Fouettés On Pointe Course
Isabella McGuire Mayes • 12 Lessons
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Introduction
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Introduction to the course3:00
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Lesson 1 – Barre Drills20.00
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Lesson 2 – Fouetté At The Barre20:00
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Lesson 3 – Centre Drills On Flat20:00
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Lesson 4 – How To Use Your Back And Core10:00
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Lesson 5 – Starting Well, On Pointe & Weight Placement10:00
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Lesson 6 – Different Types Of Fouetté Style20:00
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Lesson 7 – Starting And Finishing Well7:00
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Lesson 8 – Where Should We Spot?11:00
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Lesson 9 – How To Gain Speed5:00
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Lesson 10 – Mastering 32 Fouettés On Pointe5:00
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Lesson 11 – Practice Makes Perfect3:00
Course outline
About the course.
Few things in ballet are as thrilling — or as challenging — as a series of fouettés on pointe. These turns demand so much more than simply whipping the leg and spotting; they are the perfect storm of strength, control, and refined technique.
To execute them with confidence, a dancer must develop powerful, stable ankles and lower legs to support every relevé, a strong core and turnout to maintain alignment through each rotation, and a deep understanding of the mechanics of the turn — from the plié and push-off to the timing of the whip and spot.
In this course, we break down fouettés into clear, manageable layers. You’ll start by refining foundations with barre drills that strengthen and prepare the legs and ankles, then progress to controlled fouettés learning how to start and finisih them well, technique of doing 32 as well as being able to diessect your own issues when you come across them.
Along the way, we’ll tackle the most common mistakes — such as traveling across the floor, losing balance, or running out of momentum — and work on endurance so your turns stay strong all the way to the iconic 32. We’ll also explore different fouetté variations and ways to finish with confidence and polish.
Whether you’re chasing your first fouettés on pointe or striving to conquer the legendary 32 fouettés, this course will give you the strength, clarity, and control to approach them without fear and finally make this iconic skill your own.
Fouetté on pointe course breakdown.
In this introduction video, Isabella welcomes you into the world of fouettés on pointe — one of ballet’s most iconic (and challenging) turns. You’ll learn what makes a fouetté successful: strong preparation, clear coordination, effortless spotting, and the ability to maintain control no matter how many turns you’re aiming for.
Isabella explains how this course is designed to take you from foundational barre drills to confident centre work, breaking down each element of the fouetté so you can master it step by step.
In this first lesson, we focus on building the lower-leg strength and stability you need for secure fouettés on pointe. Isabella guides you through a series of rising drills at the barre — first on two legs, then progressing to one leg — to develop the power, control, and alignment required for effortless turns.
These barre drills lay the technical foundation for your fouettés, helping you feel secure, strong, and lifted before you even leave the barre.
n this lesson, we bring your barre strength and alignment into turning action. With one hand lightly on the barre, Isabella guides you through fouetté preparation exercises that help you connect the whipping leg, supporting side, and upper body coordination needed for clean, controlled turns.
You’ll work on:
Spotting and upper body placement while staying lifted through the core.
The timing of the working leg — mastering the whip and return with precision.
This step bridges the gap between static barre strength and dynamic turning technique, giving you confidence and control before moving fully to the centre.
In this lesson, we step away from the barre and begin training fouettés in the centre on flat to refine your turning mechanics without the added challenge of pointe.
Isabella leads you through controlled drills to help you feel balanced, coordinated, and powerful while staying fully aligned.
By the end of this lesson, you’ll feel secure, centred, and technically ready to take your fouettés to the next level.
In this lesson, we focus on the true engine of a successful fouetté — your back and core. Isabella breaks down how to activate and control the deep abdominal muscles and upper back so your turns feel supported, centred, and effortless rather than forced from the legs.
In this lesson, Isabella shows you how to set yourself up for success with the first turn. You’ll learn how to find the perfect weight placement on pointe so your fouettés feel secure, balanced, and controlled from the very first rotation.
You’ll work on:
Finding your centre of gravity over the supporting leg.
In this lesson, Isabella introduces you to the variety of fouetté styles used across schools of training. You’ll learn how to adapt your technique depending on whether the working leg comes front to the side, straight to the side, or with stylistic variations.
In this lesson, Isabella teaches you how to begin and end your fouettés like a pro — no shaky take-offs or uncertain landings. You’ll learn how to enter the turn with control and finish with strength, balance, and artistry.
You’ll work on:
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Clean, stable preparations to launch the first turn with ease.
