Throwback to behind the scenes learning this glorious variation last term. Featuring the incredible dancers in our Sunday Intermediate/Advanced variations class, 5pm at The Place ❤️ Week 1 of new variation starts Sunday 7 September and it’s something lovely from Coppelia 🥰. Link in bio to book! We can’t wait to kick-off the Autumn term! But also - where did this year go?!! 😱😳 Taught by @torimartin__ 💕

💥 Grand battement is not just about height — it’s about force, control, and return. Like frappés, this exercise develops fast-twitch muscle fibres, but on a larger scale. The leg is thrown forcefully from the hip with maximum extension, while the rest of the body works to stabilise and coordinate. The working leg fires from the hip flexors and quads (especially rectus femoris and iliopsoas), while the standing leg calls on the glutes 🍑 and deep rotators to stay grounded. The return — often neglected — is where you build control and prevent injury 🚫. Think of resisting the descent, engaging your eccentric strength (especially in the hamstrings) to decelerate the leg smoothly. 💡 Top tips: ✨ Brush through tendu and jeté — Skipping this pathway makes the leg “fling” instead of powerfully projecting. Working from the floor gives the movement its drive. ✨ Don’t sacrifice turnout for height — A high leg with a dropped hip or sickled foot defeats the purpose. Better to work slightly lower but clean. ✨ Use your breath to guide the phrase — Inhale with the lift, exhale with the return. This helps keep the torso calm while the leg moves dynamically. ✨ Keep the torso steady — Your core (especially the obliques and spinal extensors) should act like a shock absorber 🛡️, maintaining spinal integrity as the leg moves forcefully. In the centre, grand battement prepares us for jumps like grand jeté, and any other split-position jumps. It helps immensely with turns in extension (e.g. arabesque turns) too. Most importantly, it refines our ability to move from grounded 🌱 to airborne energy 🚀 in a timely and impressive way. We hope this series helped you to better understand why barre is SO important and its role in unlocking your potential with centre movements. What will you be focusing on next time you’re at the barre? 🩰 📸 by @sharon.yau featuring dancers Sharon and Silvia ❤️

✨ Adage challenges us to move slowly and with control — testing not only our physical strength but our musicality 🎶, breath 🌬️, and expression 💫. The sustained nature of this work recruits slow-twitch muscle fibres 🦵, which are built for endurance and postural control. The glute medius, deep rotators, iliopsoas (for leg lift), and spinal stabilisers all work overtime here to maintain turnout and alignment without gripping. Muscularly, adagio is where you learn to balance effort with ease ⚖️. You’re activating large muscle groups (quads, glutes, hamstrings) to lift and hold the leg, while resisting over-effort in the upper body. That means soft shoulders, expansive port de bras 🩰, and breath-led movement — this is where technique meets artistry. 💡 Things to focus on: 🌟 Spinal elongation — Imagine growing taller as you move. This keeps your core (especially your transversus abdominis and multifidus) active and helps avoid compression or rounding in the shoulders due to strain. 🌟 Smooth transitions — Don’t just hit positions; feel the pathways between them. Think of your limbs moving through each point. 🌟 Epaulement & arm coordination — Arms should mirror the quality of the legs. Sometimes focusing attention on the softness of the upper body helps us to strain less when lifting the leg. 🌟 Standing leg stability — This is your anchor ⚓. The glutes, calves, and foot stabilisers are all working to keep you from wobbling. This grounding allows the upper body to remain free and expressive. Adagio is one of the most revealing exercises: it shows how well we manage energy, breath, and transitions 🌊. In centre work, this ability to sustain line and control through time directly informs movements like développé, promenade, and arabesque penchée — all of which rely on a controlled relationship between power and poise. If you tend to favour focusing on your lower body at the barre, this is one exercise where you should intentionally focus to the upper body! 📸 edit by @sharon.yau featuring Salomé 🙌🏾

