Best Ballet Warm-Up Songs to Get You in the Mood
Looking for the perfect warm-up playlist? These classical and contemporary tunes will help you move with focus, grace, and motivation.
Whether you’re prepping for a Ballet Fusion class or doing your own warm-up at home, the right music can make all the difference. It sets the tone, enhances your movement quality, and helps you get into the right mindset for practice. Here's our curated list of ballet-friendly warm-up songs - a blend of classical elegance and modern rhythm.
Why Music Matters in Ballet Warm-Ups
Ballet is all about precision, expression, and timing. Music supports that by:
Setting the pace – A steady tempo helps structure your movements and breath.
Encouraging flow – Melodic phrasing mirrors the natural rise and fall of ballet technique.
Boosting motivation – The right track can energise you before class begins.
Helping focus – Calm yet engaging music sharpens concentration, especially in slower warm-up sequences.
Classical Tracks for Poise and Precision
These timeless pieces offer clarity and structure for warming up with grace:
Claude Debussy - Clair de Lune
Slow and sweeping, perfect for gentle pliés and upper-body articulation.Tchaikovsky - Waltz of the Flowers
A light, joyful waltz that suits tendus and dégagés beautifully.Camille Saint-Saëns - The Swan from Carnival of the Animals
Ideal for slow port de bras and balance work, with its lyrical cello melody.Erik Satie - Gymnopédie No. 1
A meditative choice for floor barre or breath-focused stretches.Mozart - Piano Sonata No. 16 in C Major (Allegro)
Brighter and more animated, this one lifts the energy for slightly quicker work like battements.
Contemporary Tracks for Flow and Focus
Sometimes you want a modern track that still respects the elegance of ballet. These offer motivating rhythms and emotional texture without overpowering your movement:
Agnes Obel - Riverside
Hypnotic and calming, perfect for a slow build-up or improvisation.Ludovico Einaudi - Nuvole Bianche
A Ballet Fusion favourite – emotional, dynamic, and rhythmically interesting.London Grammar - Rooting for You
Great for expressive upper-body work or longer stretches.Adele - Love in the Dark (Piano Instrumental Version)
Deep and dramatic, ideal for balancing exercises with control.Cigarettes After Sex - Apocalypse
A dreamy track for slow barre work – especially nice for home sessions.
A Note on Tempo and Rhythm
For warm-up, you’ll want to avoid anything too fast or erratic. Look for:
Andante to Moderato tempos (about 70–110 bpm)
Clear phrasing and rhythm – to help with coordination and breath timing
Minimal lyrics (or none at all) – ideal for focus, especially in the early stages of class
Our Ballet Fusion Classes
In our classes we have a range of classical and current music. Pure ballet (on Mondays and Saturdays) has classical ballet music, whereas you’ll find our classes like ABC (abs butt and core) or Barre fit to have more modern music!
What’s on your ballet warm-up playlist?
We’d love to hear your favourite tracks – classical or not – that help you get in the zone.