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Maintaining lift and alignment throughout the final rotations.
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Techniques to finish on balance — whether in retiré, a controlled plié, or a dramatic pose.
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Developing a sense of performance quality while keeping the technique solid.
By the end of this lesson, you’ll know how to start with power and finish with confidence, giving your fouettés a polished, stage-ready look.
In this lesson, Isabella helps you discover where to spot during fouettés — a crucial element for balance, control, and performance quality. While some dancers spot straight across, others prefer to spot slightly down the front of the stage. There’s no single rule — it’s about finding what feels the most natural and keeps your turns steady.
Now that you’ve mastered the foundations of balance, control, and alignment, it’s time to add speed and momentum to your fouettés. In this lesson, Isabella shows you how to turn faster while staying lifted, controlled, and technically precise.
You’ll work on:
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Using the back and core to drive clean, powerful rotations.
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Maintaining turnout and leg placement even as the speed increases.
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Harnessing the arms for controlled acceleration without losing balance.
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Staying calm and centred as the turns become faster and more dynamic.
By the end of this lesson, you’ll feel ready to increase your tempo with strength and control, setting you up for impressive, stage-worthy fouettés.
In this final lesson, it’s time to bring everything together — strength, control, alignment, speed, and artistry — as we work toward performing the iconic 32 fouettés on pointe.
This is where all your hard work comes together — giving you the tools and confidence to perform multiple, stage-ready fouettés on pointe with strength and precision,
Your dedicated practice session is here! In this video, you’ll join our amazing student Miriam as she works through 32 fouettés on pointe, putting all the course corrections and techniques into action.
Use this session as your go-to practice tool whenever you want to:
Refine your technique and corrections from the course.
Build consistency and endurance for multiple fouettés.
Follow along, pause when you need to, and repeat as often as you like — this is your space to apply everything you’ve learned and become steady, powerful, and confident with 32 fouettés on pointe.
Meet your teacher.
Isabella McGuire Mayes
Isabella trained at The Royal Ballet School and then became the first British girl to join the Vaganova Ballet Academy in Saint Petersburg at 15 where she studied for 4 years. She joined the Mikhailovsky Ballet in Russia as a soloist and later danced with Eifman Ballet. Isabella then founded BWI and is working with dancers worldwide to help them achieve their goals.
What you’ll learn .
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Build the strength and stability in your feet, ankles, and core to support powerful, controlled fouettés on pointe.
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Understand the exact mechanics of a clean fouetté: plié push-off, whip timing, spotting, and sustaining momentum.
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Learning how to control speed, travel less, and stay centred.
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Fix common fouetté mistakes, like drifting across the floor, losing balance, or fatiguing mid-turn.
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Train endurance and artistry to confidently work up to the iconic 32 fouettés with strength and style.
Who is this for?
- Ages 13 and above and adults of all levels.
- Dancers’ wanting to improve and optimise their neuromuscular control.
- Dancers’ wanting to develop body strength, awareness and reduce their risk of dance related injuries.
- Dancers’ who want to improve strength, stability, flexibility and mobility for improved fouetté technique.
Who is this not for?
- Dancers’ carrying acute injuries.
- Dancers’ requiring specific rehab in relation to an injury.
- Dancers who are beginner
- Dancers who can’t do a double turn
Pricing.
Each tier has something very special to offer. Let’s dive in and see which plan will suit your needs best taking your ballet to the next level!
Corps
Watch anytime and anywhere.
- Access to Online Studio Classes
- Live BWI Classes & Recordings
- Access to Online Studio Plans & Courses
- Direct communication with Isabella and the Principal team to discuss goals
- New personalised plan every 8 weeks
- Personalised video where the BWI team walks you through your plan
Soloist
Expect a greater understanding, detailed lessons and big progress.
- Access to Online Studio Classes
- Live BWI Classes & Recordings
- Access to Online Studio Plans & Courses
- Direct communication with Isabella and the Principal team to discuss goals
- New personalised plan every 8 weeks
- Personalised video where the BWI team walks you through your plan
Principal
Structured plans made just for you by Isabella along with direct communication with her.
Isabella will help you reach your desired goals. This gets results.
If no spots, contact us to be put on the waitlist.
- Access to Online Studio Classes
- Live BWI Classes & Recordings
- Access to Online Studio Plans & Courses
- Direct communication with Isabella and the Principal team to discuss goals
- New personalised plan every 8 weeks
- Personalised video where the BWI team walks you through your plan
Related courses.
