5 Ballet Traditions Adult Dancers Should Know
- Kalman Warhaft
- 18 hours ago
- 4 min read
Published: 19 October 2025
Adult ballet classes are more than exercise or technique; they immerse students in ballet’s rich traditions and culture. Every element carries meaning, from showing respect through time-honoured customs to preparing at the barre to the unique language dancers share. Even the stage customs surrounding shoes and performance reveal a world where traditions shape every step.
At Melbourne Institute of Dance, students discover how these customs preserve ballet’s history. By blending classroom practices with traditions, adult dancers gain insight into the discipline and artistry that define ballet.
Here are five traditions every adult dancer should know.
1. Traditions of Respect in Ballet
Reverence is one of ballet’s most enduring traditions. At the end of class, dancers bow or curtsey to acknowledge the teacher and pianist, and the lineage of knowledge passed down through generations of dancers. More than a ritual, it reinforces respect and gratitude while symbolising ballet’s heritage.
Similar gestures continue this custom on stage. In the curtain call, dancers bow to thank the audience, while the audience’s applause acknowledges their artistry and effort. This exchange of respect blends tradition with performance etiquette and helps adult ballet students see how their weekly practices are mirrored in the theatre, bridging the studio and stage.
Through this tradition, dancers experience continuity with ballet’s history. They understand that ballet is not only steps and movements, but a discipline built on respect, ritual, and connection across centuries - a living tradition that adult dancers still share today.
2. Preparation at the Barre and Backstage
The barre is the opening tradition of every ballet class, where adult ballet dancers prepare their bodies and minds. This practice instils focus and discipline; for many, it becomes a comforting start, setting the tone for the lesson.
Professional dancers mirror this sense of preparation with backstage routines before a performance. Many rely on specific stretches, breathing patterns, or sequences they repeat each night. These customs blend practicality with belief, as repeating a familiar pattern is thought to bring confidence and good fortune.
By learning the importance of the barre in class, adult ballet students see how preparation carries directly into the backstage world of performance. Both practices involve readiness, confidence, and grounding before stepping onto the studio floor or stage.
3. The Traditional Language of Ballet
The words you hear and say in ballet can be as important as the steps you perform. In class, adult dancers quickly learn the French vocabulary that structures each exercise and provides a universal language. This shared terminology connects students across cultures and generations.
Language also carries meaning on stage. Saying good luck to a dancer before a show is considered unlucky. Instead, the word merde is used - a quirky but profound saying upheld by dancers worldwide. In Australia, performers and theatre-goers say chookas, a phrase linked to prosperity and success, which has become a beloved way of wishing dancers well.
This overlap reminds adult ballet dancers that words matter. Studio language unites the ballet community, while stage sayings like merde and chookas highlight the enduring belief that words hold power.
4. Shoes, Studios, and Ballet Customs
Shoes and floors are at the heart of many ballet traditions, especially the respect shown for the studio as a dedicated dance space. In adult ballet classes, teachers explain that outdoor shoes should not be worn in the studio, treating it as almost sacred.
Similarly, breaking in ballet slippers or pointe shoes follows a set of rituals that every dancer embraces. Linked to on-stage customs, it is said to be bad luck to place pointe shoes on a table, and many dancers have unique routines for preparing them before a show. Some even sew ribbons or elastics in a particular order to ensure good luck.
Realizing these customs, adult ballet students understand how practical habits evolve into stage traditions. Both reflect dancers' deep respect for their shoes, studios, and language.
5. Traditions That Build Community in Adult Ballet
Traditions are central to how ballet creates a sense of community. In adult ballet classes at Melbourne Institute of Dance, students share meaningful practices such as warming up together, maintaining studio etiquette, and thanking the teacher. These traditions encourage respect, discipline, and connection, transforming the studio into a supportive space.
On stage, long-standing traditions strengthen bonds among performers. From curtain calls to shared pre-performance routines, these practices are more than habits; they build camaraderie and a sense of belonging, linking dancers through shared values and experiences.
By recognising the continuity between studio traditions and stage practices, adult ballet students understand that their training is part of something greater than a weekly class. These traditions link them to ballet’s heritage and history, while building community in the present.
Understanding this consistency between studio traditions and stage practices authenticates adult students' training. It allows them to feel part of something more than their weekly class, connected to the heritage and history of ballet itself.
At Melbourne Institute of Dance, adult ballet classes connect dancers to the living traditions of respect, preparation, language, customs, and community that define ballet.
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