Classical

Ballet 4

M PLE
SA

Classwork & Teaching Suggestions

for the Ballet Teacher of Advanced Students
Ruth H. Brinkerhoff, B.A.
Former Director, Utah Ballet Academy
Registered Teacher, Royal Academy of Dance
Classical Ballet 4:
Classwork & Teaching Suggestions
for the Ballet Teacher of Advanced Students
By Ruth H. Brinkerhoff, B.A.
Former Director, Utah Ballet Academy
Registered Teacher, Royal Academy of Dance

Copyright © 2016, The Ballet Source

Cover design and illustrations © 2016, Eric Hungerford.
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in
a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior written
permission of the copyright holder.

The Teacher Must Decide

The Ballet Arts series of manuals provides information, activities and suggestions
for the teaching of ballet to children. The materials in these books have worked
well for the author, and for other teachers of her acquaintance. However,
the author cannot know what approach or which physical activities will
be appropriate and safe for any particular teacher, class, or student. It is the
responsibility of each ballet teacher to use his or her best judgment in applying
the information and teaching suggestions contained herein, and in using the
activities, enchainements, dances and teaching materials contained in the Ballet
Arts series from The Ballet Source.
Contents
Index 3
Artistry & Technique 4
Warming Up and Cooling Down 11
Sample Class #1
Sample Class #2
Barre Enchainements
Center Enchainements
Allegro Enchainements 31
For Boys & Men 35
Pointe 38
Dances From Sleeping Beauty 41
Quality In Performing 43

Links 16

PURCHASE CLASSICAL BALLET 4

Artistry & Technique
All About Feet (A wrapped foot is by definition out of
alignment with both ankle and knee,
Correct Ballet involves a precise, and can therefore contribute to injury.
complete, use of the feet. Stretch feet That is why it is not included here as
for jumps, stretch feet for pointe work. one of the shapes the foot can make for
Shapes the foot can make: ballet.)

1. A terre, flat, standing on it. “Your first and most important job as a
dancer is to have correct alignment of
2. Relaxed, i.e. picked up off the your feet at the ankle joint. All of the
floor, maintaining the same shape time!”
as in #1; as for original shape for
frappé (relaxed, same as a terre Feet must learn to relax in order
just picked up). to maintain this correct alignment
during movement! Feet must learn to
3. Lifted or extended on the floor relax if they are to learn correct use
and flexed, pulled upward at the of muscles, and to maintain proper
ankle, and kept in alignment with centering of the dancer’s weight
the knee (as in demi plié). (balance).
4. Picked up or extended on the About Barre Work
floor and stretched or arched
with toes pointed as in petit retiré Avoid tension at the barre:
(stretched foot). Pull body up, not in.
5. Picked up or extended on the Pull up the stomach muscles.
floor and arched with toes bent Pull up the backs of knees, and legs
upward as in demi pointe; arched Pull up the head.
with toes flexed. Pull up a bit more when closing the
feet to fifth, more than on the
6. Relaxed point at the ankle, as for extensions.
petit battements, not wrapped.

Go to Index 4 TheBalletSource.com
Pliés
For artistry. Hold backs steady, fill the music with continuous movement, use
correct muscles.

1-4 Plié in 1st.

5-8 Plié in 2nd.
1-4 Plié in 5th.
5-8 Rise with port de bras to 5th, balance, lower on ct 8, arms 2nd.
1-4 Plié in 4th.
5-8 Rise with port de bras to arabesque, lift leg, balance.

Optional ending: fondu, pas de bourrée to other side and continue.

Battement Tendu
For being aware of the turnout from the hip socket. Face barre, from 1st, 3rd, or
5th:
1 Extend to tendu devant.
2-3 Turn leg in, turn leg out.
4 Close.
5-6 Tendu devant, carry to 2nd.
7 Feel equal turnout in both legs.
8 Close 1st or derriere.
1-8 Repeat with other leg
1-16 Repeat derriere, closing front.

Battement Tendu for Artistry

&1 Battement tendu devant.

&2 Tendu devant with demi plié arm 1st.
&3 Straighten, rise arm 2nd.
&4 Lower, arm bras bas.
5-8 Repeat to the back, arm arabesque.
9-16 4 tendus 2nd, demi plié, straight, rise, detourné to other side.

Go to Index 5 TheBalletSource.com
Battement Glissé
For Centering Weight: Keep hips perfectly square and lifted, posture pulled up,
knees firm. When going derriere think of moving the thigh back.
Do 2 each way closing with demi plié.
Increase speed as ability improves.

Rond de Jambe a Terre in 5 Points

Using 5 points of the circle encourages a stretched circle at all parts of the rond
de jambe. This helps to make adage movements smoother, especially grand rond
de jambe en l’air. Do 4 each direction.

