How to Improve Your Balance with Ballet
Balance is more than standing on one leg – it’s a combination of strength, coordination, and awareness. Whether you’re looking to feel steadier on your feet or enhance your body’s natural control, ballet offers elegant and effective ways to improve stability at any age.
In this post, we’ll explore how ballet enhances balance, share simple techniques and tips for beginners, and offer step-by-step drills that can be modified to suit all levels.
Why Ballet Is Brilliant for Balance
Ballet dancers are known for their grace – but behind that fluidity is a strong sense of alignment, muscular control, and a highly trained centre of gravity. Ballet focuses on:
Core engagement – Essential for control and posture
Proprioception – Knowing where your body is in space
Coordination – Moving different parts of the body together with precision
Leg and ankle strength – Especially important for balance on one leg
The best part? You don’t need to be a trained dancer to benefit from ballet techniques.
Foundational Tips for Better Balance
Before jumping into drills, here are a few key principles to keep in mind:
Start slow – Build strength and coordination gradually
Use a chair or barre – Support helps while you develop control
Focus your gaze – This helps with stability
Engage your core – Pull up through the waist and draw the belly button gently towards the spine
Breathe – Holding your breath creates tension and affects balance
Step-by-Step Balance Drills
1. Tendu Balance Hold
Level: Beginner
Purpose: Activates legs, glutes, and core
How to do it:
Stand tall with feet in first position (heels together, toes turned out slightly)
Gently place one hand on a chair or wall for support
Slide one foot along the floor to the front (tendu), keeping it pointed
Lift the front foot a few inches off the ground and hold for 5–10 seconds
Return to standing and repeat 3–5 times on each leg
Modification: Keep the toe on the ground at first, just practising posture and weight shift
2. Relevé Hold
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Purpose: Builds calf strength and ankle stability
How to do it:
Stand in first or parallel position with hands lightly resting on a chair
Slowly rise onto the balls of your feet (relevé), keeping legs straight
Hold for 5–10 seconds, then lower with control
Repeat 5–8 times
Modification: Use two hands on the chair for more support.
3. Passé Balance
Level: Intermediate
Purpose: Improves single-leg stability and coordination
How to do it:
Start in parallel or first position
Lift one foot to touch the inside of the supporting knee (passé)
Hold for 5 seconds, keeping the standing leg straight and strong
Lower slowly and switch sides
Modification: Keep the toes of the lifted foot just below the knee, or lightly touch a wall for stability
To progress this one further you can then repeat the same balance but with turnout, or even adding a relevé once you’ve gotten the hang of these positions and improved your balance!
Progress at Your Own Pace
Balance is a skill that improves with practice – and consistency is key. Adding these drills into your weekly routine, even just for five minutes a day, can bring noticeable improvements in how you walk, move, and carry yourself.
If you’re taking Ballet Fusion classes, our sessions regularly include balance-enhancing sequences, always with options to modify based on your level.
Final Thoughts
Improving your balance doesn’t have to be complicated – just focused, mindful, and steady. Ballet offers a beautiful way to build not just strength, but confidence in your body’s ability to support you.
Whether you’re a complete beginner or easing back into movement, these techniques can help you feel more grounded and graceful – one step at a time.
