Ballet Class Structure
STRUCTURE OF A BALLET
CLASS
The structure of a ballet class is pretty much the same for all ages, and it varies very little all around the world.
The class begins with everyone at the barre. Some exercises are done facing the barre, while other are done with one hand on the barre.
IMPORTANT!
To understand the way barre and some center combinations are structured, you must know the concept of En Croix, which means "in the shape of a cross". For most of the barre exercises, you will move your working leg in this way; to the front, to the side, to the back, and to the side again. In beginner combinations, you will most likely only work the leg that is the opposite side of the hand resting on the barre, but sometimes, the inside leg, that serves as the weight bearing, supporting leg, will also come into action.
Another important issue to keep in mind, is that ballet uses a count of 8 to structure steps and combinations. So during barre, you will be using this 8 count and the En-Croix concept to execute the combination.
For example, for the Tendu (the second barre exercise, where you move your straight leg forward, to the side and backward, you will do it either 4 or 8 times in each direction (in the most basic combination). Learning this will help you understand when the teacher demonstrates the combination. You will know to expect some some version of En Croix, and of the 8 count to apply to the combination. Don't worry, this will start making sense soon!
A typical ballet class is 90 minutes, always starting with barre and them progressing to moving in the center. Some beginner classes are 60 minutes.
The sequence of barre exercises is described in the next section. Then students move to the center to do a series of combinations. The last active part of the class is the one that strikes the most terror in the newbies. It begins when the teacher says, "lets go across the floor, in groups". This means that the combination will be demonstrated, then students will dance it in small groups, why the rest of the class waits. Some people get scared of this part because they feel exposed. When you are new, make sure you go with some students that are more experienced, and wait until the last few groups. In some strictly beginner adult classes, this last part is omitted. Especially if it is a small group, everyone goes across the floor together. The combinations are usually repeated starting on the left side and moving right, and then starting on the right and moving left.
Finally, the class closes with a reverence. Details about center exercises and reverence are in the next sections,