How to Do a Plie in Ballet

Co-authored by Geraldine Grace Johns and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: December 23, 2022 References

A plié is a simple ballet step that is learned while covering the basics. Although it’s often taught to beginners, it’s one of the most important movements that you’ll learn because it’s used in so many different dance steps. By nailing the right form and correct body positions, you can learn how to plié in minutes—however, mastering the form can take years, so keep practicing! Read on to learn how to do a plié.

Question 1 of 6:

What is a plié?

It’s a bended knee exercise usually done at the barre. It’s also used in jumps and turns to absorb shock and prevent injuries in the knees. It’s one of the first moves that you’ll learn, but you’ll have time to perfect it as you advance your technique.^{[1]
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- You can do a plié from all 5 ballet positions (first position, second position, third position, fourth position, and fifth position).
- A plié is one of the 7 basic dance movements in the Cecchetti method.

Question 2 of 6:

What are the 2 different types of a plié?

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A demi-plié is a bend in the knees with your heels on the ground. You won’t bend down as far in a demi-plié, and you might need to work a little more on your balance and control. This is usually the first type of plié that you’ll learn.^{[2]
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A grand-plié is a bend in the knees with your heels off the ground. In this plié, you’ll bend down as far as you can go while keeping your spine straight and your backside tucked. It can take a little more strength and muscle to control the plié all the way back up.^{[3]
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Question 3 of 6:

How do you do a demi-plié?

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Start in first position and bend with your knees. Turn out in first position using your hip joint.^{[4]
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Expert Source

Geraldine Grace Johns
Professional Ballerina & Ballet Instructor
Expert Interview. 11 November 2020.} Start by bending your knees just slightly, keeping your upper body straight with your shoulders down. Don’t stick your backside out or adjust your hips—simply lower at the knees while keeping the rest of your body straight.^{[5]
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Expert Source

Geraldine Grace Johns
Professional Ballerina & Ballet Instructor
Expert Interview. 11 November 2020.}
2
Keep your heels planted. Stop bending your knees when they extend just over your toes. If you feel your heels starting to come off the ground, stop bending.^{[6]
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3
Rise slowly and gracefully back into first position. Push your weight straight down into the floor with your legs and feet to push yourself back up. Continue keeping your shoulders down, head up, and bottom tucked during the upward movement. Continue rising until your thighs and knees are back together in your starting position.^{[7]
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Question 4 of 6:

How do you do a grand-plié?

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Bend with your knees as you lift your heels off the ground. Since you are bending further down at the knees in a grand-plié, your heels will naturally come off the ground. Even though the weight shifts to the forward parts of your feet entirely, your upper body should be perfectly straight, meaning your center of gravity should still feel as though you are standing with legs straight.^{[8]
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Continue bending your knees until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Once your heels come off the ground, keep bending your knees even lower. Continue lowering as far as you can until your thighs are nearly horizontal and your knees are almost fully bent.^{[9]
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Rise back to first position. Engage your quads and glutes to push your body back upwards into your starting position. When rising, use your feet and legs rather than simply the knees to straighten. Push down with your raised heels to reconnect them with the floor as soon as possible in the rising motion.^{[10]
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Question 5 of 6:

Which muscles do you use in a plié?

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Your abs keep your spine and upper body straight. It’s important not to hunch over or bend your spine as you lower down. You can control your movements by engaging your core and your abs to lock your spine into place.^{[11]
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Your legs and glutes control your downward and upward motion. As you bend down, engage, your glutes, quads, and hamstrings to slow your movement. When you rise up, engage your glutes, quads, and hamstrings again to push yourself up slowly without jerking your body around.^{[12]
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Question 6 of 6:

Which stretches help with a plié?

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Do calf stretches for a deeper plié. Place your hands on a wall or the barre and stick one foot out about 12 in (30 cm) behind you. Bend your front knee and push your back heel down onto the floor until you feel a stretch in your calf, then hold it for about 30 seconds. Repeat this on the other leg.^{[13]
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Stretch your inner thighs with a butterfly stretch. Sit down on the ground and pull your heels in toward yourself, letting your knees splay outward to create a diamond shape with your legs. Rest your elbows on your knees and slowly lean forward until you feel a stretch in your inner thighs. Hold the position for 30 seconds to 1 minute at a time.

Expert Q&A
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Question

How can I improve my plie?

Geraldine Grace Johns
Professional Ballerina & Ballet Instructor
Geraldine Grace Johns is a Professional Ballerina and the Owner of Grace Ballet in New York and Los Angeles. Geraldine toured through New Zealand, Australia, Japan, and Korea as Jammes in Ken Hill's Original Phantom of the Opera. She has studied with the Royal Academy of Dance in London to become a teacher and taught for the Kudo School of Ballet in Yokohama. Geraldine also ran her own Royal Academy of Dance School in New Zealand before studying at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City. Geraldine was a guest coach and Master Class teacher in Toronto for the Canadian Royal Academy of Dance's Dance Challenge in 2018, 2019, and 2020. She was also a guest coach and Master Class teacher for the USA Royal Academy of Dance Challenge in Long Beach, California in 2019 and 2020. Grace Ballet Los Angeles has won recognition as one of 13 Best Ballet Schools in Los Angeles since opening her school. Geraldine is a contract Practical Teaching Supervisor for the Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies for the Royal Academy of Dance.

Geraldine Grace Johns

Professional Ballerina & Ballet Instructor

Expert Answer

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Keep your knees in alignment with your first two toes, your back straight, and your tummy lifted. Think of your waist as a bucket of water—you want to keep everything perfectly straight.
Question

What if I don't have a teacher and I'm learning the plié. How can I know that I'm doing right or wrong?

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Try watching yourself in a full-length mirror to track your movements. If you need an example to look at, look up YouTube videos of people practicing pliés. If you keep at it, you'll master the plié in no time!
Question

I find turning my hips out 180 degrees really easy, am I doing it right?

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If you've been doing ballet for a while, turning out to 180 degrees is probably easy for you. If you're a beginner and you're finding it really easy to turn out, bend your knees to see if they stay aligned with your toes. If your knees are in front of your toes, you're probably turning out too far.

Warnings

Turn-out from your legs at the hip joints. Don't force your knees and ankles to bend at uncomfortable angles because it will lead to injury.

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