Try out this Relevé Combination for the Pool!
This relevé combination for the pool blog post is the third in our series of swimming pool fun and activity. For more articles on this same topic, click here.
If you’ve already read other posts in this series, skip directly to the exercises!
For summer fun and dance practice at the same time, nothing beats ballet in the pool. The workout below is a great form of exercise which adds resistance to your movements and helps you train alignment and balance. Just make sure to use sunglasses and sunscreen to protect your eyes and skin! To continue your dance education, check out our 2019 – 2020 class schedule.
How to do a Relevé
Relevé, which simply means “raised,” is an essential part of dance training. For those who’ve never heard of the step, spread your toes nice and wide as you press the ball of your foot into the floor and raise your heel until the heel won’t go any higher. It’s like standing on your tiptoes, but the ballet version emphasizes proper placement as you rise up. Make sure your knees and back are straight, so that your body forms a straight line from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet. Check out this video for a visual demonstration of relevé from first position.
When performing relevé in the pool it’s important to consider your surroundings. Don’t practice this combination if anyone is likely to jump on you or knock you over, and make sure your body and feet are warmed up beforehand. The best way to practice this combination is on a level pool floor with water that ideally reaches your chest height, but it can be as low as hip height.
Relevé Combination for the Pool
For all of these exercises, stand either facing the side of the pool with your hands resting on the edge to create a stationary barre, or stand anywhere with your hands resting on a pool noodle for a mobile barre.
Always do the exercises correct for your experience level, but if you’re ready, jump to the intermediate or advanced versions of this exercise!
Beginner
If you’re not sure how to do a relevé, check out our description above!
With both hands on your barre and your feet together, toes pointing forward, rise up to relevé for a slow count of two, then lower the heel for two more slow counts. Repeat the two-count relevé again, then lower your heels for two counts.
As soon as your heels touch the floor, keep your back straight and bend your knees as far as you can while keeping the heels on the ground for one slow count. Keep your knees bent as you lift your heels off the floor as high as you can for one slow count, then try to keep the top of your foot stretched long as you straighten your knees for one more slow count. Then lower your heels for one slow count.
Repeat this exercise in first position, second position and third position with both right and left foot in front. When in these turned out positions, make sure to keep your legs turned out from the hip and your knees facing outward even when you’re in relevé or plié.
Intermediate
If this exercise is too much, try the beginner version of this exercise. If you need more, check out our advanced version.
With both hands on your barre and your feet together, toes pointing forward, rise up to relevé for a slow count of two, then lower the heel for two more slow counts. Repeat the two-count relevé again, then lower your heels for two counts.
Relevé one more time, this time for a slow count of one, then keep your knees straight and use just your toes to push off from the floor of the pool as hard as you can. You want to jump up into the air using only the power of your toes. When you land, roll through toe-ball-heel and land in plié, then straighten your legs back to starting position.
Repeat this exercise in first position, second position, fourth position with both right and left foot in front and fifth position with both right and left foot in front. Make sure to keep your shoulders and arms relaxed when you push off for your jumps.
Advanced
If this exercise is too much, check out the intermediate or beginner form of this exercise.
With both hands on your barre and your feet together, toes pointing forward, relevé for a slow count of one, then keep your knees straight and use just your toes to push off from the floor of the pool as hard as you can. You want to jump up into the air using only the power of your toes. When you land, roll through toe-ball-heel and land in plié, then straighten your legs back to starting position.
Repeat this two more times, then repeat the whole exercise in first position, second position, fourth position with both right and left foot in front and fifth position with both right and left foot in front. Make sure to keep your shoulders and arms relaxed when you push off for your jumps.
That’s it! Students of all levels can repeat this exercise in the pool without using the barre in order to focus on their technique in the individual step, or check out our other pool exercises by clicking here.
If you enjoy our posts and want more personalized dance training, check out our 2019 – 2020 class listings!