Start your training regimen, whether ballet is new to you or you are trying to hone skills that you already have, as soon as possible. Most ballerinas begin training at the age of nine and continue to train and exercise throughout their career. The younger you are, the more limber your body is. While it is certainly possible for an older person to begin a ballet training regimen and develop good dancing skills, this will be easier the younger you are. Furthermore, all ballet techniques take time to develop. Not a single movement can be perfected overnight.
Eat a carefully balanced diet that will help you endure the long hours of training. Too many dancers nearly starve themselves in order to look thin. Many dancers suffer from anorexia or bulimia because of this obsession. While a slender figure is crucial for ballet performance, it is more important to feed the muscles that proper dance techniques require. A balanced diet for a ballerina should contain about 60 percent carbohydrates, 15 percent protein and the remainder should be food high in fats. Drink around two liters of water every day.
Improve your techniques by training more frequently. Most dancers cannot train all day but they fit training periods into every bit of spare time they can find. Train in the morning and the evening, before and after classes, work and running personal errands.
Cross train your muscles to support your bones and joints. When Mary Helen Bowers was training Natalie Portman to play the role of a ballet dancer, she put the actress through months of swimming exercises that were not directly related to dancing. However, swimming works muscles in different directions and strengthens the body overall.
Do not forget to sleep. Rest your body completely at least once a week. This will give your muscles and your mind time prepare for the next week of training.