Q&A for How to Become Flexible Like a Ballerina

The first thing you want to do is master the squat sit. You squat all the way down, with your hands and arms inside your knees pressing your knees out, feet straight ahead. That's number one. After that, you can try the Cossack squat, which is the same position but with one leg kicked out to the side laterally. Use your hands to switch from leg to leg. In addition to that, you could also do a pigeon pose and sun salute from yoga to open up your hips. The final thing would be to do the splits.

See Do Ballet at Home and watch ballet videos. (Claudia Dean is great!)

It takes time to become flexible. You'll see progress if you keep working at it.

1. You can take a block or something place your knees on it, so you are putting weight on your ankles by removing your arms from the ground. This can be painful though. 2. Go against a wall, go on demi-pointe so that your pads can be on the floor, straighten your knees. 3. Stand on your knuckles (effective)

Say you're learning to do a right split. 1) Do a lunge with your right leg in the front for 10 seconds. 2) Then, sit down and stretch your right leg in front of you, with the left leg, make a little triangle by placing your left foot on your right knee. Then, reach for your right foot for 10 seconds. 3) Go into a lunge again. But now, make your right leg straight, and slide both legs. When you get to a point where you can't go down, hold that position for 10 seconds. If you do this every day, I will assure you you will get your splits quickly. I did this method, and was able to get my left split.

Try doing it carefully every day, and always try to feel your legs stretching. Eventually, maybe after a month, you'll be able to do the splits.