With constant searching, I have finally found a picture that clearly shows the primary muscles a dancer uses. However, I realized that some of the names for the various muscle groups were too technical for many students. Therefore, what follows is an explanation of each technical term.

As we see, basic dance anatomy consists of five primary muscle groups used by every ballet dancer. First, and most important, is the body sweater. The body sweater comprises all core muscles and keeps the dancer’s spine in alignment.

Next, we have the tutu, or pelvis. While not a muscle, the pelvis must be kept in alignment to dance properly. Further, it houses muscles that are essential in avoiding embarrassing accidents: the pelvic floor muscles.

Attaching to the pelvis are the tights, which in English we call ‘legs.’ The legs are used often in dancing, and must therefore be very strong.

Supporting the legs are the ribbons, or ‘ankles.’ Dancers must cultivate strong ankles in order to perform cool moves like relevé.

Finally, all of the dancer’s weight is often supported by the toeshoe, or the collection of small tendons and ligaments in the foot. These must all be extremely strong in order to give the dancer stability and control, but cannot be too tight, or the dancer will suffer pain and even toeshoe syndrome (plantar fasciitis).