Work Through Your Demi-Plie

Hello, All! I'm so glad you've joined me on my new venture into the world of dance. I hope this blog will help you improve your dancing, think differently about dance, or introduce you to some techniques which may be unfamiliar to you.

For today's tip, we are delving into the importance of the demi-plie. Demi-plie is one of the most important movements in dance. We use demi-plie all the time. It proceeds and finishes every jump, turn and releve/pique. If you aren't using your demi-plie correctly, dance itself is very difficult. If you are struggling with your dancing, examine how you demi-plie. Analyze the way you use your feet, ankles, legs, knees, hips and the floor in this deceptively simple movement.


Demi-plie is defined as a small bending of the legs. It is an exercise we use at the barre to begin warming up the legs, feet, ankles and hips. However, it becomes increasingly important in center work. Here, we use demi-pliés to set up just about everything.


Make sure, when you are performing demi-pliés at the barre, you are keeping the whole foot on the floor. All five (5) toes should be in constant contact with the floor. Turn-out is held in the hips, and you are constantly rotating outward as you perform the demi-plie. To begin the demi-plié, press your feet into the floor as you lift up through the front of your body. There should be a downward force through the spine, elongating through the tailbone, pointing the tailbone down toward the floor. Begin slightly bending the knees, keeping the knees well over the toes. Allow your ankles, knees and hips to relax into the demi-plie. By relaxing these key joints, you allow yourself to reach your full demi-plie.
At the bottom of your demi-plie, press down into the floor, pressing through the feet, as you straighten your legs back to your starting position.

The most important thing to remember when doing a demi-plie is to relax the joints. Allow the full range of motion through the demi-plie. If you do this at the barre when you begin to warm-up, you will do the same later in the more complicated barre exercises and also in the center. By working through your full demi-plie, your turns and jumps will improve.

What do you do to help reach full range of motion in a demi-plie?
Did you try my tips? What were the results?