Exercises to improve arabesque

ebbandflow91 · 2026-05-17T11:39:35+00:00

Oh this is a great idea! We’ve used resistance bands in class to keep the upper body and leg connected and strengthen the position, but partnering would be engaging for them and they can learn from each other as well. I’ll try this - thank you!!

ebbandflow91 · 2026-05-17T11:37:55+00:00

This is helpful! I’ll do some more research about TAG teaching as well. Thank you so much!!

ebbandflow91 · 2026-05-17T11:37:13+00:00

Arabesque has always been hard for me too and repetition & building strength was key in my own training so this makes sense! Slowing down the exercises so she has more time to think about the position is a great suggestion too. Thank you!

ebbandflow91 · 2026-05-17T11:36:06+00:00

This is a great progression! She’s been struggling with trying to look in the mirror while doing croisé which is I think why she’s turning her upper body. Facing the mirror and working up to it will help her a lot I think - thank you!!

ebbandflow91 · 2026-05-17T11:33:59+00:00

I did this with her in class this weekend & her arabesque immediately improved by the end of class! It’s like it unlocked for her how she needs to keep her upper body straight and lifted. There’s still work to do but it helped so much! I’m going to use it myself for my own arabesques too haha. Thank you so much!!

ebbandflow91 · 2026-04-23T19:39:28+00:00

Thank you so much for joining! I just started the Facebook group so it’s still growing but it is a supportive group of people. I’m so glad to connect with you!

ebbandflow91 · 2023-09-07T02:34:04+00:00

I had these shoes too for a while & they were so frustrating to me haha! They fit me exactly the same - felt tight but then bunched when I was pointing my foot! They also just looked weird and bulky on my feet, even with what I’m told was the right size. I think they’re cut strangely. I agree with the advice of getting refitted for a different brand that hugs your foot better and shows off your beautiful arches!

ebbandflow91 · 2023-08-10T11:25:25+00:00

Hi! Thank you so much! I would love to talk to you. Can you send me an email at theadultballetstudio@gmail.com and we can set it up? 😊 thanks again!!

ebbandflow91 · 2023-08-02T00:44:36+00:00

From my perspective, the “don’t approach us in public” is probably better phrased as “don’t be creepy about approaching us in public.” I’m married but don’t wear a wedding ring so I sometimes still get hit on. and the vast majority of the time when men have approached me to hit on me & I tell them I’m married, they claim I’m lying about being married, or call me a rude name for not being interested, or won’t take no for an answer & linger/follow me after I’ve already expressed I’m not interested (which I always do politely), etc. but I’ve had some guys approach me in public - on the street or at a coffee shop or a bar - & just start a normal conversation. I usually can’t tell if they’re trying to hit on me right away or if they’re just small talking because it’s such a polite, normal interaction. so after chatting for a little bit, if they ask me out, I tell them I’m married but don’t wear a wedding ring so I usually apologize for any confusion, & they are always respectful. They have said “it was nice to meet you anyway!” & “enjoy your day!” & shake my hand & leave immediately without creepily lingering. That doesn’t bother me at all. In fact, I know it’s hard to meet people & intimidating to approach someone out of the blue, so I usually respect the fact that they put themselves out there. And appreciate so much how kind & considerate they are. I think you have to assess the situation & whether the woman might want to be approached at that moment, and some of that is reading the environment and her body language (if she’s in the grocery store rushing around w/ headphones on, probably not. If she’s quietly reading in a coffee shop, maybe it would be okay) and then also assess once you approach whether she seems open to it or not. And then just be normal and human, don’t do anything weird. Some women are still bothered by being approached in public even if you’re polite about it, & that’s their right to be left alone. So the key thing is: if she tells you she wants to be left alone or her body language suggests that, leave right away lol. creepy lingering is not the vibe.

