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Arabesque Back Exercises

The arabesque, a famous ballet pose that provides the basis for many others, is also a useful back stretch that can help increase the flexibility of the lower and upper back, hips, thighs and abdomen. Arabesque back exercises are useful for dancers who want to increase the flexibility and height of their arabesque and anyone else who wants to develop their overall flexibility and improve core fitness.

  1. The Arabesque Position

    • Any arabesque stretch is based on the arabesque position in ballet, which a dancer does by standing on the point of one toe while lifting the other leg up behind the back. The dancer may then reach up with the opposite arm to grasp the toe behind the head, or extend the opposite arm out in front, lowering the upper body. You can do the arabesque position in many different postures, but it always involves lifting one leg up behind the body with the leg slightly rotated so that the top of the foot and knee point outward from the body.

    Improving the Arabesque Position

    • One use for arabesque back exercises is for dancers to improve the height and form of the arabesque position; these exercises involve practice with a dance bar or partner. Dancers can improve their form with an arabesque stretch in which, while in arabesque position, they place the foot on an elevated bar or have a partner hold their foot at a certain height, maintaining the position for several minutes and elevating the position at intervals.

      You can turn this arabesque stretch into a resistive stretch by pushing your foot down against the bar or partner's hold for 10 to 30 seconds, then resting for 10 seconds and raising the height of the stretch. Non-dancers or beginners can do this stretch at a lower height or while holding onto a bar or chair for balance, and by pulsing the leg up higher into the arabesque position.

    Stretching the Back with the Arabesque

    • Many other types of back stretch incorporate the arabesque position to increase flexibility and core strength. Begin all of these arabesque back exercises by lying flat on your stomach. One arabesque stretch is to lift and hold one leg and the opposite arm while lying flat, slightly curving the back to lift. Another variation on this back stretch is to lift both arms and both legs, curving the torso slightly and looking out in front of the body. An arabesque stretch that may be especially useful for dancers is to lie on the stomach under a bar and gradually lift the upper body while curving the back, lifting one arm then the other to grasp the bar behind the head. A final stretch to complement arabesque back exercises and relieve muscle tension from stretching the back is to simply roll the torso up and down while reaching down to touch your toes.

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