Frappé means “to strike” — and that’s exactly what we’re doing ⚡: rapidly activating the foot and ankle to brush the floor and extend the leg with force and precision 🦵✨. Some schools use a flexed foot and others do not — both are great options. Unlike slower barre exercises, frappés recruit fast-twitch muscle fibres in the lower leg (particularly the gastrocnemius, tibialis anterior, and intrinsic foot muscles) 💪🦶, responsible for quick, explosive movements like jumps and turns. These fibres fatigue quickly, but they’re essential for reactivity and speed — especially in petit allegro. The strike should be sharp, but never sloppy. In fact, the faster we move, the more important it becomes to maintain turnout, a lifted spine, and stability through the standing leg and pelvis. A common mistake is leading from the thigh or letting the hip bounce — this disrupts alignment and wastes energy. Instead, imagine firing a signal from your brain to your foot, like snapping a rubber band — quick, clear, and directional 🧠➡️🦶. This training is essential for centre work, where there’s no time to “think” each movement through — frappés train motor patterns to become automatic 🔄. 💡 Top tip: Focus on both phases — the sharp strike ⚡ and the controlled return. Many dancers hit the strike well but let the leg flop back in. The return builds eccentric control in the adductors and hamstrings, supporting both turnout and injury prevention. This small but mighty exercise 💥 also strengthens the supporting leg (especially the glutes and deep hip stabilisers like glute med and piriformis) 🍑 to stay steady and lifted. If you’re prepping for turns or jumps, don’t skip your frappés — they’re where precision begins! 📸 edit by @sharon.yau and featuring Beth ❤️ #adultballetdancer #adultballet #adultballetcommunity #ballet #balletdancer #adultballetbeginner #adultballerina #adultballetclass #balletclass #londonballet #londonballetclasses #whatsthepointe #barretips #frappe #ballettechnique

Fondus train control, coordination, and the ability to move with softness and strength — essential for adagio and jumps in the centre ✨. Fondus teach us to bend and stretch both legs together, timing the descent and extension in harmony. The supporting leg pliés while the working leg passes through coupé and extends with control — all while maintaining turnout, core engagement, and balance 🩰. This is definitely a progressive barre exercise, bending on a single leg which is physically demanding and more challenging for pelvic stability and coordination. So if you are a beginner, you may not have tried it yet (especially not on Demi-pointe) This movement at the barre builds: 💫 Smooth articulation of the legs through different levels 🤝 Muscular coordination for unified action between both legs 💪 Strength needed to execute soft and controlled landings from jumps It directly prepares us for centre movements like: 🕊 Balloné and sissonne – pushing off and landing from a plié on one leg 🎭 Adagio work – where balance and leg coordination are key 🌿 Temps levé in arabesque – pushing off one leg while maintaining our shape 🚀 Grand jeté – fondus train the initiation and strength in the take-off leg and also support us with a controlled landing 🎯 Fouetté turns – when transitioning through plié in the supporting leg before whipping to relevé ✨ Top tip: If you are struggling with the strength required for pointe work 🎀 – this is the barre exercise to focus on! As well as strengthening the legs, the focus on a smooth and controlled movement helps us to avoid “popping” onto pointe, reducing risk of ankle injury and developing correct push-off mechanics. On pointe, wobble or misalignment gets amplified. Fondus are fantastic because they help to train pelvic stability while moving one leg in and out of position. 📸 featuring beautiful Rose and edit by @sharon.yau ❤️

Rond de jambe trains the circular motion of the working leg 🌀 while stabilising the pelvis and maintaining turnout from the hip. At the barre, the goal isn’t just to “draw a circle,” but to move through each position with precision and control, keeping the hips square and both legs fully engaged. We articulate through devant, à la seconde, and derrière — constantly adjusting weight placement over the supporting leg while keeping the working leg lengthened and active. The movement should pass smoothly through first position each time, with no loss of turnout or energy. 🧠 Things to focus on during this exercise: 🔄 Initiate a circular movement from the hip, not the lower leg 🎯 Control turnout through motion (not just statically) — proactively sustain turnout as the leg moves in different directions ✨ Transition through positions cleanly — particularly through first and second as the leg draws a semi-circle 🤞🏽Coordinate circular movement of the leg with a stable spine and pelvis — essential for flowing, elegant movement This coordination directly prepares us for centre movements like renversé, which requires a circular movement combined with an upper body spiral, and pas de basque, which moves through a similar rond de jambe pattern on the floor to help us change direction. Even famous fouetté turns rely on a rond pathway to generate rotation and momentum. This exercise at the barre also develops proprioception and dynamic stability — learning how to keep one part of the body grounded while the other moves fluidly through space. Without this skill, many centre movements become disconnected or feel unstable. #RondDeJambe #BalletTraining #AdultBalletcommunity #BalletClass #BalletTechnique #BalletExercises #BarreWork #DanceTechnique #BalletLife #BalletTips #BalletPosture #DanceStrength #BalletBody #londonballet #BalletPractice #Beginnerballet #BalletEducation #londonballetclasses #Ballet #Ballet #DancePosture #BalletInspiration #balletmoves