1 Tendu devant.
2 Rond to the front diagonal.
3-4 Rond to 2nd, hold.
5 Rond to the back diagonal.
6 Rond to derriere.
7-8 Close 1st, hold.

Rond de Jambe Variation

To sense the hip socket and turnout; to be aware of what is happening. No hip
movement—none. Face barre, use alternate legs.

1 Retiré.
2-5 Turn knee in, out, in, out.
6 Lower to 1st with weight equal.
7-8 Degagé derriere, hold.
1-3 3 tiny Russian rond de jambe jetés (attitude devant, rond to attitude in 2nd, rond &
straighten to degagé derriere).
4 Brush to degage devant.
5-8 Reverse Russian rond de jambes.
1-8 Repeat all.

Go to Index 6 TheBalletSource.com
Battement Soutenu in 5 points
Intro: Prepare arm to 2nd.
1 Fondu and extend leg devant.
2 Rond to front diagonal in fondu.
3 Rond to 2nd, in fondu.
4 Rond to back diagonal in fondu.
5 To derriere, still in fondu.
6 Straighten and close derriere.
&7-8 Hold, while arm moves bras bas, 1st, 2nd.
1-8 Repeat in reverse.

Battement Frappé
To challenge memory, placement, and arm coordination.

1-4 Four frappé devant with R foot, & port de bras to 2nd.
& Pivot to face the barre.
5-8 Four frappé second with R, L arm port de bras to 5th.
& Pivot to face the second side.
1-4 Four frappé derriere R, L arm lowering to arabesque.
& Coupe under.
5-8 Frappé L en croix, (one each way), arm lowering to bras bas.
Repeat all starting on second side.

Rond de Jambe en L’Air

For the sartorious muscle. This muscle turns the leg out from the hip joint, and
lifts the turned out leg to the front and to the side.

&al Lift 2nd, single en dehors.

2 Close derriere.
&a3 Lift 2nd, single en dedans.
4 Close devant.
&a5,6,7 Lift 2nd, 3 doubles en dehors, rising on count 7.
8 Lower & close derriere.
1-8 Reverse.

Go to Index 7 TheBalletSource.com
II. Center Artistry 5-6 Lower to floor.
Have a spiritual center; radiate 7-8 Bring arms down to sides.
outward. Explode upwards, lower
b. For Lower Back—Lay on Back
gently. Rest the eyes somewhere for
adage—look at something! Have quality
1-2 Bring knees up.
and expression in the use of head and
eyes. It is needed to make the work 3-4 With arms, hold one close to chest and straighten
come alive. other leg.

The dancer is 5-6 Straighten both legs & lower to floor.

a total picture. 7-8 Rest.
We don’t dance
in pieces! Fill c. For awareness of back in port de
your space, don’t bras, lay on back, do port de bras
just stand there!
d. Do pirouette position lying on back,
Love to dance!
to feel the alignment.
Communicate
your love of dance. To Help The Balance in Pirouettes
Stand and look
beautiful. a. Relevé to pirouette position, fondu,
as if ending the pirouette. Lower &
Epaulement Note: For ballotté of adage, straighten to 5th derriere and repeat
epaulement is away from extended leg. with other leg.
For Arabesque Line: Arabesque line b. Center the weight accurately on the
never crosses legs, arms, or eyes. preparatory tendu and keep it there
Extend exactly forward & back only. for the turn.

Soutenu Turn
Turning Steps Move arms through a low 1st rather
For Awareness of the Use of Backs than bras bas. This helps to keep the
back from arching.
Discuss the 3 areas of the back—all
must be held in place for turning steps Chaînés
(and for most ballet work).
a. Helps to get the turns in a straight
a. For Upper Back—Lay on Stomach line, and to establish the spotting
more accurately on the second half
1-2 Bring arms 2nd to 5th. turn. For a challenge, vary the arm
positions.
3-4 Lift, hold.

Go to Index 8 TheBalletSource.com
Practice 1/2 chaîné turns:
1-8 8 jeté ordinaire, arms 3rd (change on each one).
1 Step R to 2nd. 9-12 4 with arms demi bras (open 1st, this is harder than
it sounds).
2 Half turn R.
13-15 3, arms bras bas, 1st, 5th.
3-4 Lower in 1st.
16 Assemblé over, arms end 2nd.
5-8 Repeat with L to finish the turn.
Also practice devants and assemblé
b. Do 8 regular chaînés, finishing the
unders.
series in 5th. After ending in 5th,
run to a position at center back. Each Sissonnes
dancer adds a pose to the picture as
they arrive.

Allegro
Temps Levé
To get up into the air: Use pressure
from the thigh, stretch underneath the
leg.

