Ballet Beautiful: Transform Your Body and Gain the Strength, Grace and Focus of a Ballet Dancer (25 page)

We will get started with some standing stretches.

Standing Stretch for Legs (see
page 58
). Bend your right leg in and grab the top of your foot with your right hand, pulling your foot up toward your butt and opening up through the front of your hip and thigh. For balance, pull in through your center or hold on to the wall or a chair for balance.

Change legs and repeat.

Now extend your right leg front and bend your body forward over your front leg in a tendu, keeping your knee straight. Pulse and release through the back of your leg and hamstring. Come up and change legs.

Repeat the stretch on
page 57
. While standing, lift both arms up to fifth position, keeping your shoulders down and your neck long. Now extend your arms in a port de bras in fourth position, lifting up and over as you bend to the side. From fourth position, extend your top arm slightly back, opening through the chest. Bring your arms down to first position and repeat on the other side.

STARTING POSITION:
Stand with your neck and shoulders as relaxed as possible, your feet in either first (heels together, toes pointed out) or sixth position (feet parallel), and your knees slightly bent. Remember to keep yourself lifted, but not stiff. Your hands should remain graceful and relaxed; let them simply follow the movement of your arms.

/B.
Beginners, take an extra Standing Stretch for the upper body between sets and do 3 rather than 4 sets of 8.

a
Pull in through your stomach and open your chest.

b
Keep your neck long and stretch your arms out to the side, into second position.

c
Drop and bend your elbows down without collapsing your chest—keep your chest open and lifted.

d
Lower your arms, then lift your elbows and raise your arms from the elbow, lifting your hands to your shoulders. You can begin slowly and add more speed as you become more comfortable with the movement.

e
Lower your arms again and lift, staying lifted and open through your center and chest. Imagine that you are moving through water—have fun!
8 counts, 4 sets.

a
Begin with your arms in the high position: lifted up to your shoulders in second position. Your palms are facing down. Raise your arms up over your shoulders, with your elbows lifting and your neck long. Lift your arms up into a high V position, keeping your palms facing down.

b
As you extend your arms out high, stretch all the way through your fingers, then drop your elbows and lower your arms back down to second position.

c
Lift your arms again to second position, the high position, beginning with a lift in your elbows and lower side and keeping your neck long and your center engaged.
8 counts, 4 sets.

/B.
Beginners may do an upper body stretch for the arms (the same as the Standing Stretch).

a
Hold your arms up in the Swan Arms high position, bend your elbows slightly, then push up and out, stretching all the way through the lines of your arms, from the shoulder through the fingertips!

b
Keep your chest open, your neck long, and your stomach engaged.

c
Lightly bend then stretch your elbows as you extend long through your arms.
8 counts, 4 sets.

This is a variation on the Classic Swan Arms with less movement in the arms and shoulders. It’s a great exercise that lets you stretch long through the muscles in your arms while also providing what I call a “working rest.” This exercise gives you a chance to catch your breath and stretch out the muscles as you use them.

a
Begin with your arms extended out to second position.

b
Next, bend your elbows and bring your hands in toward your shoulders, keeping your neck long and your chest very open.

c
Now extend your arms again straight side to second position, stretching long through your joints.

d
Repeat, bending and stretching your elbows as you go. Don’t hyperextend or lock your elbows; instead, think of pushing through water.

e
Keep your chest open, your neck long, and your stomach engaged.
8 counts, 4 sets.

Remember, these exercises are not just working your arms—they are strengthening your center and improving your posture too! So keep your neck long and your abs pulled in tight through this series. While lifting through your chest and pushing down with your arms, allow these exercises to truly transform you by envisioning yourself in your most graceful and elegant state.