It's absolutely necessary that your girls warm up before each ballet lesson. A series of warm-up moves that include leg, back and neck muscles should be performed before each practice. Moves such as plie and releve work leg muscles. Tendu while holding a passe works the legs and back. Jumps and stretches prep the body to do more complex movements.
This routine can get boring. Change it up a bit by providing pop music for the girls, or give them hand-held streamers as they warm up. This makes the warm-up more fun and prettier to watch.
Using props during ballet lessons can make the difference between a mediocre practice and an incredible one. Masks, streamers, wands, scarves and even musical instruments make interesting props. Younger dancers need props to keep them focused. According to Dance Advantage.net, "Props are a great tool for communicating concepts and enlivening your teaching."
Being blindfolded while performing a move can be beneficial. The dancer must focus on what her body is doing as she performs the move. This can be further enhanced by wrapping a scarf around the part of the body on which the dancer is focusing. Props aren't just fun, they are useful in teaching valid dance moves.
Using colored lights during ballet lessons can help direct where students should go during choreographed scenes. The color used will affect the mood the dancer produces as she dances. A red light will produce more energy and fast movements; blue lights give the dancer the calm required for slower movements. This is helpful if dancers find it difficult to keep time and follow where to go on the stage.
Following a planned choreography is part of every dancer's job description. Encourage the girls to feel the part they play in the performance. The best way to do this is to encourage them to listen to the music. Younger girls do well with play-like performances. The "Nutcracker Suite" is a popular choice. A performance of this magnitude takes quite a while to develop. For smaller performances, simple choreographed dances make impressive rehearsals. Use music the girls are familiar with, allow them to use stage props and create a lot of position movement during the performance.