FOR STUDENTS FIRST YEAR ON POINTE AT THE BARRE

 

Teacher Notes:

-Slowly introduce the exercises one at a time after the students are warm and have done a full barre in flat shoes first.

- As the students gain strength the exercises can be taken with one hand on the barre.

- Place emphasis on a slow and careful execution of each exercise.

- Ensure a strong posture and alignment in all pointe exercises

- Speed of all the exercises can be increased as the students gain strength

- Make sure the students understand how to rise and lower through the positions of the feet from flat to quarter, half and three quarter and then to full pointe

- Use the pauses and holds so the students can establish the position fully on pointe

1. Demi Plies with Rises

Prepare: Facing the barre in parallel position

Introduction; Arms lift to 1^st position, then softly hold barre

1 Demi plie in parallel

2 Slowly stretch knees

3 Slow rise to pointe through quarter, half, three quarter then to full pointe

4 Hold position in parallel on pointe

5 Lower feet through three quarter; pointe then half pointe

6 Lower to quarter pointe; then to flat

7 Demi plie in parallel

8 Stretch knees

Repeat 4 times total

2. Step Ups to Pointe

Prepare: Facing the barre in parallel position

Introduction; Arms lift to 1^st position, then softly hold barre

Lift up right leg to a "skipping position" with toe fully pointed to the floor

1 Step up to pointe parallel position

2 Step up with the left foot to pointe so feet are parallel together

3 Hold position

4 Hold position

5-8 Slowly lower the feet to three quarter, half, quarter pointe

Repeat exercise commencing with the left foot

3. Rolling feet to pointe

Prepare: Facing the barre in parallel position

Introduction; Arms lift to 1^st position, then softly hold barre

1. Rise up to pointe from quarter, half, three quarter and then full pointe parallel

2 Roll right foot down carefully through three quarter, half and quarter to flat and at the same time roll the left foot up through the positions to full pointe

Repeat with alternating feet

4. Releves to 5^th position

Prepare: Facing the barre in 5th position

Introduction; Arms lift to 1^st position, then softly hold barre

1 Releve to 5^th position on pointe

2 Hold

3 Spring off pointe carefully going through the feet

4 Releve to 5^th position on pointe

5 Hold

6 Spring off pointe carefully going through the feet

7 Releve to 5^th position on pointe

8 Hold

9 Spring off pointe carefully going through the feet

10 Degage to 2^nd with right foot

11 Hold

12 Close 5^th position

5. Tendus with releves to 5^th

 

Prepare: Facing the barre in 5th position

Introduction; Arms lift to 1^st position, then softly hold barre

 

1-2 1 battement tendu devant and close 5^th

3-4 1 battement tendu devant close 5^th plie

5 Releve to 5^th position

6-7 Hold the 5^th position

8 Carefully spring down to 5^th

1-2 1 battement tendu de cote and close 5^th

3-4 1 battement tendu decote close 5^th plie

5 Releve to 5^th position

6-7 Hold the 5^th position

8 Carefully spring down to 5^th

1-2 1 battement tendu derriere and close 5^th

3-4 1 battement tendu derriere close 5^th plie

5 Releve to 5^th position

6-7 Hold the 5^th position

8 Carefully spring down to 5^th

1-2 1 battement tendu decote and close 5^th

3-4 1 battement tendu decote close 5^th plie

5 Releve to 5^th position

6-7 Hold the 5^th position

8 Carefully spring down to 5^th

Repeat all with left leg

(Once the student is strong enough this exercise can be done with one hand on the barre)

6. Retire Preparation exercise

Prepare: Facing the barre in 5th position

Introduction; Arms lift to 1^st position, then softly hold barre, and releve to 5^th position

*This exercise starts and finishes on pointe

1 From the 5^th on pointe sharply lift a retire devant

2 Hold retire position

3 Place foot back to 5^th on pointe

4 From the 5^th on pointe sharply lift a retire devant

5 Hold retire position

6 Place foot back to 5^th on pointe

7 Retire passe to 5th derriere

8 Hold position

9 Place foot down to 5^th derriere on pointe

10-11 spring off pointe

12 Releve back to 5^th on pointe

Repeat all with left foot front

Repeat all in reverse

7. Courus at the barre

Prepare: Facing the barre in 5th position

Introduction; Arms lift to 1^st position, then softly hold barre

Pick up back foot into a low cou de pied

1- 3 Couru on the spot

4 Hold 5^th

Pick up back foot into a low cou de pied

5-7 Couru on the spot

8 Hold 5th

Pick up back foot into a low cou de pied

9-12 Couru on the spot

13 Spring down to 5^th position

14 1 changement

15 Sou sou to 5^th

16 Hold

Repeat all

8. Echappe Releve to 2^nd

Prepare: Facing the barre in 5th position, right foot front

Introduction; Arms lift to 1^st position, then softly hold barre

Echappe releve to second position

2 Hold in second

3 Hold in second

4 Close in 5^th left foot front

5 Echappe releve to second position

6 Hold in second

7 Hold in second

8 Close in 5^th right foot front

1 Echappe releve to second position

2 Hold in second

3 Hold in second

4 Close in 5^th left foot front

5-6 Releve in 5^th position

7-8 Spring down to 5^th

Repeat all

• don't let the students make the 2^nd position too wide

8. Pas de Bouree

Prepare: Facing the barre in 5th position, right foot front

Introduction; Arms lift to 1^st position, then softly hold barre

1- 3 Pas de bouree, finish cou de pied

4-6 Pas de bouree finish cou de pied

7-9 Pas de bouree finish 5^th

10-12 Releve to 5^th position

Repeat all

9. Echappe en croix

Prepare: Facing the barre in 5th position, right foot front

Introduction; Arms lift to 1^st position, then softly hold barre

1 Echappe to 4^th position

2 Hold 4^th position

3 Close 5^th

4-6 Repeat with echappe to 2^nd position

7-9 Repeat echappe to 4^th

10 Releve to 5^th position

11 Hold 5^th

12 Spring down to 5th