In ballet, barre work is performed using a long wooden or metal barre for balance. Barre exercises can also be performed at home, using the back of a sturdy chair or a sturdy horizontal railing at about elbow height. Online ballet barre exercises can help dancers practice by describing and demonstrating barre exercises, so that dancers practicing at home have a guide to the correct movements.
Ballet Basics
Online lessons on basic head, arm, leg and barre etiquette and positions are available at the website for the Mississauga Dance Studio. Since these positions are the foundation of all ballet work, it is important to practice them regularly, even after you have memorized them and are comfortable performing them. The Mississauga Dance Studio website also provides lessons on how to stretch at the barre.
Battement
Battement is a French term that literally means "beating," according to the Learn to Dance website. Learn to Dance provides online video lessons in performing both battements tendus and battements grandes at the barre, which are basic ballet moves that require the leg to move repeatedly in a beating-type motion. Learn to Dance also provides an in-depth glossary to ballet terms, making it easier to find ballet lessons online by searching for specific ballet terms.
Tendu
The tendu in ballet is the action of pointing the foot in a controlled motion. After the basic leg, foot and arm positions, tendu is the basis of many ballet moves. It also strengthens and stretches the muscles, tendons and ligaments in the foot, making more advanced work possible. Tendu is practiced both at the barre and on the floor, with floor work being added only after the dancer has built strength and flexibility at the barre. The Discover a Hobby website has a section on ballet that includes instructional links and videos on performing tendu correctly. The website also provides information on how to care for yourself and your equipment.
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