Physical Education and Health

Mendoza, Peevijay A.

12-Welch

Basic steps in ballet:

1. plie (plee-ay):  to bend. 

Keeping both feet flat on the floor at all times, then bend knees.  Remember the knees are pointed oppositely,
they are directly out.

2. releve (ruh-leh-vay’):  to rise. 

This can be done on one foot or both feet together. Start with the feet together, keep the knees straight and lift
the heels high enough so all of the body weight is on the balls of the feet – NOT the tips of the toes.

3. saute  (soh-tay):  to jump.

This kind of jump is performed “two feet to two feet.” This means that you leave the ground by jumping off of
both feet at the same time and you land on both feet at the same time. Begin in a plie. Using your feet the same
way you did to perform releve,  propel yourself into the air.  Be sure to straighten and extend your legs in the
air, but land in plie to cushion your knees.

Benefits of ballet:

Ballet consists of warm-ups and stretching, hence, it improves your flexibility, balance, and physical coordination. It also
helps you to move with natural grace because your body remembers being graceful in terms of dancing. A great body
image can be also achieved through ballet, you burn fats because of all of physical demands that ballet has. It also
decreases the chance of having an Alzheimer’s disease. There are numerous benefits that ballet has, but my most
favorite of them all is gaining confidence or boosting your confidence. Ballet helps you to live with confidence; you’re
not shy or ashamed. You can lift your chin and dance with grace. And I think that’s the best of them all.