Jetés at the barre (also called dégagés or glissades) teach beginners how to execute a sharp, controlled brush off the floor — a movement that forms the basis of many jumps in centre work, (think about how assemblés and brisés begin with the same brush-off motion). At the barre, we focus on pushing through the toes with a fully extended, turned-out leg, engaging the ankle and foot to create a clean, articulate line. This brush off requires firing the knee and hip extensors (to help straighten the leg) while maintaining turnout from the hip and stability through the core. The working foot should glide just above the floor with speed and precision. It is very important to learn to control the elevation; whilst we are often cued to throw the leg into its position, we must do this without compromising stability in the supporting leg or any compensatory leaning in the upper body. Closing back sharply into a stable fifth or first position trains our body for clean and secure jump landings - where turnout is maintained and the upper body stays upright. In the centre we need to absorb impact - maintaining aligned hips and core activation supports doing this in a controlled and safe way. If you are a bit bored of this exercise - just remember: this repeated practice of push-off and controlled return strengthens the muscles needed to launch and land safely in jumps during centre work. All your hard work will help to make jumps more fluid, precise, and secure! 📸 by @sharon.yau #adultballet #balletdancer #adultballetcommunity #balletcore #londonballet #londonballetclasses #balletbarre #balletbeginners #ballettips

Tendus are a technical and neurological blueprint for the complexity of centre work. They help us internalise turnout, coordinate limbs, control weight, articulate the feet, and engage the core — all of which are essential once we leave the barre behind. At their most basic, tendus teach us to work through the floor with control to a fully extended, pointed position. We learn to articulate through the foot — from heel to toe and back again — this reinforces proper technique for pointing, flexing, shifting weight, and pushing off. This isn’t just about aesthetics: making this pathway automatic is essential for training the body to extend into long, lengthened positions with straight legs and pointed feet — critical for movements like arabesques and développés. Most centre work involves directional movement and weight transfers (think pas de bourrée, chassés, pirouettes). At the barre, we practise tendus front, side, and back — each demanding subtle shifts of weight and balance. These are foundational patterns for how we move through space in the centre. In fact, many centre combinations and movements begin with a tendu. That’s why it matters how we do them. Many beginners tend to tap the foot into position without working through the floor. When we skip this articulation, we miss the chance to strengthen the ankles and arches, which results in jerky, laboured movement instead of smooth, efficient transitions. It also shortens our lines and makes weight transfers more difficult, leaving us feeling unprepared and unstable in centre work. But — when we work against the resistance of the floor with intention, we strengthen the feet, build stability, and create a kinesthetic reference that helps keep the working leg turned out and engaged. Done well, tendus are not just a warm-up; they are training us for every step that follows. So stick with them - a clean, controlled tendu is the basis for everything! 📸 by @sharon.yau #adultballet #balletdancer #londonballetclasses #adultballetcommunity #tendu #ballettips #ballethack #balletcore

