Why stretching is important
Stretching keeps the muscles flexible and healthy, and we need that flexibility to maintain a range of motion in the joints. Without it, the muscles shorten and become tight. Then, when you call on the muscles for activity, they are unable to extend all the way. That puts you at risk for joint pain, strains, and muscle damage.
Source: Harvard Health Publishing - Harvard Medical School

Why Ballet Dancers Stretch
​Besides preventing injuries, stretching helps dancers find correct alignment, improve flexibility, and strengthen muscles necessary for class and overall performance.

What ballet dancers stretch to improve their dancing:

• Neck: Elongated neck muscles help better spotting when doing pirouettes, they also add gracefulness in ballet expression.
• Pectoral muscles: Releasing tension of the pectoral muscles helps align head over shoulders, and shoulders above hips, creating proper alignment of the body. Proper alignment defines a ballet dancer, and is crucial for turns and jumps
• Back muscles
• Leg muscles (adductors, abductors, iliotibial bands, gluteus, calves): Tight muscles are more prone to strains and sprains, so regular stretching helps reduce the risk of dance-related injuries. 
• Achilles tendons, feet, toes: Long Achilles tendons enhance your Plié and Fondu, resulting more effective turns and higher jumps. Stretching the neck of the foot (Cou de Pied) allows alignment of the shin and the feet. Long flexible toes muscles help create beautiful curve at the end of the foot when it is pointed.​​

HaoExpression offers weekly Stretch and Strengthening classes that are geared towards Ballet dancers, but are beneficial to non dancers as well.

THANK YOU!  Great work out 🏋️‍♀️-  I really did need this stretching exercise, very good for my back and my sitting posture! Many of his exercises resemble what my physical therapist taught me for my sciatica.
TH Bach