Girls’ and Boys’ Training The most obvious difference between girls’ and boys’ Dance Partnership & Access Programme training is that pointe work is included in girls’ School, 46 Floral Street training. During pointe work the female dancer , WC2E 9DA Dance Partnership & Access balances on the tips of her toes. Pointe shoes need to Tel: +44 (0)20 7845 7044 be worn for this work to support the dancer’s foot. Email: [email protected] The speed of girls’ pirouettes (turns) is quicker than Also available as download from the boys, although the boys focus on developing their www.royalballetschool.co.uk pirouettes so that they can complete multiple turns. Boys also perform turns in the air as they jump - tour en l’air. In ballet class boys and girls train separately, however they also dance together in pas de deux - step for two. In pas de deux the boys support and lift the girls. To perform these movements the boys do weight training to develop their upper body strength.

The Royal Ballet School’s end-of-year performances at the Johan Persson are the highlight of the dancers’ year, the result of many hard hours of training in ballet class. Bill Cooper Johan Persson Ballet Class Basics It is only through daily exercises, classes and rehearsals Wherever you are in the world, the movements of that a dancer can learn and refine the complex ballet are named in French. Here are a few key words movements of ballet. So just like any professional that you might hear throughout the ballet class: dancer, a student at The Royal Ballet School starts each A la seconde - to the side day with a ballet class. The students use the classes to Devant - to the front warm up and strengthen each part of their body in Derrière - to the back preparation for the day ahead. Arabesque - lifting one leg behind Ballet dancers start class at the barre. This is usually A terre - on the ground

Johan Persson a pole that is attached to the wall of the dance Batterie - beaten steps studio. The barre is used as a support for the dancer Bras - arm and is held lightly. Exercises are performed with one En croix - in the shape of a cross hand on the barre for support and these exercises En l’air - in the air En dehors - outwards are then repeated ‘on the other side’. Once the En dedans -inwards dancer has prepared thoroughly using barre work, Jambe - leg they will move on to work in the centre of the studio. Pas - step One key element of ballet is the turnout of the legs Pirouette - spin/turn from the hip joints. This leads to 5 positions of the Plié - to bend feet – 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th. Relevé - rise up Photos Johan Persson orms these steps they will change orms these steps they The height of the jump now starts jump now height of the The aighten their legs and stretch their aighten their legs The dancer is aiming to perform their dancer is aiming to perform The These jumps are only high enough for only jumps are These tsey (girls) (boys) orbow - cur - beaten jumps - jumping steps ease and the dancer will begin to cover to cover will begin ease and the dancer gest jumps. As well as jumping high, the dancer as jumping high, As well jumps. gest more space. more Batterie As the dancer perf feet in the air; the toes will only just leave the floor. just leave the toes will only in the air; feet on quick relies and neat footwork. work This Medium Allegro to incr At the end of class, dancers reverence to thank their reverence dancers the end of class, At is A reverence the pianist and their audience. teacher, dancers when at the end of a performance also given their curtain calls. take r, it is not r, Howeve in the air. the position of their feet the leg from whole that beat but the just the feet calf to ankle. Allegro Grand big will need to combine many of the elements practised of will need to combine many earlier in the class. Reverence Allegro Terre à Terre the dancer to str (inward) and en dehors (inward) en dedans - car riage thearms of n orspin - con oftheleg intheair movements trolled How many turns the dancers many can How perform (outward). in one go? A pirouette is a turn which is executed on one leg. is a turn which is executed A pirouette important is very to movement head and eye The on one particular focus should eyes The the turn. then the head turn; of the point at the beginning to the same returning with the eyes around whips to as spotting. is referred This spot immediately. on the spot or travelling be performed can Turns multiple dancer will perform The diagonally. both pirouettes Centre Work Centre Port de Bras There are 5 basic positions of the arms which form of the arms which 5 basic positions are There this exercise. the basis for Adage Initially port de bras exercises are taken separately separately taken are exercises portInitially de bras combined. are they Eventually the centre. in to adage lines and curved various out for the shapes Watch the dancersmade by during this exercise. - to tur Pirouettes

Photos Johan Persson . Look out Look (small (inwards). (inwards). from the hip. The working The the hip. from petit allegro ofthelegcle ground onthe - cir (beaten steps). You will see these You (beaten steps). ow - big thr - to melt - con unfoldingoftheleg trolled (outwards) or en dedans (outwards) xercise both legs bend and stretch at the same both legs bend and xercise - to str ike Frappé for the circling patterns made on the ground and in the air patterns on the ground made for the circling Rond de Jambe à Terre de Jambe à Rond This exercise loosens the hip so that the leg will move exercise This to its fullest extent. outwards rotated while freely In this e Battement frappé teaches the attack the dancer Battement frappé in work neat foot needed for jumps) and batterie later on in the class. exercises Battement Fondu time. The knees and muscles in the leg are exercised in exercised in the leg are knees and muscles The time. the them supple and to develop as to make such a way upwards. of the body needed to lift the weight strength Développé This movement helps the dancer to gain strength in strength to gain helps the dancer movement This of in turn helps the development which the thigh, in the centre. movements and supple controlled Battement Grand This exercise develops turnout develops exercise This be executed motion and can in a circular moves leg en dehors (just the off en l’air Can you see the different Can you and pliés (large) will be and pliés (large) - to thr ow In how many directions does the directions many In how - to str etch tsey (girls) (boys) bow or - cur s mind and body for the work ahead. the work for s mind and body Warm-up to awaken include a combination of exercises may This the dancer’ Before the dancers begin the class they perform a perform they the class begin the dancers Before their teacher is to acknowledge This short reverence. guests that might be watching. and pianist and any Battement Tendu included. This is an excellent exercise for conditioning for exercise is an excellent This included. leg. of the whole the muscles exercise? of the feet used in this positions Barre Work Barre Reverence Plié - to bend Demi-pliés (small) and gr Battement Tendu Jeté Battement Tendu The focus of this exercise is to develop a good use of a good is to develop of this exercise focus The and ankle. the foot leg move? In this exercise the leg is thrown the leg is thrown In this exercise is particularly in developing useful exercise This floor). of the flexibility and increasing the instep of the foot the ankle joint.