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Junior Stretch Exercises

All exercises should be taken on both sides

These exercises are designed for dancers who are already warm, so please make sure all dances have done an

aerobic warm up before commencing these exercises, and always start with the Stretch Warm Up, and always

finish with the Cool Down Stretch.

Please Note: NEVER push a child into a stretch. Every child is different, and some may never gain the mobility

to do these stretches to their maximum. When working in partners, all dancers must be very sensible. If the

person being stretched says “stop” then the stretcher must stop straight away (even if they believe they can

go further).

Exercise 1 Junior Stretch Warm Up

Exercise 3 Positions Of The Feet

Exercise 4 Battement Glisse

Exercise 5 Rond De Jambe A Terre

Exercise 6 Retire

Exercise 7 Preparation for Arabesque

Vocabulary

The following French terms are introduced in Grade 1:

Arabesque

Barre

Battement

Bras Bas

Chassé

Demi

Demi-rond de jambe

Demi-seconde

Demi-bras

Demi-plié

Derrière

Devant

Développé

En

En avant

En dedans

En dehors

En diagonale

En face

En l’air

Épaulement

Fondu

Glissade

Glissé

Jeté

Ouverte

Petit

Plié

Pointe

Port de bras

Retiré

Révérence

Rond de jambe

Sauté

Temps levé

Tendu

Class Theory Questions

1. Can you demonstrate a Plié?

2. Does demi mean half or full?

3. Does plié mean bend or stretch?

4. Should the body remain straight in a Demi Plié?

5. Should the heels remain on the floor in a Demi Plié?

6. Demonstrate a Battement Tendu Devant

7. Does the toe leave the floor in a Battement Tendu?

8. What does Port de Bras mean?

9. Demonstrate 1st - 2nd - 3rd - 4th or 5th positions of arms

10. Can you demonstrate a Glissade Devant?

11. What does devant mean?

12. Should both feet point in a Glissade?

13. Do both toes remain on the floor in a Glissade in Grade 1?

14. Demonstrate a Petit Sauté

15. Does Petit mean large or small?

16. What does Sauté mean?

17. Is it important to finish in a demi plié when landing in Petit Sauté?

18. Should the feet be fully stretched when jumping in Petit Sauté?

19. Is the back heel down in Spring Points?

20. What does Reverence mean? 

Exercise Stradle Stretch Warm Up 

Exercise 2 Port De Bras

Exercise 3 Battement Tendu

Exercise 4 Chassé & Rond de Jambe à Terre

Exercise 5 Gallops & Polka

Exercise 6 Battement Tendu & Glissade

Exercise 7 Petit Saute & Spring Points

Exercise 9 Reverance

Example Assessment Dance

Examination Theory

Theory Questions Grade 1 - Classical Ballet


Each candidate will be asked to demonstrate/answer two questions during the examination.


Question 1 – Candidates will be asked to demonstrate one piece of vocabulary from the list below which is from that grade or any previous grades: 

Demonstration Questions

1. Can you demonstrate a demi-plié?

2. Can you demonstrate a battement tendu devant?

3. Can you demonstrate a glissade devant?

4. Can you demonstrate 1st position of arms?

5. Can you demonstrate 2nd position of arms?

6. Can you demonstrate your arms in bras bas?

7. Can you demonstrate two sautés in 1st position?

8. Can you place your feet in 3rd position?

9. Can you demonstrate three classical walks forward?

10. Can you demonstrate a spring point?

Question 2 – Candidates will be asked one set question from the following list:

Technical Section Questions

1. What is a chassé?

2. Does the toe leave the floor in a battement tendu?

3. What does port de bras mean?

4. What does révérence mean?

5. Why is a lifted eyeline important in all work?

6. In the introduction to the Port de Bras exercise, how would you describe the movement demonstrated?

7. What feeling should you convey in the galops and polka exercise?

8. When you galop, which part of the foot leads?

9. What happens in a chassé?

10. Can you name two exercises in the same rhythm?

Exercise 1 - Stretch Warm Up



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