Robyn White Artistic Associate Queensland Ballet gives some fantastic advice about the importance of taking in air and expelling it out!
In contemporary dance, breathing is given a lot of importance and you’ll often hear contemporary dancers breathing very audibly on stage.In classical ballet, we tend not to think about it quite so much.Perhaps it’s the idea that ballet has to appear effortless and a dancer taking huge breaths in and out doesn’t really fit in with this concept.Also, classical ballet, with its difficult positions, requires a lot of strength in the centre of the body which makes breathing more challenging.Nevertheless, your breathing is extremely important and breathing correctly has several definite advantages:(a)  it affects your strength and stamina,(b)  it helps you to keep a relaxed neck and upper body, and(c)  it helps concentration and awareness.Of course it’s not possible to think about when to breathe in and out with every step, but you can work out a system for yourself based on one basic rule.You’ll need to practice it for a few months after which it should become automatic.This basic rule is very simple: when you make a big effort you need to breathe out. (You can release a lot more energy in this way).So, conversely, you need to breathe in before you make the effort.For example, (a)  in a jump, you breathe in on the demi-plié, and out as you push off for the jump.(b)  in a pirouette, you breathe in on the demi-plié preparation, and out as you go into the relevé and turn (this one is especially important as it frees up the neck for spotting).(c)  in a rond de jambe en l’air, you breathe in as you bring the working leg towards the supporting leg, and out as you stretch the working leg.(d)  in a développé, you breathe in as you start the développé,,and out as you reach the highest point of your extension.(e)  in a grand battement, you breathe out as you throw the leg, just as you would in a big jump.Very often, the steps you have to perform will not allow you to take big breaths all the time, either because they are too fast, or (as in adage) because you have to hold your body too strongly. In these cases, you have to use small breaths and you can usually find a moment when you can catch up with a big breath.Here’s a good basic exercise to get you started: lie on your back and breathe in gently, starting in the lower stomach and expanding into the chest. Try to be really relaxed and just feel the air coming in naturally. Then, slowly flex the feet as you breathe in and release them as you breathe out. In this way, you can build up a natural connection between flexing (your plié) and breathing in.