Universal Dependencies - English - GUM

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How to Ballet Dance

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Ballet began in royal courts in the early 1600's, and early forms of this elegant and sophisticated art involved long skirts and wooden clogs.

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Dancing ballet is extremely popular throughout the world, and studying ballet can help develop strong bodies, spatial and temporal awareness, and improve coordination.

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People who study ballet also retain flexibility throughout their adult lives, making this technique the basis of training for all types of dance.

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While dancing ballet takes dedication and requires serious training, you can learn the basics to prepare yourself for further study.

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Learn to get ready for practicing, the basic positions, and some of the first techniques you're likely to encounter in ballet.

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Part 1 Getting Ready to Dance

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Stretch your muscles thoroughly.

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Stretching is important to loosen muscles, strengthen muscles and to elongate your posture.

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It is vital that it is done at the beginning of each ballet session, including before a performance.

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When taking on ballet, it is important to stretch daily for at least 15 - 30 minutes, to give the muscles ample opportunity to warm up, reducing the risk of injury.

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You should also stretch to 'wind down' at the end of ballet dancing.

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Always wear ballet slippers.

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Properly-fitted ballet shoes should be snug, but not so tight they cut off blood flow and create numbness in the feet.

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There are different styles and types of shoes, so ask your ballet teacher or a salesman at the store for advice, given your intentions for dancing.

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Don't buy shoes to grow into, because your feet will seem flexed when you pointe and will look flat.

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You should fit them to where the drawstring is tied slightly loose.

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If your drawstring is longer than your pinkie then you should cut it off till it is roughly the size of your fingernail.

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The drawstring just completes the fit.

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It isn't made to tighten overly large shoes.

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If you can't buy ballet shoes, that it is okay.

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Use socks without the stickies on the bottom, so you can turn!

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Wear comfortable and snug-fitting athletic clothes.

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The most important thing is that you are comfortable, and that you're not wearing baggy or loose fitting clothing so you can make sure you're forming and moving correctly in the mirror.

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A plain black leotard and pink tights are usually a safe bet.

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Pink or black ballet slippers are also appropriate.

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If you're signed up for a class, check with your instructor to find out if there is a dress code at the school.

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Some schools may have students wear the same thing and others may just require any type of leotard and tights and sometimes ballet skirts.

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Mostly they require tight fitting clothing so they can see that your muscles are working properly and so on.

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Find an appropriate space to practice.

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Ballet is less about learning the moves and more about perfecting them.

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The moves themselves are relatively straightforward, but the positing, the timing, and the elegance required takes a lifetime of practice.

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For this reason, it's always better to practice ballet in a ballet studio under the guidance of a good instructor, who will be able to correct your positioning and make sure that you're dancing properly.

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A dancing studio is equipped with mirrors for correcting your positioning and seeing what you're doing accurately, and a barre for practicing. [1]

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If you want to practice at home, make sure you've got enough open space to move freely, preferably on a hard wood floor.

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The back of a chair can replace the need for a bar.

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Position a large mirror so you can check your positioning and see what you're doing.