The Ballet Bible
Discover the Secrets to Conquering Some of The Most Common Pitfalls You Face When Learning Ballet
how to be betteri’m a new dancer and i am constantly reminded of how im not as good as everyone in my class’, so i woul like to know some ways on how i can make my exensions better, how i can get higher, and how i could get my extension better, also how i can get better arches?? please please help me!! August 3, 2009 | In General, Questions, Tips |16 Comments »RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI Leave a comment |
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hi. well i dance ballet since i was 3 years old and i dance everyday like 4 hours each. from my exsperience to have a better extension you shoul hold your leg up the most you can and you should do that everyday, although there are other ways. better arches is using the ballet shoe that isnt divided and do the most that you can when yo do tandue etc.
hope it works
Comment by paola — September 19, 2009 #
I started ballet at 2 and I am now 10. My trick is to pay attention to your teacher’s tips. She will say certain stuff like hold your position or shift to the right or something like that. If someone mentions that you aren’t as good a dancer as everyone else, tell them to back off and worry about thereselves. Or just stick your tongue out and then walk away. Hope this helps!
Comment by carly — October 3, 2009 #
I’ve been dancing since I was 4 and I am now 15. Definitely listen to your teacher and practice a lot. Also, buy full sole shoes, they strengthen your arch because it’s a bit harder to point in them. You can sit on the floor (make sure you aren’t slouching) and point your toes. Start with the ball, and then move throughout the toes. Ask your teacher for tips, too.
Oh, and make sure you keep your hip muscles soft.
Hope that helps
Comment by Leia — October 26, 2009 #
hello..
i started ballet when i was 6. but, i stopped dancing ballet until im 11. now, i just losing my beautiful moves.. can you give me some tips so i can remember my own moves again??
Comment by Mimi — November 25, 2009 #
We’ve all had those moments of doubt when we think we’re worse than everyone else. Don’t take it to heart! If you think you cant, you cant. For better extensions try doing developes every day to build those muscles and you will be surprised what you can do! I totally know what you mean about your arches! My arches are so low but ive found that using an exercise band helps so much! Stretch it across the ball part of your foot and roll through. Heel ball pointe ball heel. Do that about 10-15 times once a day. you will be amazed!
Comment by Rachel — December 22, 2009 #
A good way to get a better arch is to be on releve in second position and bend your knees. (while still on releve) Then, put your heels on the ground in plie. After that, reverse, and start in second plie, releve, and then straighten your knees. Good Luck with your ballet skills!!<3
Comment by Melissa — January 2, 2010 #
I’ve been dancing since i was 2, and know im 12, i’m on my way to dancing professinally , i would say pay attention to your teacher, everything she corrects you on , make it better, in prove, have a correction pad, and write down all your mistakes . Remeber dance with your heart NOT your mind!,
I live ; breathe ; dance!
But thats what makes me who i am todayy(:
Comment by Gabyy — January 23, 2010 #
i started dance about a year ago. & im already on pointe so don’t worry if people tell you, your not a good dancer. to help your arch , bend & mold your feeet with your hands. & always turn out so they look like they have a bigger arch.<3 (:
Comment by Elliee — January 30, 2010 #
I have been dancing for six years now, and am on pointe. I find that using a TheraBand really helps me with the arches of my feet. For better extensions do developes (sp?) and hold them for a while on each side. P.S.: Don’t worry about not being the best in your dance class! Every dancer has something that they need to practice more because they have different body types and different levels. Just be confident.
Comment by Rachel — January 31, 2010 #
heyy:) ive been dancinqq since i was 2 and now im ten. im about to qo en pointe. ivee tried different schools, and they’ve put me in the wronqq levels. some times some people would think im either a show off or a suck. When you dance, dont think about them!!! A way to get better extensions is to qet your hips felxible. qet into a “froqq” postition, and stay there for ATLEAST 30 seconds. that made me aLot more flexibe. PS. who cares what they think? we’re all different. some people are born with flexiblity. Just dance with your soul and heart, relaxx.
Comment by Tifffyy — February 3, 2010 #
hi! I bought the ballet bible and the ballet bible quick reference video software the first one on january 26th and the second one a few days ago but I don´t know when should I be expecting it to arrive if I live in Bolivia. Anita if you could tell me it would great. Thank you
Comment by Nadia — February 6, 2010 #
i am 11 years old and i am the youngest in my class so sometimes i find it harder to keep up. All i do is listen to the teachers tips and i should become a better dancer if that does not work ask your teacher for a copy of the cd your using and you could learn from that. Hope it helps
Comment by megan — February 11, 2010 #
I am 13 years old and have been dancing since I was 3. I started en pointe 4 years ago at the age of 9. For a long time i felt like I was the wirst one in there. Although I was still the youngest. I set my mind to it and now I am the best one at my studio. I did ankle excercises like writing yor ABC’s or peoples names withyour feet. It helped me a lot and I can now do a quad en pointe. Hope this helps!
Comment by Ashley — March 17, 2010 #
I am 14 years old, and so is my best friend. At our studio, she is a level above me, and in their company. It is really sad, b/c she always gets good roles in the Nutcracker, and is in every spring ballet. All i do is play party boys & soldiers in the Nutcracker. What should I do?? I feel like i will never get better. I feel like my best friend, who I love, beats me at everything.
Somebody give me advice!!
(sorry i did not know how to write a question so i am asking it as a comment)
Please Help Me!!!!
Comment by Melissa — May 15, 2010 #
To answer the question “how to be better” honestly flexibility and arches come with a lot of work. For your flexibility practice the splits every day. And when I say the splits I mean not going down for a second and pulling together. Push down and stay there for a few seconds. If you can already complete your splits try turning out both legs while down. Also, try holding your leg up by your ankle. It is a good stretch if used correctly.
Thera-bands are good for ankles and arches. They help stretch and strengthen your feet.
Extensions- think of the root word, extend. So when you are working, barre, center, anything, try feeling that you are extending from finger tip to finger tip. Don’t expand. Extend.
Because you are a new dancer, you might not understand some concepts or ballet the other dancers do, or you are not as familiar with the positions and what not. This is perfectly fine. As long as you are working towards it, and working hard, your peers should not look down on you. (And if they do, they’re probably snotty.)
And to answer the question in the comments (Melissa- May 15), I am on the other side of your situation. Me and one of my friends are in the same level, but they consider me to be more advanced. And to say the least, there are some days where I wonder if she’s better than me. I’m not constantly thinking about how I’ve beaten her at everything, because really I haven’t. She can do more turns, is more flexible, and picks up more un-music-ized combinations than I can, and she is the right size for a dancer, while I’m a little tall. But if you think about, I also have my high points against her too.
Think about the way you two dance overall, not by the roles you get. Roles aren’t for who is the best, they are for who they think will fit the role the best by style of dance and personality according to.
I have been picked for many roles over her. (Except until recently we both got Clara in the two casts.) But think about what your strong points are in ballet, and don’t compare yourself to your friend. It will only break you down.
If either of you still need any help feel free to email me @ balletbeezer@yahoo.com. Thanks girls!
Comment by Annie — May 19, 2010 #
I’ve been dancing since I was two, and I’m 13 now.
If you want to work on your extensions, flexibility wise, the best thing you can do is go down into a full split for AT LEAST 30 seconds. not one. also, if it’s that you can’t hold or get your leg up there, just do a bunch of developes and hold them for about 20 seconds each, and keep increasing the time you hold it as you get stronger.
Comment by Sophie — May 21, 2010 #