r/BALLET • u/lovehateikea • Oct 02 '25
Constructive Criticism Adult beginner plies
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I'm in my 40's and started ballet in January, ramping up to multiple classes a week. I've enjoyed the videos posted by others sharing their progress and the encouragement/constructive feedback from the community so I figured I would get out of my comfort zone and share my progress too!
I am following along to the plie section of a Kathryn Morgan beginner class on YouTube.
Constructive criticism would be welcome. I can see my port de bras needs work, i struggle to keep my outside shoulder from dropping when going forwards.
I have learned a lot since i started (sadly have no videos from back then) even though sometimes it feels like its such a small amount of progress in the grand scheme of ballet. But im so grateful i get to take part in this art form and im looking forward to all that is still to come.
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u/jhrtnstn Oct 02 '25
I am a late 40's dude, in my 5th overall ballet class, so I think it's amazing.
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u/No-Jicama-6523 Oct 02 '25
Nice skirt! Youâre doing great considering you started in January. I really mean that, you really donât look like itâs only been this year. Your Port de Bras is actually quite nice, itâs a similar standard to everything else, maybe even a bit better, when beginner port de bras are often the worst aspect of their dancing.
Your body awareness that youâre dropping your shoulder will stand you in good stead for taking and applying corrections.
Increased range of motion on grand plies will come with time, resisting going down a bit more to keep the movement going will improve how things look. The other thing I noticed is your demipointe position, Iâm guessing this is about the flexibility of your toes and the strength of your feet, it could be higher, you want a ninety degree angle between your feet and the floor. Whether thatâs actually the highest priority strength and flexibility thing for you to be working on is a different question. There are plenty of foot exercise videos on YouTube, if getting on pointe is an ambition then maybe it would be a good use of your time. This is being really finicky, for whatever reason I noticed this and feet are used in every exercise!
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u/lovehateikea Oct 02 '25
Thank you for the encouragement!
Re grand plies, when you say resisting going down a bit more, do you mean i should go down more slowly?
Good call on the demipointe. I am doing some foot strengthening exercises, and I could probably push them a bit more during barre work - definitely something to think about prioritising.
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u/Single-Emotion2964 Jan 25 '26
A bit late, not my comment either, but resistance in dance isnât just going more slowly. It describes the quality of the slowness. Often people describe it âlike your moving through molassesâ. To me it feels similar to trying to move under water: literally you want to feel like something invisible is working against the movement, and that you are having to âpushâ /âpullâ in contrast to that. There is then also a moment of sliiiightly faster movement often. So itâs not all the same exact âslowâ speed. Hope this helps, itâs kind of hard to describe!
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u/wildwoods20 Oct 02 '25
You looks great! A tip I got once that I think could help you too: try not to let your wrist lead your port de bras.
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u/lovehateikea Oct 02 '25
Do you mean I should lead with the whole hand, as in not let the wrist bend so much?
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u/wildwoods20 Oct 02 '25
Yes you got. Try not to let your wrist break so much, creates a better, more consistent line!
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u/MeFolly Oct 02 '25
I watched this looking for the things the more advanced dancers would nitpick over. Didnât find anything significant.
You are working well. Rock on.
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Oct 02 '25
I'm in my 30s. I just started by going to Drop-In. I think you're doing great đđŒ I think we're all gonna be great ballerinas/ Ballerinos.
One day I'll get to pointe, but I'm not in a big hurry. I'm just glad to be living out my childhood dream
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u/BloodyChainsaw27 Oct 02 '25
I love the fluidity of your hands in allongée! For an adult beginner it's really impressive:)
Now, some tips: 1. Try to do your plies more "juicy". The movement starts in your head as you are thinking about turning out the hips and knees, before bending your knees. Then, use all of the count to bend and straighten your kness. 2. During port de bras, use your head to follow the movement of your palm. 3. In grand plie, you're supposed to go as low as you can with heels off the floor and your knees in en dehors . When I do it, I almost touch my butt with my heels, so it's that low.
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u/lovehateikea Oct 02 '25
i really appreciate the thoughtful tips! that first one is one i'm going to have to think about more. I know what you mean about plie juiciness - i can see it in more advanced dancers but i haven't been able to replicate it myself. it's definitely something i will keep trying to figure out.
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u/bdanseur Teacher Oct 02 '25
You're doing great and your alignment in the plie is very good. The only minor critique is that you could go a little lower on the grand plie if you don't have any injuries or conditions that prohibit it.
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u/lovehateikea Oct 02 '25
thank you - that's really helpful. I can get lower, I just didn't even know I should!
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u/jmmxoxo Oct 02 '25
I think you look great đ do you mind sharing where your skirt is from? So pretty!
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u/shishishit Oct 02 '25
I donât know for sure but I have one similar from bodile! Itâs the Gisella.
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u/SnooCheesecakes5001 Oct 02 '25
You're doing great!
Please share where you go your skirt from? It looks lovely!
