Ballet is intense. Don't be fooled by how graceful it looks, or that it's just "Disney princesses dancing." That dancing that you see takes serious work and dedication. The strength and flexibility that ballerinas possess is no joke. How many people do you know that can walk with all of their body weight on their big toes, or can leap and soar through the air with style and grace? We're guessing not many...
Our friend Amy-Beth is a ballerina who showed us some pretty awesome moves that you can do to improve your strength and flexibility. Do these moves outside, inside, where ever. That's the best part. It's not limited to location. Here are her tips on how to do three different types of pliés. (A plié is what a squat is called in ballet...) or as we like to call them, the Ballerina Squats.
From Amy Beth:
To do the Ballerina Squats you want to start with straight knees in each position, first bend your knees as far as possible without removing your heels from the ground, slowly allowing them to lift as you bend completely at the knee. Count 4+ seconds as you descend, and 4+ more as you return to your starting position (legs straight). It's way harder than it looks so feel free to use a bench, wall, younger sibling, etc. for stability if you need to!
1st squat: Start with your heels together, toes facing outward.
2nd squat: Start with your heels shoulder-width apart, toes facing outward.
3rd squat: Your feet are touching with your front foot's heel to back foot's toe.
Get to know Amy Beth a little bit more before you practice her moves...
How long did you practice ballet for, and why did you stop your daily practicing?
I practiced for 15 years, but then had to stop because I developed arthritis in my hips from over-stretching and over-use.
When you hear the word fighter, what do you think of? What does being a fighter mean to you?
To me a fighter is anyone who doesn't just lie down and accept the cards they've been dealt. I don't like to speak for others but I personally always find myself being a fighter in one aspect or another. Don't settle for what you were dealt, fight for what you really want.
What's your favorite ballet performance?
Well my favorite to perform was The Arabian from The Nutcracker. But my favorite to watch is Giselle.
I practiced for 15 years, but then had to stop because I developed arthritis in my hips from over-stretching and over-use.
When you hear the word fighter, what do you think of? What does being a fighter mean to you?
To me a fighter is anyone who doesn't just lie down and accept the cards they've been dealt. I don't like to speak for others but I personally always find myself being a fighter in one aspect or another. Don't settle for what you were dealt, fight for what you really want.
What's your favorite ballet performance?
Well my favorite to perform was The Arabian from The Nutcracker. But my favorite to watch is Giselle.