How to Improve Your Barre Work | Pro Tip from Melody Staples Hammell

Our current Featured Guest Melody Staples Hammell is a former principal dancer with Charleston Ballet Theater. We asked her to share some pro tips that she learned during her extensive career, and today, she shared about how you can improve your weaker side at the barre.

Melody says:

I was in my mid-twenties and had been dancing professionally for about 5 years when I realized that I always balanced better on my right at the barre--except when the combination switched sides before the balance and therefore my first balance of the combination happened on the left. Then, my left balance was better.

I was the only one who stood on my side of the barre each day, so I decided to do an experiment and start to the left for a couple days. I was shocked to discover that although I thought I was better to the right, I was actually just better to the firstside! From then on, I started each combination to the left every day and was able to significantly improve my “weaker” side. This is very easy for you to implement right now while classes are over the internet.

Image: Special thanks to Flora McLeod, former student of Melody's and dancer with American Repertory Ballet.