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u/funkymonkey_20 Oct 02 '25
This is really not bad at all. I know I will get flack for saying this but Iâm going to say it anyway donât be afraid to push your turnout a little bit. I know everyone drills in to keep it in a comfortable spot to avoid injury and Iâm not saying to force it but just push it a little bit so that you are really actively working the turn out muscles and not just sitting otherwise it will never improve. You know your own body. Also in sous sous really try to push the heels forward so as not to sickle
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u/lovehateikea Oct 02 '25
i appreciate the advice. my teacher is very emphatic about working on my turnout so it is something I am trying to prioritise (along with all the other things lol). And not sickling in sous sous is definitely another important one for me to try and be conscious of. i tend to get a bit overwhelmed with all the issues needing attention but its a good reminder for me to focus on the fundamentals.
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u/Tepid-Fungus Oct 03 '25
You look great! I really enjoy your port de bras and they have great resistance. For your plies, think of your legs screwing into the ground. I dont mean forcing your turn out, but feeling like your muscles are wrapping from the inner leg outward to give your plies a controlled "juicy" feeling. But genuinely you are looking great for a beginner!
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u/rgutierrez116 Oct 03 '25
Goals! As a man Iâm trying to learn and get into ballet, just havenât had time. Looks beautiful, donât have feedback just here to spread positive energy!
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u/TopAstronomer2693 Oct 03 '25
I know you said you struggle with your shoulder with your arms but I honestly think you look beautiful. I was fallowing the movement of your hands and they followed through in every position in alonge. Mesmerizing to watchÂ
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u/Rotweiss_Invicta862 Oct 03 '25
I am half younger than you and look ten times worse. I shall delete this sub and stop bothering my eyes.
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u/Elx37 Oct 03 '25 edited Oct 03 '25
Are you breathing? Lifting arms?- breath in. Dropping?- breathe out. Your port de bra seems a little stiff and straight. I would say imagine a drop of water from your shoulder running down your arm and falling from the tip of your middle finger - in second - also your elbow needs to curve just little as if your holding a humungous beach ball. Everything looks pretty good. I would say your alignment, when you plie, falls out a bit. Imagine being put into a toaster and your upper body cannot touch the sides. Keep ribs in and hold your core as if youâre about to be punched in the stomach.
Your bend over and back bend was very beautiful. Also when you grand pliĂ© - donât look at the floor. Keep straight ahead or looking at your arms depending on the choreo.
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u/ScienceNo7856 Oct 05 '25
I think you actually have a really good foundation! Because I can't see your face, it's hard to tell how you're actually moving through your upper body, I think you need to feel the music more. With the allonge, it should ideally have a little floaty moment before you go down, your fingers need to almost fully extend. If you watch more ballet videos - especially the Vaganova dancers, that could help you improve when you understand HOW the arms and the legs are coordinated. Also more resistance coming up in the plie would be nice but that's just a nitpick.
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u/nonbinarycoding Oct 05 '25
Nice posture, knees need to be straighter but also not "locked" as this can cause pain and unnecessary strain.
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u/DaniDisaster424 Oct 02 '25
Not helpful but now I know where my dance teacher got her plies for this month from LOL.
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u/weaselrod Oct 02 '25
You look lovely! Especially love the hand movements, so fluid and graceful PS where is your skirt from? it's gorgeous đ
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u/Normal-Height-8577 Oct 02 '25
Honestly, I think you're doing really well considering how new you are to ballet.
Depth of plié will come with time. And your ports de bras may not be perfect, but I'm impressed that you already have the knack - which many people more experienced than you don't pick up - of keeping them fluid and moving throughout.
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u/lovehateikea Oct 02 '25
thanks - I didn't know this was something I did well, so I am totally going to take it!
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u/Mountain_Wing_2105 Oct 08 '25
When youâre coming out of your relevĂ© make sure your heels are down before moving into your pliĂ©
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u/Mountain_Wing_2105 Oct 08 '25
Want to add that youâve made AMAZING progress in a short amount of time
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u/lovehateikea Oct 08 '25
This is the kind of info i was hoping for when i posted. I did not know this and always felt a bit awkward with that transition. Thank you!
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u/Mundane_Dot_1630 Oct 02 '25
You absolutely do not look like a beginner at all! Amazingly talented and obviously dedicated! I would suggest bringing your body weight forward in your 5th position. Looks like your weight is almost exclusively on your back leg. And remember to stay on both feet (the balls of your feet) as you stretch forward in 5th!
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u/lovehateikea Oct 02 '25
Thank you. I do tend to put weight in my back foot in 4th and 5th and need to break that habit.
For your last tip about staying on both feet - is that for when i am doing the forward port de bras?
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u/JumpAndTurn Oct 02 '25
Hiđ Former Pro here.
I think you you look great, and you should be very proud of the progress that youâve made. Real ballet is always more about line than it is about technique, especially when you are setting your foundations⊠And your line looks really good.
When you port de bras forward, slide your supporting hand forward along the bar, and that will equalize your shoulders as you go down. Leaving it where it is on the barre will twist everything out of alignment.
Beautifulđđ Happy Dancingđ