Barre 1 - Warm-up

Description of elements of a typical combination:

  • The warm-up is a combination that is sometimes used at the beginning of class before the plié combination.

  • It allows dancers—especially on cold days—to gradually warm-up their feet and bodies.

  • Typical dance steps of the warm-up include

  • Tendu

  • Relevé

  • Port de bras/Cambré/Stretching

Meter

duple (2/4 or 4/4)

Tempo

moderate - 96 bpm

Accentuations

  • Tenuto articulations for tendus and relevés

  • More legato for port de bras/cambré/stretching

Example of Teacher Demonstrating a Warm-Up Combination:

Selection of Appropriate Music:

  • Preference for pieces that include a dotted-eighth, sixteenth-note figure

Music Selected: Cécile Chaminade, Marche Russe, Op. 123, No. 12

PDF of Original

01_Original Score_Chaminade_Marche Russe.pdf

PDF of Arranged Score

Barre01_WarmUp_Marche Russe_Chaminade10.22.22.pdf

Changes made in arranged score:

  • Added in “four count” introduction

  • Changed some notes of left hand to be more standard ballet music style

  • Used only mm. 1-16 in the score

  • Changed cadence to D minor in measure 16 of original score

Videos of Dancers performing combination with selected music:

Reactions while playing the combination:

  • I changed to more of an arpeggio accompaniment while they were doing their port de bras (stretching).

  • They needed extra music at the end of the combination so I improvised until they were finished.