Why do we start every class with pliés? Because this exercise lays the foundation for all that follows — gently warming up the joints, checking our overall posture, switching on our turnout muscles and checking our placement in key positions from 1st to 5th. Pliés aren’t just a passive warm up — they’re about aligning, and preparing your body for the more dynamic work ahead. And how does this relate to centre work? Pliés are how we power up our jumps - and land safely from them. They are the preparation for various turns, giving us impetus for multiple turns too. Whilst this is a relatively relaxed exercise at the barre - don’t be fooled! Pliés are probably the single most important movement when it comes to unlocking your turnout, power and elevation in the centre. If our pliés are off - nothing will work! Get more out of this exercise by making it active and engaged. Consciously think of growing through the spine every time you bend the knees; try to experience a little resistance on the way down to avoid collapsing into your joints. And make sure you always transition through demi-plié to a grand plié - this makes us switch on the correct muscles of the legs! If we lift the heels too soon, we never learn to deepen our demi-plié position, which is the whole point! 📸 by @sharon.yau ❤️ #adultballet #balletdancer #adultballetcommunity #londonballetclasses #ballettips #pliés #balletcore

Why do ballet dancers, even the pros, start every single class at the barre? Because that is where we train and programme our bodies for everything that follows! For adult ballet students, the link is not always clearly explained or understood - and we hope to change that! The more you can understand the importance and purpose of barre, the easier it is to have a focused approach to your learning and get better results! Over the next eight reels we’ll break down the key barre exercises — one by one — and explain what they train, so you’ll never wonder why you’re doing them again! Whatever our roadblocks or challenges with centre work, they mostly come down to misalignment, inefficiency or weakness with the foundational movements we learn at the barre. So if we are paying attention, we can figure out what we need to go back to and work on. Stay tuned and make sure to save the tips! 📸 by @sharon.yau #adultballet #balletdancer #londonballetclasses #whatsthepointe #barre

Pointe work is lots of practice, practice, practice! Our higher level classes aren’t always glamarous, they still have a strong focus on the essentials and the conditioning that prepares you to translate your pointe work into regular classes and choreographic work. In this clip, our adult dancers move through pique steps on the diagonal and progress to direction changes — it seems like a simple, repetitive exercise - but it’s challenging! There is nothing quite as scary as stepping up onto pointe (on one leg) for the first time 😱😳 - but this is how we build confidence and make this movement automatic so it’s there in our back pocket when we need it later (eg. for fast pique arabesques in a variation). ✨ Stepping confidently onto a straight leg en pointe doesn’t just happen. It requires careful preparation: — A lifted, lengthened posture — Clear and confident weight transfer from the back leg — Engaged turnout and activation through the supporting side — And equally important - trust (in your strength, your shoes, and your process) These aren’t just drills — they’re opportunities to build proprioception, AND confidence. Trust in our physical capabilities is realllly important in pointe work. Nervousness and hesitation can hold us back and can even be dangerous. Trust doesn’t always mean ‘just go for it’ (eek not the best advice), it may mean trying to explore WHY your body is holding back. What foundational technique may need refinement? What just needs more time? Working from the premise that the body is our friend, we can view anxiety or fear about pointe work as something that requires listening (as well as gently and safely) moving out of our comfort zone. At LBC, we train the mind to understand the mechanics before asking the body to perform them. And we think this is essential when teaching adults. So remember progress with pointe work is often quiet. It comes from being patient with repetition, giving your body and nervous system time to adapt and learn, and valuing the sensation of readiness over the rush to achieve quickly. 🩰 Ready to begin — or begin again? Explore our weekly pointe classes via the link in bio ❤️ Teacher: @theweirdbird

Moyna and Zulma Week 2 🥹❤️ Everyone is doing SO well with this one! Welldone to all our amazing dancers!! Week 3 this Sunday! Taught by @torimartin__ 🥰 #londonballetclasses #adultballetcommunity #giselle #adultballet #londonballet #pointe

Week 1 of Moyna & Zulma Performed by Intermediate Variation students Taught by @torimartin__ Week 2 this Sunday at 5pm. Link in bio #londonballetclasses #adultballetcommunity #giselle #adultballet #balletaddiction

Today we start a new term of Technique classes in the beautiful WAC Arts studios. They are so spacious - which make them especially lovely for grand allegro ❤️ Every Thursday: 3 July - 7 August 2025 6.30 - 8pm: Intermediate/Advanced Ballet Technique 8 - 9.15pm: Beginners Ballet Technique Buy a Summer term package for £81 (link in bio). Class led by @gioh_lamboglia ❤️ #londonballetclasses #grandallegro #adultballetcommunity #balletlove #ballet