A simple and fun battement piqué to do at the barre with your beginning ballet students. The pattern is just tricky enough to be a challenge and the dancers will feel accomplished when they get it.

This exercise is great for learning to shift weight and really helps to warm the hips before rond de jambe. All of my classes from beginning to advanced are doing variations of this combination this month: the beginners are working on their piqué and patterning, the intermediate level is working at a faster tempo, and my advanced dancers are loving how warm they feel after two repetitions of this combo.

Prep: 1st position, facing the barre

Battement piqué en croix for 6 cts (front, side, back, side, front, side)
Close 1st

Battement piqué à la seconde and close first with the right foot, repeat with the left foot
Double piqué à la seconde and close first with the right foot, repeat with the left foot

Repeat the whole pattern starting left.
Reverse the whole pattern beginning with the right foot derrière