How to Learn Basic Ballet Steps

While there are a variety of steps in ballet that require years to master, there are a few basics to build on. Many of these are the foundation for other more complex steps. Some of these basic steps are warm ups which may be performed at the barre. Execute all of them in varying complexities based on your dance ability.

Instructions

1. Begin warm-ups or dance moves with plies. This bend of the knees can be either a demi-plié (small bend) or grand plié with the heels leaving the floor to create a larger bend.

2. Strengthen feet and legs for more advanced ballet dance steps with battement tendus, or beating stretches. Slide the foot out to the front, side or back in a straight line and back to the previous placement.

3. Form a semicircle with the foot with ronds de jambs, which is a circle of the leg. Perform this ballet move from front to back or back to front and either on the ground or in the air, moving the leg to form a semicircle.

4. Use power and athleticism to perform a changement, which is a change of the feet. From fifth position, jump straight into the air with feet and legs straight, switching the front foot to the back at the last moment.

5. Perform ballet dance steps called releves, which means to rise. Move from a position with the feet flat on the floor to rise up onto either half point or full point.

Tips & Warnings

• Notice Step one mentions that the grand plié requires the heel to leave the floor. In ballet, it is not correct for the feet to leave the floor when performing grand pliés in second position.