5 Major Muscle Groups Strengthened by Adult Ballet Classes in Melbourne
- Kalman Warhaft
- Sep 5
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 10
Published: 5th September 2025
At Melbourne Institute of Dance, we believe ballet is much more than graceful movement. Ballet lessons engage essential muscle groups that support balance, posture, and overall well-being, making it a unique and holistic discipline.
Whether you are starting an adult ballet class for the first time or returning after many years, the training offered at leading dance schools in Melbourne delivers value far beyond the studio. Ballet develops resilience and creativity, and supports long-term physical health.
Here are five major muscle groups strengthened by adult ballet classes.
1. Deep Core Muscles
Ballet demands continuous engagement of the deep core, especially the transverse abdominis and multifidus. These muscles stabilise the spine and pelvis, helping dancers maintain balance and precision.
At Melbourne Institute of Dance, exercises strengthen the core, building a foundation that supports posture, reduces injury risk, and enhances overall stability. A well-conditioned core is vital not only for ballet technique but also for everyday movement.
Did you know that core strength has historically been central to ballet? From Renaissance courts to the techniques of King Louis XIV, dancers carried themselves upright with elegance. Adult ballet classes continue this tradition today, building strength that extends into daily life.
2. Hip Stabilisers
Hip stabilisers, including the gluteus medius and external rotators, are essential for turnout and alignment. Strong hips allow dancers to move precisely and create the clean, open lines that define ballet.
Our students strengthen these muscles through careful placement and repetition. It builds safe technique, confidence, and a deeper understanding of ballet’s foundations.
Turnout, introduced in the 1600s at the French court, allowed dancers to move with more range and present steps to the audience with elegance. Adult ballet classes continue to train the hips in this way.
3. Calf and Ankle Muscles
Every rise, jump, and extension in ballet depends on the calves and ankles. Muscles such as the soleus, tibialis posterior, and peroneals provide stability, absorb landings, and allow dancers to articulate through the feet.
Our adult classes at Melbourne Institute of Dance carefully train these areas through exercises like relevés, tendus, and allegro combinations. Over time, dancers develop precision and control, enhancing grace and confidence.
History tells us that pointe work in the 19th century pushed calf and ankle strength to new limits. While adult beginners may not dance en pointe, the same foundational training continues to build strong, expressive movement today.
4. Pelvic Floor and Postural Muscles
Ballet naturally engages the pelvic floor and deep postural muscles, creating alignment that supports elegant carriage and controlled movement. These muscles provide the invisible strength behind balance, poise, and the ability to sustain long phrases of choreography.
In our Deepdene studio, adult students learn how posture and breath connect to movement. This awareness builds strength and presence, giving dancers a refined sense of control that extends into everyday life.
Many don’t realise that Louis XIV insisted on upright posture as a mark of nobility in dance. This expectation shaped ballet training for centuries, and it remains central to ballet today.
5. Upper Back and Shoulder Stabilisers
The upper back and shoulders are vital in framing ballet’s signature arm movements. These movements, known as port de bras, were designed to tell stories on stage. From the French courts to Romantic ballets, gestures of the upper body have always carried emotion and remain central to ballet today.
Muscles such as the serratus anterior and trapezius allow the arms to move freely while maintaining a lifted chest and proud stance. This expressive use of the arms conveys grace and builds strength and stability in the upper body.
In adult ballet classes, students learn to carry their arms elegantly while avoiding unnecessary tension, developing a sense of lightness and control. Our programs strengthen major muscle groups while immersing students in ballet’s artistry and heritage.
By the 18th century, French ballet masters formalised port de bras, ensuring that arm movements carried both technical precision and expressive power.
Searching for ballet classes in Melbourne or dance schools near me? Tradition and technique unite at Melbourne Institute of Dance.
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+61 436 342 295
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