1. Yes, It's Barre, Not Bar
Ballet dancers learn that the ballet barre is the first part of every ballet or pointe class. The "barre" is actually a round rail, usually wood, placed horizontally and attached to the wall. The barre may be a single or a double bar, which would be two horizontal bars attached to the wall. The double barre is wonderful if you teach a range of ballet dancers from the very young up to adult dancers.
2. Legs Up On the Barre
Practice stretching exercises in ballet classes at the barre. The ballet mistress will instruct the dancers to place a leg upon the barre and go through a series of stretches, plies and lunges. The ballet dancer does the exercises or stretches in slow, controlled movements that stretch and build muscles. Ballet dancers appear delicate and fragile, but in reality, they are strong and muscular, largely due to their stretching at the barre.
3. Use the Barre to Flatten the Core
Doing stretching at the barre comes with lots of bending and holding poses. A ballet dancer goes through her exercises at the barre while holding her core area in and up. Even when her leg is up on the barre, the dancer still holds up from the core. All this midsection and core work really works to flatten and tone the stomach of a ballet dancer.
4. Lean on the Barre for Support
Everyone needs a little support, and that's one of the things a ballet barre does for a ballet dancer. As a practice session begins, the ballet dancer uses the barre to support himself. The practice progresses, the ballet dancer is growing more prepared for dance and he focuses more, but the barre is still there to support him in case he stumbles. The ballet barre represents support and security to a dancer as he grows in his skills of performing.
5. Every Barre Has a Story
Every ballet dancer has memories of the barre. The barre represents the self-discipline that's achieved as a ballet dancer. The barre is where a dancer returns to brush up on the basics, to stretch and to "center" her focus back on the dance of the ballet. The barre will mean different things to every dancer, but to all ballet dancers, the barre is where is all began.
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