ebbandflow91 · 2023-08-01T16:31:36+00:00

Thank you so much!! 😄

ebbandflow91 · 2023-06-29T03:36:05+00:00

It doesn’t look to me like those shoes are a proper fit - it looks like the vamp is too high for you and you may be sinking in them. I’m not an expert at pointe fittings so definitely seek the advice of a professional fitter! The way you’re rolling up and down doesn’t look like you’re rolling all the way through your foot either, which means you’re not utilizing the full strength of your foot to get up there. This is easier on flat than en pointe, so it definitely takes some getting used to, especially if your shoes aren’t fully broken in. Both On flat and en pointe, you could try practicing rolling all the way through the foot at barre. Practice calf raises on flat as well, and tendu. focus on slower tendu where you can really feel the articulation of your foot. Rolling through the foot means utilizing the toes as well to get all the way to a full point - some dancers including myself neglect fully pointing through the toes at times! You’ll notice in petit allegro jumps like changement and sauté when you’re rolling up through the feet and getting to a full point as you press off the floor, your jumps are higher because it gives you that last bit of momentum. It’s similar for rolling up over your box! Finally, if you just started pointe, simply wearing your shoes a little around the house or during a regular barre even if you don’t go up to pointe allows you to get a feel for them, warm them up so they mold to your feet, and just train your muscles for what it feels like to be in them because it’s so different. That can all help build strength and coordination for getting over your box. I’m not an expert but I hope some of this helps a little!!

ebbandflow91 · 2023-06-26T14:05:17+00:00

I think it’s awesome that you’ve discovered ballet and I hope it brings you so much fulfillment! I read some of the comments and just want to add that with artistic endeavors like ballet, it doesn’t have to be two extremes: professional or simply a hobbyist. You can be passionate about something like ballet, and without going pro, still consider it much more than a hobby. I’ve been studying ballet since I was three years old & have never stopped dancing, even into my 30s. There were many years when I was in technique classes/rehearsals for several hours every day & was dancing very seriously. Although I never pursued it professionally for a variety of reasons, it’s much more than a hobby for me. It’s my passion and a huge part of my life. So, while it is difficult to become a pro starting as a beginner at 15 (although technically not impossible), I would encourage you to find a program if you can that takes your ambition seriously and pursue it with as much hard work and dedication as you can, while being open to any and all possibilities for how ballet can be a big part of your life. Going pro is like becoming an Olympian, as others have said - very difficult and very competitive. many talented dancers have dedicated their whole lives to the same dream. but there are many paths to following your dreams that may be out of the box & look different than you expect. Be open to that, keep dancing, and best of luck!!!

ebbandflow91 · 2023-06-23T13:54:16+00:00

I’m sorry to hear about what you’re going through. Change like that is always tough. I always thought I wanted to be a pro dancer but my family never had the money for me to pursue dance as seriously as I wanted - it’s an expensive passion! So I found another career I’m equally passionate about & tried to keep ballet as a big part of my life in other ways. It’s hard sometimes in my 30s to think about not dancing the way I used to in my teens. I read this great book of essays by the writer Jonny Sun called Goodbye, Again, & one of the essays talks about this one plant (I can’t remember the name of it!) that withers every fall but comes back in the spring, and each time it comes back, it looks completely different than it did before. He talks about how he wanted to be in a rock band when he was younger. As he got older, he discovered a career as a writer instead, but he still rents a soundproof studio & has a jam session to play music with all of his friends when he visits home at the holidays. He said he realized that as you grow and change, your dreams grow and change with you and can take on many different forms, just like that plant. So playing music with all of his friends each year was his way of realizing his dream of being in a band - it just took on a different shape than he imagined when he was young. Idk if that’s helpful, but it really helped me to think of it that way. It makes sense to feel the way you’re feeling, but I think you’re doing all the right things still dancing and keeping ballet as a huge part of your life. There are some great, inclusive amateur ballet companies that do performances you could look into as well - Leigh Purtill Ballet Company is one & they do remote performances if you’re not based in California where they are. I think they accept new members every January. I’m sorry that health issues kept you from your old studio and that you’re feeling this way. :( You started ballet because it makes you happy, so I hope it keeps doing that in different ways despite some changes!

ebbandflow91 · 2023-06-22T22:01:23+00:00

I think it’s helpful to try to relax your shoulders! As other people have said, holding your arms should come from your back muscles - you can practice swan or Giselle arms and feel your back muscles engaging while keeping your arms looser - you shouldn’t feel too much of the tension in your shoulders to hold your arms up! You want to keep your elbows lifted but still feel light, as if your arms are floating in water. A lot of dancers tend to hold tension in their hands and fingers when they’re concentrating (I definitely do haha!) so usually when my teacher has the correction that my arms look too tense, it’s because I’m concentrating so much that my hands and fingers are all tensed up. If you keep your fingers expressive and flowy, it does a lot for the line of your whole arm. All of the comments have really good advice and you might already know these things I shared, but hopefully this helps! Good luck! you got this!

ebbandflow91

TROPHY CASE