Barre au Sol x Floor Barre | What's the Difference What's Better?

You listen the terms Floor Barre and Floor-barre and wonder if they're the same. But the truth is: they are not the same. Come with me and I'll tell you all about it!

We use the term Floor Barre for literally every class made on the floor used as training for ballet dancers. But there's actually a technique that's literally called Floor-Barre that was created by Zena Rommett.

And the other classes out there are usually the original method, or inspired classes, of Barre au Sol (french for Floor Barre), a method created by the russian Boris Kniaseff.

These innovative methods combine the beauty of traditional ballet with the unique benefits of exercising on the ground.

So, what's are the differences and the magic of each one of them?

Barre au Sol / Barre à Terre 

In the 1950s, Boris Kniaseff, a Russian-French dancer, created the Barre au Sol method completely out of necessity. He found himself in a dance room without a ballet barre (and he wasn't allowed to install one - can you believe it?), so he developed a series of choreographed exercises performed on the floor. This technique combines ballet techniques with creative expression, focusing on strengthening the feet, torso, elongating muscles, improving coordination, and unlocking joints for an elongated and well-trained body.

Almost every dancer in France, and I dare to say, in Europe, uses this method.

Floor-Barre

Zena Rommett, an Italian-American dance legend, established Floor-Barre in the 1960s. This is considered to be a revolutionary proto-technique that provides dancers with the opportunity to align their bodies, lengthen their muscles, strengthen their joints, and refine their movements while using the floor. It's based on ballet but utilizes anatomic principles, allowing dancers to execute the movements with correct alignment and using only the appropriate muscles.

But, wait a minute! "It sounds the same" - you'll tell me. And it really does, but the truth is that it doesn't feel the same. Actually, the structure of each class is very different and some foundations, also pretty distinct.

What are the Differences between Floor-Barre and Barre au Sol?

Barre au Sol: offers dancers the opportunity to develop and refine their technique and explore their artistic expression while focusing on strengthening the body. The movements performed on the floor alleviate the stress of gravity, allowing for increased body awareness and fluidity. Basically, every movement you would do at the barre, you do it on the floor in different positions (sitting, laying down, on the side). The choreographed exercises offer a unique and dynamic experience that engages the entire body. And there's always music!

Floor-Barre: on the other hand, this technique emphasises are the proper alignment and alignment-based movements. By using the floor, dancers can achieve correct body placement while working on building strength, flexibility, and balance. This technique, pioneered by Zena Rommett, gives dancers the opportunity to align their bodies and fine-tune their movements with precision. By strengthening and elongating the muscles through floor-based exercises, dancers can develop a deeper connection with their bodies and enhance their overall performance. And there's never music.

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Whether you choose to immerse yourself in Rommett's Floor-Barre or Kniaseff's Barre au Sol, both techniques open doors to new dimensions in dance and movement, and it doesn't matter if you're just a ballet enthusiast or a pro-dancer, you'll rip amazing results.

And Ballates classes are inspired by these two techniques, combining them into one for shorter and more accessible to everyone classes. Are you ready to try?