If your child has recently signed up for ballet lessons, practicing at home will be essential for their success in the class. Practicing is a lot easier with a partner, and by helping your child get their steps down, you can have a lot of fun and bond at the same time. Explore a few easy ways to help your child practice their ballet skills.

3 Ways to Help Kids With Ballet at Home

1. Help Them Stretch

Stretching doesn’t take expert knowledge, but it’s vital for every ballerina to be flexible. You can help your child build their flexibility with a few simple stretches.

Toe touches stretch hamstrings and muscles along the back. Leg extensions are performed by lying on your side and raising your leg, then slowly lowering it. Your child will feel encouraged to have you stretching alongside them, and the extra flexibility can benefit you too, reducing the likelihood of injuries and improving your posture.

2. Practice Positions

As a substitute for the barre, you can grab a chair and help your child practice the basic ballet positions. The first involves placing the heels together with toes facing outward—you can transition into the second by sliding the feet apart. Move to the third by sliding one foot in until the arch is directly behind the heel of the other foot.

For the fourth, move the foot even further so that the toes of one foot are in line with the heel of the other. Lastly, move to fifth by attempting to make the toes of the front foot touch the heel of the back.

3. Get Casual With It

Your child will get plenty of formal instruction in their class, and you don’t want to make them feel like they’re being schooled at home too. One of the best ways to connect with your child’s interest in ballet is to just have fun with it.

Put on some music at home, move the furniture to the sides in your living room, and spend some time dancing together. Encourage your child to show off the moves they’re learning. They’ll appreciate your interest in their dance and feel more motivated to put in the work needed to succeed.

If your child is interested in ballet, enroll them at Robin Dawn Academy of Performing Arts in Cape Coral, FL. For over four decades, they’ve offered classes in ballet, jazz, pointe, tap, and lyrical dance styles. Students get to choose whether they want to be a part of classes that do dance recitals and competitions or just enjoy general lessons that let them have fun. To learn more about their class offerings, visit their website and call (239) 549-0827 to schedule a tour.