-
Introduction
-
Lesson 1 – Introduction and Feet Conditioning2:00
-
Lesson 1 – Building Blocks Of A Good Pirouette30.00
-
Lesson 3 – Layers Of A Pirouette18:00
-
Lesson 3 – How To Spot Effectively10:00
-
Lesson 4 – Training Responsive Eyes10:00
-
Lesson 5 – Perfecting Balance For Turns31:00
-
Lesson 6 – Progress To A Full TUrn15:00
-
Lesson 7 – Conclusion5:00
Course outline
About the course.
Pirouettes don’t improve by doing more turns—they improve by understanding how your body is meant to turn.
This course is a structured, beginner-friendly guide to building pirouettes from the ground up. Instead of relying on momentum, guessing, or trial and error, you’ll learn the fundamental mechanics that create stable, controlled, and repeatable turns.
Across seven progressive lessons, you’ll break pirouettes down into clear, trainable elements: alignment, position, balance, use of the back, turnout, spotting, and eye coordination. Each lesson builds logically on the last, allowing you to layer skills and become consistent.
As Isabella always says, once you have the foundations, you will find everything much easier to progress upon.
Beginner Pirouette Course breakdown.
his course is designed to take the mystery out of pirouettes and replace it with clarity, structure, and understanding.
Rather than jumping straight into turning, we focus on the fundamentals that actually make a pirouette work: alignment, coordination, balance, use of the back, turnout, and spotting. Each lesson builds progressively, layering skills so nothing feels rushed or disconnected.
n this first lesson, we strip pirouettes back to what actually matters: position, pathway, and alignment.
You’ll learn how to refine your retiré position so it’s stable, functional, and repeatable—not just “placed.” We break down the journey into the pose, focusing on how you arrive there with control rather than forcing the shape at the last second. You’ll also be guided through which muscles should be working, which ones should stay relaxed, and how to feel true support without gripping.
A major focus of this lesson is alignment—from head to toe—and why it is the non-negotiable foundation of every successful turn. By understanding how your body stacks and supports itself, you’ll start building pirouettes that feel lighter, more secure, and far more consistent.
In this lesson, we start adding layers to the pirouette by introducing two often-misunderstood elements: the back and turnout.
You’ll learn how to use your upper back for force and lift, rather than relying on momentum or pushing from the arms. We also clarify how to use turnout appropriately for turns—supportive and responsive, not forced or over-gripped.
Through targeted barre drills, you’ll begin to coordinate these elements while maintaining the alignment and retiré position from Lesson 1. This lesson is about learning how power is created in a pirouette—efficiently and safely.
Spotting is more than just whipping the head—and in this lesson, we break it down properly.
You’ll learn why spotting works, how it supports balance and orientation, and how to spot without throwing yourself off alignment. We focus on clarity, timing, and calmness of the head and neck.
With simple, progressive spotting drills, you’ll start training a spot that feels controlled and repeatable, setting you up for cleaner, more confident turns
This lesson takes spotting one step further by focusing on eye response.
Many dancers struggle not because their spot is wrong, but because their eyes don’t react quickly or consistently enough. Here, you’ll work through eye-response drills designed to improve coordination between the eyes, head, and body.
The goal is to make spotting feel automatic rather than forced, reducing dizziness and helping you stay present and grounded in your turns.
Strong pirouettes are built on strong balances—and this lesson is dedicated entirely to that foundation.
Using a Pilates ring, you’ll learn how to find true balance in retiré and passé, while activating the back for support rather than gripping the legs or hips. We focus on where your weight should be, how to stack the body, and how to maintain calm control before movement even begins.
These drills will help you feel when a balance is truly ready to turn—and when it’s not.
Now we start turning—with intention.
This lesson guides you through quarter turns, half turns, and finally a full pirouette, allowing you to layer everything you’ve learned so far without rushing the process.
You’ll work on staying aligned, using the back for lift, maintaining turnout, and applying effective spotting—all while keeping the turn controlled and balanced. This progression helps remove fear and guesswork, replacing it with clarity and confidence.
In the final lesson, everything comes together.
You’ll revisit the key principles from the course and apply them to your final pirouette, focusing on quality rather than quantity. This is about executing a turn that feels prepared, supported, and intentional—not forced.
By the end of this lesson, you’ll understand why your pirouette works, not just whether it does. That understanding is what allows real progress to continue beyond the course.
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 .
-
The building blocks of a strong pirouette position, including retiré, passé, and alignment
-
How to use your back for lift and force, and apply turnout in a way that supports turning
-
Effective spotting techniques and drills to reduce dizziness and improve control
-
Training responsive eyes so spotting becomes automatic rather than forced
-
Balance drills for turns, including Pilates ring work to improve support and stability
-
A safe progression from preparatory drills to quarter, half, and full pirouettes
-
A final lesson that brings everything together into a clean, intentional turn
Who is this for
-
You’re a beginner or early-intermediate dancer who wants to understand pirouettes properly from the ground up
-
You feel inconsistent or unstable in turns and want clear reasons why
-
You prefer structured, step-by-step training rather than being told to “just turn more”
-
You want drills that improve balance, alignment, and coordination, not just attempts at full turns
-
You’re ready to focus on quality over quantity to build long-term turning confidence
Who is this not for?
-
You’re looking for a quick fix or instant doubles without foundational work
-
You already have strong, consistent pirouettes and want advanced variations or multiples
-
You’re unwilling to slow down and spend time on drills and balance work
-
You expect to skip technique and rely on momentum or force
-
You’re not open to refining basics like alignment, spotting, and control
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.
LOWER BODY + CORE
UPPER BODY
.LOWER BODY + CORE
FULL BODY POWER
MOBILITY
5 minute
7 minutes
9 minutes
7 minutes
8 minutes
7 minutes
7 minutes
4 minutes
7 minutes
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
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
Sign up and get started today.
Subscribe to the monthly online studio membership and get access to the whole library of videos as well as new videos that аre added regularly. Take a class wherever and whenever you want.
