GNO Ballet keeping fit at home

"Let me see a lovely plie. Heels open, knees straight," the Greek National Opera Ballet School instructor tells his students. But Alexander Neskov is not demonstrating the exercises using the customary barre but with an ironing board at his home.

The GNO Ballet school has 40 students tuning in for lessons on their personal computers, tablets and cellphones every day. Anastasia uses the back of a chair, Nektarios finds support on a couch, Sofia is in the kitchen and others are using radiators, doors and any other surface they can find to serve as their barre. Their teacher, though, is not cutting them any slack just because they're all practicing social distancing as part of the coronavirus lockdown. "Let me see that stretch. Are you sweating yet? Back straight. That leg looks like gum."

Classes started just a few days ago. "It took us a while to get organized from a...