Arts & Crafts
25 Free Ballerina Coloring Pages You Can Print From Home
Let their imaginations dance.
When it comes to pretend, playing ballerina is high on many children’s lists of imaginary activities. Something about tutus and toe shoes makes for great fantasy fodder. But when not in ballet class, or if the circumstances dictate, a non-twirl setting (think: restaurants, important family gatherings, long drives), you can give your tiny dancer one of these free ballerina coloring pages instead.
The theme is the same for all of these, but the illustrations vary. Some showcase ballet dancers in simple cartoons, perfect for those just learning to color who have yet to master fine motor skills. Others are more detailed pages where they can really imagine the dance, like the Swan Lake illustration.
And, of course, every coloring page is up to its artist’s interpretation. If your mini Misty Copeland or itty bitty Baryshnikov wants to make all the ballet slippers rainbow colored with kittens drawn on them, by all means, they may. That’s the joy of artistic expression; whether it's in the dance studio or on a piece of paper, your little creative wunderkind should feel empowered to really explore the space and color outside the lines. (Just not on the walls, please. That’s not too much to ask.)
1On Pointe
Dancing on pointe (on the tips of their toes) is one of the most amazing things ballerinas do when they reach a more advanced level. And it’s something young dancers aspire to. Your dancer can daydream about their future on pointe and center stage with this page of a spinning ballerina in toe shoes.
2Swan Lake
Swan Lake is one of the most famous ballets, so, naturally, your dancer might be interested in coloring a depiction of it. This free coloring page perfectly illustrates the scene, featuring not one, but four beautiful dancers on the tips of their toes. There’s also plenty of blank space for them to create their own backdrop.
3Pas de Deux
In French, pas de deux refers to a dance performed by two people. In this ballerina coloring page, it’s a scene from the Giselle Ballet with a male dancer holding a female dancer extending her back leg. Show your child a clip of the performance and encourage them to try to recreate one of the on-stage looks or let them use their imagination and choose the colors that suit their mood.
4First Position Page
One of the first things ballerinas learn in dance class is First Position. It is foundational to a dancer’s education. In this illustration, a child can color in a ballerina standing in first and recreate the move at home to start their own training.
5Take Your Position
If your child is ready for a couple more advanced moves, help your dancer in training learn their positions with this helpful coloring page tutorial. Here all five basic ballet positions are drawn for them to study and color on this free ballerina coloring page.
6Special Slippers
Ballet shoes are unlike any other sport footwear. These delicate shoes help ballet dancers perform their best. In this illustration, your little artist can dream about wearing them as they fill in this free ballerina coloring page. Fun fact: before the French Revolution in the late 1700s, dancers performed in high heeled shoes called court shoes. The first iteration of the hard pointe shoes you’re familiar with today weren’t introduced until the late 19th century.
7Tutu Twirl
Spinning in a tutu is arguably the most fun thing you can do at ballet class. This drawing perfectly illustrates that. The tutu has been synonymous with ballet since 1832 when La Sylphide premiered in Paris. In the title role ballerina Marie Taglioni wore a tight bodice with bell-shaped skirt and that became the fashion immediately after, Pointe Magazine reports.
8Nice Extension
Arching back on pointe is no simple move, but in this coloring page, it looks gracefully easy. This is great for older artists who want to master coloring inside the lines. It’s also a great opportunity to explain the term choreography, which means the steps and motions of a dance routine, to your kiddo.
9Old Timey Ballerina
Children have loved to do ballet since it was invented. And this coloring page hearkens back to an earlier age. You can share stories of your own experience with ballet as your child colors this image in. You can even explain to your child that ballet got its start in the 15th century in Italian Renaissance courts.
10Flamingo Ballerina
Who says animals can’t dance? One need only watch Fantasia to dispel this myth. In the 1940s cartoon opera, flamingos get their own two minute choreographed scene. In this illustration, a flamingo gets their chance in the spotlight too, in a tutu no less.
