How to Do the Releve in Ballet Dancing

Video Transcript

" Hi! My name is Connie Hale and thanks for joining me here at expertvillage.com. Today we are learning some beginner ballet moves to work with on the bar. We are now moving on to what we call a releve or also called a eleve meaning to elevate or to lift up. We like to call it releve in Russian ballet. We are going to start with the first position. I have pulled my pants up a little bit so you can see my feet better. First postilion in releve is simply lifting up onto the balls of the toes, up releve and down releve and down. In second position, releve down, releve down. In fourth position, releve down, releve down. In fifth position, releve down, releve down. Releve in fifth position would also be called a susu. If it is held there, it would be susu and balance in fifth position releve and down. So again releve is simply lifting up on the ball of the foot. It could be done slowly, down, up or faster or with a syncopation up, down, up, up down, up; however you prefer but releve is simply lifting up onto the ball of foot and down. Wonderful for the calves. Thanks for learning releve. "