Take a look at our related courses below.
5 minute
7 minutes
9 minutes
7 minutes
8 minutes
7 minutes
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4 minutes
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3 hours
Introduction
Barre Drills
Fouettés At The Barre
Centre Drills On Flat
How To Use Your Back And Core
Pointe Shoes : Starting Well In Your Fouettés
Different Types Of Fouettés
Starting And Finishing Well
Where Should We Spot
How To Gain Speed
Mastering 32 On Pointe
Practice 32 With Us
Level 1: Commonly injured area, demanding rep evolving. Arabesque and overuse settle quickly, muscle spasms, pathology to disc or bony structures like stress fractures, over use, lack of rest, lack of strength in back and core. 2. Importance of mobility of tx, can limit function of other areas, load transfer. 3. Controlling use of thoracic extn. 4. What is the core, common beliefs, 360 degree support, crunches, deeper muscles. 5. Anti extension scissors. 6. POS, learning to use the glutes with the back and closing the pelvis for support. 7. Working in box plank, dissociation. 8. Requirement for good hamstring length and effect on pelvis. 9. Working the side of our body, anti lateral flexion. Sh girdle, obliques, glutes. 10. Working the glutes for endurance in functional dance positions, dissociating from the back. 11. Working in functional compound movements.
Achievements from level 1, tx mobility, activation of core 360. 2. Isolating lumbar spine extension, activating the muscles that support this. 3. Isolating the sh girdle, ability to ‘get shoulders down’ and connect the core. 4. Progressing the deadbug to straight leg and opp arm, longer levers and increased time under tension. 5. Combining 2 core areas in one exercise. 6. Glute max in more functional position. 7. Progressing deadlifts, compound, multiple muscle groups, correct alignment, dissociation.
Learning objs from L1 and 2, mobilise all areas of your spine, what core is and how to find, L3 turns up the intensity to challenge you more and build more resilience. 2. Combining upper and lower back with scap stability, glutes on. L3 aiming to combine many muscle groups. 3. Reflecting on RA and TrA isolation, coupling these together, with increased intensity, using both legs together. 4. Using plank work to allow our body to fire up the core under body weight, learning to shift weight from one side to the other in a controlled way. 5. Side plank for functional training of our supporting leg. How easy this then is in standing.
The importance of pre-fuelling
How to build balanced meals from your store cupboard
How to eat well on a budget
Hydration for performance and recovery
Post-training nutrition and recovery
The role of vitamins, minerals, and supplements
Answers to your most common nutrition questions .
How to shop like a performance nutritionist
5 minute
7 minutes
9 minutes
7 minutes
Introduction
Floor Barre Drills
Theraband Drills
Turning Drills At The Barre
Centre Drills
Isabella’s Expert Tutorials and practice
5 minute
7 minutes
9 minutes
7 minutes
8 minutes
7 minutes
7 minutes
4 minutes
7 minutes
3 hours
1 minute
7 minutes
9 minutes
7 minutes
8 minutes
7 minutes
7 minutes
4 minutes
7 minutes
3 hours
5 minute
7 minutes
9 minutes
7 minutes
8 minutes
7 minutes
7 minutes
4 minutes
7 minutes
3 hours
The primary goal of this plan is to develop and enhance technique by promoting progress in areas such as turnout, extensions, arabesque lines, foot strength, and pirouettes. Additionally, it aims to support the physical and mental well-being of dancers throughout the school term. Instead of focusing on intensity, the strategy emphasizes intelligent strength training and mobility. Each day targets a specific area of focus, allowing different muscle groups to rest and recover while engaging others.
Floore barre on wall
Happy Hamstrings
Foot and Ankle Injury Prevention
Turnout Stretch Class
Dancers Core
Full Body Stretch
Floor Barre For Developpe
10 Minute Abs
Barre Cardio
Intrinsic Foot Workout
Ballerina Cardio Blast
Positivity Stretch and Flow
Mat Madness Beat Mode
Level 1: Foundation & Mobility (Weeks 1–3)
This level is about waking up the body and preparing it for deeper flexibility.
You’ll focus on:
Gentle mobility drills for hips, hamstrings, and hip flexors
Myofascial release techniques to reduce tension
Introductory stretches with proper alignment
Perfect for complete beginners or anyone returning to stretching after a break. The key here is consistency — showing up and giving your body time to adapt.
