Description

MUSIC: New Ballet Music 13, Track 4

LENGTH: 8 minutes, 09 seconds

PURPOSE OF THIS EXERCISE: Teaches you how to work on the diagonal while making battements tendu forward & back; and how to stretch your body and become more flexible.

DEFINITIONS: Battement (bat-MAHN). Beating. A beating action of the extended leg; Tendu (tahn-DEW). Battement stretched.

DESCRIPTION: Part One: Instructions from Finis Jhung; Part Two: Melissa Elstein performs the exercise with the music playing and Finis standing by and coaching.

• Teaches you how to find your diagonal positioning and maintain it so you won’t get confused when you are in center floor
• Shows you how to strengthen your supporting side and work your free foot so it becomes more flexible and strong
• Includes full body stretches that make your body more expressive and increase your range of movement

AUDIENCE: The adult ballet beginner who wants to improve and get stronger.

TRAINING REQUIRED: None, although you’ll get more out of this exercise if you’ve already worked with my video Ballet Barre for The Adult Absolute Beginner

EQUIPMENT: A barre or a high-backed sturdy chair, a full-length mirror