11Pancake Tutu
Did you know different styles of tutus have different names? This one is called a pancake tutu due to its flat shape. A favorite Russian dancers, it is often supported by a hoop that helps keep its circular shape. An alternative version is the platter tutu. It looks like the pancake but rests on waist instead of the hip.
12Whimsical Ballerina
If your dancer likes their ballet coloring pages as whimsical as possible, print out this free image. This image of a dancer in a swirling tutu surrounded by butterflies is extra dramatic and speaks to Romantic Ballet, a genre made popular in the early 19th century.
13Ballet Mice
If your child loves the book Angelina Ballerina, then they’ll appreciate this riff on the mice ballet dancers who star in the series. Kids can even create their own book cover by printing out this free ballerina coloring page and writing their own story.
14Dance Fairy
What’s better than pretending to be a ballerina? Pretending to be a fairy ballerina, of course. In this image a little dancing princess with wings flies through the air. And it’s very appropriate considering how many ballets feature fairies and princesses like The Nutcracker, La Sylphide, Cinderella, and Stravinsky's The Firebird.
15Ballet Hello Kitty
What can’t Hello Kitty do? This kitten can truly do it all. Including master ballet class as she appears to be doing in this free ballerina coloring page. Naturally, your tiny dancer might want to complete their Hello Kitty fantasy with a tutu featuring the cute kitten.
16Ballet Practice
Practice makes perfect. And that goes for attending class, or just imaging your next tour jeté while coloring in this page of a dancer being instructed by a ballet teacher. Learning to properly point your toes is critical in ballet. Practicing is a great way to help kids understand how their bodies work.
17Sesame Street Ballet
Sesame Street does an amazing job of introducing children to new things, like dance. Here orange monster, Zoe, takes her turn on the dance floor in ballet slippers and a tutu to match. Follow up coloring time by letting your child watch the episode where uses dance to express her emotions.
18Dancing Elephant
Yes, even elephants can be graceful ballerinas. At least in your imagination or with this free ballerina coloring page. And isn’t that what coloring is all about? Playing with ideas. Perhaps this color sheet can be a launch pad for your child to come up with their own images of dancing characters.
19Floral Ballet
Tiptoeing through the tulips gets a ballet spin in this floral motif. Young artists will appreciate the room to explore colors with the wide flowers surrounding the dancer. This free ballerina coloring page also offers the opportunity to discuss set design with your little one. They can draw their own set around this image.
20A Fan-tastic Coloring Page
The addition of a pretty prop like a fan can take a dance to the next level. Here a dancer uses a fan as a prop while standing on pointe. What other things could dancers use as props? Ask your child to come up with their own ideas.
21Leaping Ballerina
So much of the thrill of ballet is watching a dancer leap through the air. Let your little dancer imagine the sensation with this printable page. Ballet features many different kids of leaps: sauté (where a dance lands on two feat), temps levé (a hop from one foot to the other), or a jeté (a leap from one foot to the other).
22In Flight Dancer
Trying something new, like ballet, can feel like a leap of faith to some kids. Imagining dance class through free coloring pages can help gear them up for it. This image is a simple illustration of how ballet dancing can make its dancers look like they’re floating through air.
23Ballet Dancer
Boys can be ballet dancers too and don’t let anyone tell you different. This strong image is a great one to expose young dancers to of a man pointing his toe and stretching his arms out. And a great way to start a conversation about some of ballet’s most famous dancers like Rudolf Nureyev, Mikhail Nikolayevich Baryshnikov, and Benjamin Millepied.
24Dancing Couple
This image shows how couples can dance together in ballet. Coloring it can help kids see how ballet can be a team sport. From the chorus to the full company choreography, ballet often involves less solos and more group scenes. Staying in step, as it were, is really what its all about.
25Toe Shoes
This toe shoe close up is a fun one to color for those dreaming of big days dancing on pointe. They can choose to go authentic and color them black, beige, or pink, the traditional colors, or go wild with a color palette of their choosing. Toe shoes are made with what’s called a box at the point. This is what supports the dancer’s weight.
All you need now is to fire up the old printer and dust off a box of crayons and your ballet dancer in training can get coloring.
This article was originally published on