Level 2: Active flexibility & Control (Weeks 4-6)
Now that your body is primed, we begin working on active flexibility and control.
You’ll focus on:
Longer hold times in foundational stretches
Chair- and block-assisted drills for depth and support
Active engagement of glutes, core, and legs to create true flexibility. Strengthening supporting muscles around the hips and pelvis. Dynamic stretches to build range and coordination
This level bridges the gap between flexibility and functional mobility — helping you go deeper with control, not force.
Level 3: Find your full range (Weeks 7-9)
You’ve done the groundwork — now it’s time to commit to your full range.
You’ll focus on: Combining mobility, strength, and alignment in full split practice. Holding deeper splits with the aid of props (chair, blocks, wall)
Exploring full range in front and middle splits
Flow-style sessions to connect and challenge your flexibility
Learning your new go-to splits maintenance routine
This level is about owning your flexibility. Whether you’re fully flat or still a few inches away, you’ll come out of this with a strong, safe, and sustainable practice to carry forward.
Floor Barre Core
Turnout Stretch Class
Dancers Core
Advanced Ballet Pointe Course L1
Turnout and Beats Conditioning
Arabesque Workout Advanced
Floor Barre with The Magic Circle
Advanced Stretch
Ultimate Back Workout
Foot & Ankle Dancer Injury Prevention L2
Mat Madness Challenge Day 7 – Turnout and stretch
Strength for Développé
Floor Barre on the Wall
Side Extensions and Mobility
Dancers Core
Foot & Ankle Dancer Injury Prevention L3
Strong Hips and Glutes
Advanced Barre
Floor Barre Core
Advanced Back Flexibility Training
Turnout and Beats Conditioning
Advanced Ballet Pointe Course L1
Grand Allegro Course
Audition Class Barre
Floor Barre Core
Turnout Stretch Class
Dancers Core
Advanced Ballet Pointe Course L1
Turnout and Beats Conditioning
Arabesque Workout Advanced
Floor Barre with The Magic Circle
Advanced Stretch
Ultimate Back Workout
Foot & Ankle Dancer Injury Prevention L2
Mat Madness Challenge Day 7 – Turnout and stretch
Strength for Développé
Floor Barre on the Wall
Side Extensions and Mobility
Dancers Core
Foot & Ankle Dancer Injury Prevention L3
Strong Hips and Glutes
Advanced Barre
Floor Barre Core
Advanced Back Flexibility Training
Turnout and Beats Conditioning
Advanced Ballet Pointe Course L1
Grand Allegro Course
Audition Class Barre
Floor barre Int
Confidence Boosting Full Body Stretch
Slider Core Workout
Intrinsic Foot Workout
Turnout Course L1
How to Improve Attitude and Arabesque
Floor Barre 2.0
Positivity Stretch and Flow
Foot & Ankle Dancer Injury Prevention L1P2
The Psoas Course L1
Turnout Course L2
Balance & Penché Ballet Class
Mat Madness Full Body
Stretches for Side Développé
Strong Jumps Workout
The Psoas Course L2
Stronger Pointe Course L1
Ultimate Back Workout
Floor Barre with The Magic Circle
Full Body Stretch Class
Hip & Core Strength for Extensions
The Psoas Course L3
Petit Allegro Course
Int Barre Focused on Strength & Extensions
Floor Barre on the Wall
Hip mobility and stretch
Foot & Ankle Dancer Injury Prevention
Core & Arms
Spinal mobility
Floor Barre for Développé
Ball the Wall Turnout class
Amazing feet course
Core
Long Hamstrings
Floor Barre on the Wall
Beg. Stretch
Amazing Feet Course L2&L3
Balance Course
Turnout Stretches
Floor Barre 2.0
Hip Manifestation Stretch
Beginner Pointe Course L1
Perfecting Pirouettes en Dehors
Barre Challenge Day 7
Centre Basics
Using the head, style and balance
Adage & strength
Vaganova ports de bras and linking steps
Relevé in the centre and pirouette prep
Walking, Pas balancé & rythym
Linking steps
Jumps
Practice week
Build Strength of the feet, Barre drills establishing correct technique
Building Foot Strength, Barre drills and challenging Centre work with a focus on stamina and many repetitions.
Increased intensity of barre drills and intrinsic foot work.
Continuing from week three, we build the demanding drills
Legs Legs Legs
Strength for développé
Turnout that Booty
Lower Legs of Steel
Lunge and battement
Core Power
Barre HIIT
Stretch and Recover
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