Echappé Sauté For Beats

All sissonnes go up like a soubresaut.
Echappe sautes, holding position on the
way up; builds control for batterie. “All of you are to go home and repeat
everything we do in class. Otherwise the
Coupé Sauté Practice value will be lost.”

For stretching feet quickly! Sitting on hips and thighs will

overdevelop the muscles. They need
From L lifted derriere: under, over, to be stretchied up, and lengthened, to
under, over, under, over, under, temps develop a smooth, long line.
levé passé; repeat immediately starting
with other leg. Backs of Knees
Jeté Ordinaire Derriere Use them to hold standing leg up. Use
them to fully extend legs on relevés
Use thighs to get up in the air. Think and rises. Use them to fully extend
about the lifted foot—where is it? Place arabesques
it, pointed, on the back of the other
calf, don’t let it just dangle. This is for
arm control:

Go to Index 9 TheBalletSource.com
Technical Pointers 3-4 Straighten.
• Use adductors on closings. 5-6 Rise
• Work on 2nd position extensions,
7-8 Lower, turn out to 1st.
find it during the grand rond de
jambes. 1- Stretch foot forward to demi pointe.
• Have quality in the use of head 2- Stretch toes to tendu.
and eyes—it is needed—use them!
• Lift off the supporting leg (thigh) 3- Relax toes to demi pointe.
keep groin flat, stretch front thigh 4- Close foot, relaxing it.
ligament.
• Have natural spinal curves, should Do all en croix. Turn and repeat with
be balanced in the person. other leg. Face barre & repeat to back,
• Don’t pitch shoulders back, both legs.
especially a la seconde en l’air.
• Develop resilient pliés for allegro. What Will Correct “Popping Heels”?
Here are three exercises to try, that
Head Exercises
should help, and won’t hurt those who
a. Stretch forward (down), erect, don’t need it: Heels pop up off the floor
back, erect. when landing from jumps because of
b. Incline left, erect, incline right, incorrect muscle use. The calf muscles
erect. are contracting when it should be the
c. Spot right, spot left. shin muscles that contract in a demi
d. Single & double shoulder rolls— plié.
both ways.
Strengthening the shin muscles should
Battements Tendus help:

To relax feet. a. Frappés with a flexed foot, (not

wrapped) will help build a better
1- Parallel, stretch foot gently forward. balance of strength in the lower leg
2- Lift off floor. muscles. The frappé was originally
done this way to teach, practice and
3-4 2 ankle circles en dedans.
strengthen muscles in the way that
5-6 2 ankle circles en dehors. the leg and foot should work in a
sauté.
7- Lower to tendu.
8- Close. b. Battement tendu with ankle
movement:
1-2 Demi plié.

Go to Index 10 TheBalletSource.com
 1. Extend to the tendu position.
2. Stay, flex the ankle, pulling the
toes directly towards the knee.
3. Stretch to the tendu position
again.
4. Close the battement tendu.
c. Demi pliés with toe lifts. Helps train
the shin muscle to do its job when
landing from jumps. In first position:

1-2 Demi plié and stay down.

3 Lift toes slightly off the floor.
4 Lower toes to floor.
5-6 Lift toes, lower toes.
7-8 Straighten knees, keep toes as relaxed as possible.

Do this four times at the end of the

barre. This forces the calf muscles to
relax, and the shin muscles to work.
This is what is supposed to happen
when landing from a jump.
To check for improvement: Do one
sauté in first position, hold the demi
plié and check if the heels are on the
floor, and toes relaxed, not clenched.
Straighten knees. Repeat.

Go to Index 11 TheBalletSource.com
Warming Up and Cooling Down
Why Warmup? have simply been “lost” in the last half
century? When I was a student in the
There is a pattern of traditional ballet 50’s, we always spent a few minutes
exercises done at the barre. Most teachers doing a series of warmup exercises before
these days are also giving some “pre-barre starting the traditional ballet barre.
warmup exercises” to their students, as
a result of recent studies in the area of After the warmup, the next exercise
sports and dance. was composed of demi pliés, battements
tendus, rises, and port de bras. Then and
Most students do not enter the ballet only then, several minutes into the class,
classroom sufficiently warmed up to did we do the grand plié exercise.
do the traditional ballet barre. They
need some gentle, appropriate warmup With the knowledge of muscles and joints
movements first. that is now available, it becomes obvious
that appropriate warming up is needed
Grand pliés are the only exercise that for all physical activities.
physical therapists and orthopedics have
specifically said needs to not be done The Purpose of Warmups
until the dancer is well warmed up. Some
ballet schools have attempted to solve 1. Warming up increases circulation
the problem by putting a different barre gradually, putting less stress on the
exercise first, and saving the grand pliés heart and blood vessels.
until later. 2. A gentle use of the muscles—both
However, it is not just the pliés, but the extending and contracting—prepares
entire technique of ballet for which the the nerves and muscles for the ballet
student needs to be warmed up in order barre.
to safely perform at their best. 3. Warmups can wake up the special
Rearranging the barre exercises will not muscle groups used in classical ballet.
solve the problem. 4. Warmups can help the body and mind
The content of the pre barre warmup to work as a single unit, a team.
varies. Most include flexing and extending 5. Things to avoid during warmups:
the ankle joint, demi pliés with the feet a. Force
parallel, and some relaxing, non stressful b. Stress
bending of the torso. Some are having c. Limitation
their students do some ballet movements
while lying on the floor. Teachers will need to adjust the length,
number, and content of warmup exercises
Some are using other forms of movement to fit the needs and abilities of their
such as Yoga or Pilates for the warmups. students. Explain the purpose of warming
I wonder if the pre barre warmups up to your students.

