe with the working foot lifted off the floor (rond de jambe en l’air), which further challenges the stability of the core and the strength of the supporting leg. This elevated version of the exercise is often used to prepare for more advanced steps, such as pirouettes and grand jetés.
The rond de jambe also plays an important role in developing fluidity in transitions between movements. It teaches dancers how to move smoothly from one position to the next while maintaining control of the body and the feet. This quality of smoothness and continuous motion is an essential element of classical ballet, as it contributes to the graceful and seamless aesthetic that defines the art form.
Like many ballet exercises, the rond de jambe requires proper alignment, core engagement, and attention to detail in order to be performed effectively. Maintaining correct posture and form throughout the movement is crucial for reaping the full benefits of this exercise. Additionally, working slowly and with precision during a rond de jambe helps to develop muscle memory, balance, and strength.
Practicing rond de jambe regularly will not only increase the dancer’s turnout and flexibility but also improve their control over the legs, strengthen the core, and enhance overall fluidity of movement. This exercise lays the groundwork for many advanced steps and is a crucial part of building a solid ballet technique.
Conclusion
Mastering the basic ballet barre exercises is an essential step in any dancer’s training. These movements, though simple in appearance, are the core components that build the foundation for all more advanced ballet techniques. Plié strengthens the legs and improves placement, elevé helps to build ankle and foot strength, battement tendu refines leg control and turnout, and rond de jambe increases hip flexibility and fluidity. Together, these exercises ensure that a dancer has the proper physical strength, flexibility, and control needed to progress in ballet.
Through consistent practice and attention to detail, dancers develop the skills necessary to perform complex ballet sequences with grace and precision. By mastering these basic movements at the barre, dancers not only prepare their bodies for more challenging steps but also cultivate the artistry and poise that make ballet such a captivating art form.
Whether you’re just starting or have been dancing for years, revisiting these core exercises will only enhance your technique and deepen your understanding of the artistry of ballet. Keep practicing, and with time, these foundational exercises will help you achieve both technical excellence and the beauty that defines this timeless dance form.
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