Ballet warm-up exercises serve to keep your body safe and get your mind focused. Your ballet warm-up often begins at the barre. The barre provides structure and support for isolated movements that may challenge balance and strength. According to the American Ballet Theatre, barre warm-up includes positions such as plies, a variety of battements and adagio. These movements are also practiced in the center of the floor and while traveling across the floor.
Plies
Plies open up your joints and help build muscle in your lower body. You can perform either a demi-plie or a grand plie. A demi-plie means your knees bend, heels stay on the floor and you descend about halfway down. A grand plie means that you bend all the way down with your heels coming up off the floor.
Battements
The hips, legs and feet continue to warm up through the battement exercises. Battement is a beating-like motion with either a bent or straight leg. There are five kinds of battement exercises: battement tendu, battement degage, battement fondus, battement frappes and the grand battement. You can perform each in three directions: to the front, side and back. Battements, like plies, help develop proper placement of hips, knees and foot turn-out.
Ronds de Jambe
Rond de jambe is a circular movement of either the entire leg of just the leg from the knee down. "Rond de jambe a terre" means on the ground and focuses on warming up the hips as well as building strength in your legs. "Rond de jambe en l'air" means in the air and focuses on warming up the knees in addition to strength building. Both should be done in an inward and outward direction for maximum warm up.
Upper Body Warm-Up
"Positions de bras" refers to the various arm positions in ballet. While at the barre, typically one hand rests on the barre for gentle support. The other arm is framing the body in a corresponding position. Practice five positions of the hands and arms; first through fifth --- in front of hips, in front of chest, above head, out at either side or down alongside hips --- emphasizing an elongated neck and spine.
Warm-Up Safety
Make certain the studio floor is clean and barres are securely fastened to the wall or floor stand. Warm-ups should be done in proper ballet attire -- leotard, tights and ballet slippers -- with additional layers to insulate joints such as leg warmers and a sweater. If you are new to ballet, follow instructions and go easy. If you are recovering from an injury, consult with a physician before resuming ballet, even the warm-up session.
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