Go to Index 12 TheBalletSource.com
Warm Up and Cool Down
From 1st position, for feet
1- Lift the heel and arch the foot, to demi pointe position.
2- Lift foot to the full pointe position.
3- Lower foot to demi pointe position.
4- Lower the foot to 1st position.
5- Move the foot smoothly through the demi pointe position to full pointe.
6- Roll smoothly down through demi pointe to 1st position.
7- Move the foot smoothly through the demi pointe position to full pointe.
8- Roll smoothly down through demi pointe to 1st position.
1-8 Repeat with the other foot.
1-16 Repeat both sides.

To Relax Shoulders
1 Roll R shoulder, & relax it down (forward, up, back, down).
2 Roll L shoulder.
3-4 Roll both shoulders, twice.
5-6 Lift both shoulders, drop them, relaxed.
7-8 Lift both shoulders, drop them, relaxed.
9-16 Repeat the shoulder exercise.

From 5th Position (5/4 music, or 6/4 and hold count 6)

1- Extend foot and leg to the battement tendu 2nd position.
2- Flex foot at the ankle, bringing foot upward, holding leg in same place.
3- Extend the arch to a demi pointe position off the floor, (toes still bent upward).
4- Extend toes to the tendu 2nd position.
5- Close to 5th back.
(6-) (Hold.)
1-5 (1-6) Repeat with other foot.
1-10 (1-12) Repeat both sides.

Go to Index 13 TheBalletSource.com
Warming Up the Leg Muscles
Feet in parallel position, facing barre.

1-2 Demi plié & straighten.

3- Rise to demi pointe, straight knees.
4- Lower heels to 1st.
5-6 Turn legs out to 1st, then in to parallel position.
7-8 Repeat counts 5-6.
1-4 Demi plié & straighten; rise, lower.
5-6 Turn out to lst, turn in to parallel.
7-8 Turn out to 1st and stay.
1-4 Tendu Rto 2nd, turn leg in, turn leg out, close to 1st.
5-8 Repeat with L foot.
1-16 Repeat all.

Foot Circles From 1st

1 Degage devant.
2-3 Hold leg still and circle the foot 2x.
4 Close to 1st.
5-8 Repeat doing circles the other way.
1-8 Repeat with other foot.

Warmup Without the Barre

(Breathing directions are optional—don’t use if it is uncomfortable for the
student.)
1-2 Head lowers, looks down, then straight.
3-4 Head raises, looks up, then straight.
5-6 Head turns, looking R, then straight.
7-8 Head turns, looking L, then straight.
1-4 Relax body forward, arms & head relaxed, hanging freely.

Go to Index 14 TheBalletSource.com
 5-8 Roll up from lower back, to standing position, head coming up last.
1-2 Arms to demi 2nd, breathing in, to bras bas, breathing out.
3-4 Arms to 1st, to 5th, breathing in.
5-6 Arms to bras bas, breathing out.
7-8 Arms demi 2nd, breathing in, to bras bas, breathing out.
1-4 Reverse port de bras up through 2nd, to 5th, breathing in.
5-8 Lower through 1st to bras bas, breathing out.

Pre-Barre Warmup
Face barre in 1st position.
1-4 One slow demi plié, consciously relaxing the calf muscles.
5-8 One slow rise and lower, increasing the turnout a bit on lowering.
9-12 One slow, controlled cambré back turning head to side to avoid stressing neck muscles.
13-16 Recover.

For Turnout and Weight Placement

Facing the barre, feet parallel.

1 Rise, arms to 1st.

2 Leave weight where it is and lower heels, hands to barre if needed.
3 Turn out R foot.
4 Turn out L foot the same amount.
5 Rise in 1st position.
6 Bring arms to 1st position.
7 Lower heels, return hands to barre.
8 Bring feet parallel, ready to repeat.

Go to Index 15 TheBalletSource.com
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