Barre terminology may, at times, seem like a foreign language, especially when you’re a barre beginner.
Each barre class is not the same at every studio; neither are the barre terms. Universally, I’ve noticed one word remains the same in just about every barre studio: tuck. A tuck is a movement in which you tilt your pelvic bone under while your pubic bone makes an upward tilt towards the bottom of your ribs. A tuck engages your glutes, lower abdominals, and depending on what position you are in, it can engage your quadriceps and hamstrings.
Below is a list of barre terms and definitions you may hear at one or more studios.
Barre Positions
Plié / Wide turned out
A movement in which you bend the knees and straighten them again. The feet are in a turned-out position while you are in a wide stance.
First position / Narrow V / Athletic V
You are standing on the floor with your heels touching and your toes apart. If you gaze down, your feet should make a ‘V’ shape.
Second position / Turned out squat
Stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder distance and turn your toes out slightly on a diagonal.
Parallel
A stance where the feet look like the number 11. Usually, the feet are placed together or hip-width apart.
Parallel squat
Place your feet directly under your hips with your feet and knees facing forward.
Pretzel (sitting position)
This may be done at the barre or on the ground. This is a more complicated barre move. On the ground, start with one leg in front and one leg back. Place your front shin in line with the mat or baseboard and keep your back leg slightly behind the hip.
Demonstrating the seated and standing pretzel position. Photo: Ashley M. Location: The Dailey Method Indianapolis
Back Dancing
This is when you lay on the floor with your feet pressing into the ground. As you press your feet into the floor, lift your hips up towards the ceiling while squeezing your glutes.
Ashley demonstrates back dancing. Photo: Ashley M. Location: The Dailey Method Indianapolis
Chair pose (generic version)
A position in which a person pulls off the barre as they sit in a chair as if it were really there. Your knees should track over your ankles while your hips stay in line with your knees. Your hips stay underneath your shoulders. Your shins face forward.
Chair position. Photo: Ashley M. Location: The Dailey Method Indianapolis
High C-curve
This is a movement in which you create a ‘c’ shape with your spine. Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your hands gripping your hamstrings; press your feet into the ground as you start to round down one vertebra at a time. Tip your hips and try to touch your tailbone to the ground.
Ashley demonstrates the high c-curve position. Photo: Ashley M. Location: The Dailey Method Indianapolis
Prone
A position in which you are lying face down. Typically, you will work on strengthening the back body in this position.
Extension / Foldover / Flat back foldover
This is a position where you pull off the barre (fold over the barre) and lift one leg. Keep the leg in line or under the hip. You will maintain a neutral spine but square off your shoulders and hips.
Ashley demonstrates a foldover with an extension. Photo: Ashley M. Location: The Dailey Method Indianapolis
Barre Categories
Seat work
This is when you will perform exercises designed to focus on the hamstrings and glutes area.
Thigh work
This is when you will perform exercises designed to focus on the quadriceps.
Ashley demonstrates thigh dancing which is an exercise that works the top of the thighs. Photo: Ashley M. Location: The Dailey Method Indianapolis
Flat back on the floor or wall
Abdominal work either performed with a neutral spine on the ground or at the wall.
Ashley demonstrates flat back at the wall. Photo: Ashley M. Location: The Dailey Method Indianapolis
Neutral spine
A position held with the back perfectly in line from the tailbone to the spine to the neck and head.
Round back
A position in which the spine is curved, a flexion position.
Barre Terms / Phrases
Burn
When the muscles are about to fatigue and you begin shaking. Instructors may say something similar to “find that burn” or “find that shake”.
Pulse
A movement typically done to the beat of the music with a very small range of motion. It’s similar to when an instructor says “down-an-inch then up-an-inch”.
Relevé
The word is used to instruct you to lift your heel off the ground.
Point / flex
A point is when you extend your toes away from your shin. The idea is to lengthen your muscles and reach with your toes. A flex position is when you pull your toes up towards your shin giving you a calf and hamstring stretch.
Bend stretch
A tiny quiver in the joint followed immediately by an extension and contraction of the muscle being worked.
Down-an-inch-up-an-inch
A one-inch range of movement in a slow, controlled motion. Slightly larger than a pulse, smaller than a full range of motion.
Heavy tailbone
A position that is held by engaging the core and bringing the spine to neutral, creating a straight line from the head to the tailbone.
Hold / Isometric movement
A movement held in its deepest, tightest, lowest position to achieve isometric contraction. May be used with down hold, lift hold, squeeze hold, circle hold, etc.
Low impact
A low impact exercise that keeps at least one foot on the ground at all times.
Pelvic floor
The pelvic floor consists of the deepest muscles of the pelvis located between the two sitz bones from side to side and between the bases of the sacrum posteriorly and the pubic bone anteriorly.
Pressback
Typically refers to a movement of the knees backward while keeping a heavy tailbone position. The two motions create the opposing forces at work to lean and tone the muscles.
Shake
A movement in which your muscles start to quiver because of the difficulty of the position.
Stall barre
A piece of equipment used for corrective and strengthening exercises. It is secured to a wall and people typically hold at the very top of it and hang down.
While there are a variety of barre terms not mentioned, I feel these are the most confusing when trying a barre class your first time. Additionally, the exercises and phrases may be used interchangeably.
About the Author
Ashley fell in love with barre while in college. After taking classes for a year, the owner asked Ashley if she would like to be a barre instructor and the rest is history! After Ashley graduated, she decided to continue her love for instructing barre at a variety of studios around Indiana. Ashley is a current barre instructor at The Dailey Method Indianapolis. Ashley has a passion for helping others find or continue their fitness journey, and she enjoys the friendships she makes along the way.
