Q&A for How to Stretch for Ballet

Warming up is really important—especially concentrate on moving your hips and feet. You also need to get your heart rate up. If you go into class cold, you're more likely to have an injury, but if your body is warm and your heart is pumping, you will be ready to dance.

The back of a tall chair or a stable countertop usually works just as well as a barre.

That clicking sound Is most likely your bones popping. It's totally normal when you stretch.

Make sure you've had enough to drink before class, and sip water during. Next, warm up beforehand by giving yourself a bit of a foot massage. If you have plantar fascitis, give your feet extra attention, especially if the floors will be cold while you're dancing/stretching. Finally, when you are actually pointing your toes, make sure you're breathing consistently to get a good airflow so that your bloodstream and muscles have the oxygen that they need. Go slow, don't forget to breathe, and make sure you've got enough calcium/potassium in your daily diet.

Your body might be sore from a previous workout, or it's is not used to that kind of high-level stretching. Take it slow and be gentle.

Sit with your legs in front of you, then slowly move them outwards and try to make your legs straight, then put elbows in front of you between your legs without letting your feet fall inwards. If this is too easy, touch your forehead to the ground.

These sort of stretches are best done daily to improve flexibility overall, although they would work well before a performance too.

Practise holding the positions without moving and try keep good posture. While you dance, focus on pretending to have string through your whole body and somebody is pulling it upwards.

On releve, you go on your toes. If going further you can do pointe, but that is suitable for ones who have strong feet.

Your bottom basically keeps you balanced for floor stretches. When stretching while standing, you start with a wall and progress from there.

Not necessarily.

If you want to start off easy, try at least 5 seconds. If you want to really challenge yourself, try at least 8-10 seconds.

Yes, these stretches help, and jazz splits are the same as ballet splits, but the only way to get your splits all the way down is to practice.

You can pick things up with your toes or use your hands to flex and point your feet from the ankle.

You still can! You just have to keep practicing the stretches to get better at them, along with the base positions.

There are pointe shoes, and pre-pointe shoes for easing into pointe. I highly suggest that you get the pre-pointe shoes first if you are less experienced.

Try stretching your hamstrings and legs by doing lunges. Also, stretch your over-splits, even if you don't have your splits, yet. It could seem confusing, but it will help. Directly after that, try your splits. You may see an improvement.

If you are doing the splits, don't stretch farther than you can. Take it nice and easy to help any pain you may have, and inform your instructor if you have any problems. Don't push yourself too hard.

Just keep stretching. Practice makes perfect.

That's call a le grand jete and you need a lot of practice to do it!

Try standing on one foot in tree pose while doing everyday activities, like brushing your teeth.

You just have to gently stretch your legs every day. Don't rush it and force yourself down into a split, you could get injured. You will probably get more flexible by doing it slowly than by doing it all in one go.

No, just be careful and stop if it hurts. You should be fine to do these stretches no matter what level you're at.

Practice over-spilts to get your splits faster. Use stretching videos on YouTube. I really like blogilates videos, try doing a stretching routine once a day.

These are stretches designed to give more mobility. To strengthen, try relevés or paying special attention to rolling through the foot in a tendu.

You should always be warm when you stretch. Then it is more likely that you will not overstretch or get an injury.

You should stretch for at least 10 minutes a day. If you want to get your splits increase it to 20.

No, not unless you have pointe shoes. You only go on relevé (the ball of your foot).

Yes. You can start at any age as long as you take the studio requirements.

You should keep trying. Get into a small fourth position and then bring your back leg to a retire position without the turn. If you can hold that without wobbling for 5+ seconds, attempt a pirouette. Try a double, as it can be easier than a single for some people. Repeat this process.