August 2015 | Ballet Scene | Floor It

Barre-type exercises done on the floor, which sometimes include elements of Pilates or yoga, have numerous uses and benefits. In a supine position, using gravity to their advantage, dancers can feel the correct alignment of the body, particularly the spine, hips, and torso. They can understand the proper genesis of turnout in the hips, allow the muscles to lengthen and tone, and more easily coordinate the arms and legs. Floor barres provide excellent core strengthening by requiring stability in