Monday 1 July 2013


How high should a ballet barre be?

The ballet barre has been used in ballet classes and practise since the 19th Century.  It not only has to be of a substantial, stable design but also must be a placed at a comfortable height.

The professional advice (confirmed by the National Dance Teachers Association, NDTA) is that the barre should be wall mounted at a height between 900mm – 1200mm (35” – 47”).   We have found that many of our clients choose a height of around 1150mm (45”), as this is the suggested height of a barre for exams by the Royal Academy of Dance.

The most versatile arrangement in catering for dancers of different heights is to have a double barre system.  Only two barre heights are needed for all barre work.  Again the advice is that the second barre should be set 200mm (8”) lower than the top barre.  This allows for children up to the age of 13, shorter dancers or those with limited extension.  At the Ballet Barre Company we devised a double bracket system to satisfy these two barre height requirements.

Don’t forget if you need any assistance or have a question, please ask us ?

The Team at The Ballet Barre Company