Central Ballet School, Moscow

To make good progress you don't have to train every day and exercise till you drop at each class. This is anyway not doable when real adult life comes into play. What you need is to set your priorities correctly. Here's what ballet teachers say about that time when you're just starting with ballet. By the way, this beginner time is crucial as its then that you're building your ballet base, which is directly responsible for the beauty of your future pirouettes and other complicated movements.

Olga Bervi¹: "Big focus and dedication are the most important things at a beginner level. Some tasks seem to be very simple and many beginners take it very lightly, without seeing precious details in them. This is not a good attitude. You need to practise these simple movements with all your attention to all the details, otherwise you won't be able to progress further."

Dimitra Karagiannopoulou²: "I recommend going to classes minimum twice a week. At the very beginning focus on feet and arms positions, posture and basic movements: plié and battement tendu. Do not forget to stretch after class. Do not rush to raise your leg high, with due approach and regularity you will progress with it step by step."

Mariana Gomes³: "I particularly work on ideal posture, help to strengthen with the abdomen and especially the work of feet. Ballet will not progress without good and strong footwork. Many students feel pain in their feet during the first classes, they need to get used to the position of the stretched and half-pointed feet."

Notes:

1 - Olga Bervi - Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet graduate. She has been teaching for 36 years. Ex Mariinsky ballet dancer.

2 - Dimitra Karagiannopoulou - Teaches ballet in National School of Dance in Athens, in private professional ballet schools and in ballet studios for amateurs.Bolshoi Ballet Academy graduate, ballet teaching methodology course graduate in Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet.

3 - Mariana Gomes - The Bolshoi ballet dancer, teaches adult ballet in Central ballet school in Moscow, Russia. Brazil's Bolshoi Theatre School graduate.