Alignment and Body Placement in Ballet

Correct alignment is one the crucial essentials to have when taking a ballet class. It is one of the very first things you learn in your ballet technique class, and it stays with you throughout your ballet experience. Proper body alignment allows the rest of your body to move freely when you dance; which is why ballet is used as a foundation tool when branching out to different styles of dance. Poor body alignment puts excess strain on muscles and joints, while proper alignment helps to strengthen the muscles. It is important to have good body placement and alignment in ballet because it improves your posture, keeps your pelvis tucked under, keeps the neck lengthened, the shoulders square, improves balance, keeps the knees over the toes, helps your hips align with the center of weight, and sitting in the hip socket. All of the previous points mentioned help with the exercises performed at the barre, turns, adagio, petit allegro, combinations across the floor, and many other done in ballet technique classes. Proper body placement and alignment will help refine your skills in ballet class and help to become more advanced in the dance genre.