|
|
|
Want to improve your dancing? Learn how to make a ballet barre. Having your very own ballet barre will help you practice the steps you learn in class!
Many serious dancers in the world do not just rely on their ballet studio’s barres for practice but own one themselves, often accompanied with their own mirror and sound system, so they can spend extra time rehearsing their tendus and pliés. If you are serious enough about ballet to want to have a barre of your own to use for additional practice, congratulations! You are clearly driven and hard working, and luckily, you will not have to spend much money or time attaining a ballet barre. These simple yet imperative objects are cheap and easy to make, so read on to find out how you can get started!
Why Ballet Barres Are Important
There is sometimes some debate about whether or not barres are really necessary for dance training. Some teachers consider work in the center or even “floor barre”— exercises similar to ones performed at a real barre, but all practiced while lying down on the ground— to be more effective for the strengthening and education of ballet dancers. However, these claims are weakened by the fact that barres have withstood the test of time. Ballet teachers for generations have produced amazing dancers by strengthening them on barres, which help to let dancers find proper alignment and work out technical issues before stepping away and working in the center. To become a serious dancer— and seriously well-trained— go ahead and get a barre of your own: it will help you on your path to greatness in more ways than one.
Ballet Barres: Tools You Will Need
The main “pole” part of a barre is often made from a wooden dowel. Try purchasing one that is around two inches in diameter, and let the length be however long you need it to be for your space.
You will also need two or three metal closet bar brackets and screws with which to attach them to the wall.
If your wall is not equipped with sufficient studs, you may need wall anchors, and a power drill to attach them with.
Ballet Barres: Installation
You will need to measure the space you have to install the barre and mark the spots on the wall where you want to drill the brackets. Make sure that your brackets are level; otherwise, your barre will be uneven.
Now install the wall anchors using a power drill and screw the wall brackets to the anchors. All you have to do now is lay the wooden dowel across the wall brackets, then secure it with screws until it is stable.
Practicing With Your Barre
Enjoy your new barre! Never lean on a barre or rely on it too much, because then you will not be able to obtain the benefits of using a barre to train in the art of ballet dancing. Having a barre to practice with outside of class is the first step towards perfecting your technique!