| Ballet class normally begins at the bar, and so does | | | | immediately afterwards, warms up your body slowly |
| ballet dancing technique. Barre work develops balance, | | | | and limbers your muscles. The simplicity of the bar |
| strength, speed, flexibility, alignment, turnout, | | | | allows you to focus on the fundamentals of ballet |
| extension, articulation and coordination that ballet | | | | without having to concentrate too much on the |
| dancing demands. The barre is the place in ballet class | | | | sequence as you need to do in the centre. |
| where you learn and maintain your skills and is the | | | | Secondly, barre work builds and refines your ballet |
| sustenance of all ballet technique. | | | | dancing technique and constantly reinforces the |
| Barre work also prepares you and warms you up | | | | basics. The repetition in barre work engraves correct |
| thoroughly for the second part of your ballet dancing | | | | details into your technique, and muscle memory so |
| class which will be in the centre. All those glorious | | | | that even if you have an off day, you will progress |
| leaps and turns all start at the bar with repetition and | | | | nonetheless. |
| perfection of plies and tendus. | | | | The barre also serves as your repair shop for |
| Although plies look like nothing more than knee | | | | anything that is not working properly in the centre. If |
| bends, these are actually preparing you for controlled | | | | you are having any difficulty with a particular step or |
| jumps, turns and landings, and barre work initiates | | | | family of steps in the centre, don't just practice the |
| every step you do in the centre in which your leg | | | | step itself, go back to the bar and examine its |
| moves away from the body and every step you do | | | | components by breaking it down further. |
| in which the leg returns to the body, for example | | | | Barre work in your ballet dancing is a time to be |
| glissades or assembles. | | | | inwardly focused, and once you hit the centre you |
| A well put together barre should serve two purposes. | | | | can perform and project. |
| Firstly, it prepares you for your centre work | | | | |