Two young dancers in white tutus stretch at a wooden barre, their bodies angled toward the yellow wall that fills the upper half of the scene. The dancer on the left lifts her right leg high onto the barre, her back arched and her gaze turned slightly outward, while the dancer on the right faces the wall, her left leg extended and her arms resting lightly on the rail. A metal watering can sits on the dark wooden floor in the lower left corner, its spout pointing away from the dancers and its presence hinting at the everyday maintenance of the studio.

The floorboards are rendered in broad, visible strokes of gray and brown, their diagonal lines leading the eye toward the dancers and the luminous wall behind them. The wall itself is painted with loose, textured marks in yellow, cream, and ochre, creating a lively surface that contrasts with the smoothness of the girls' tutus and the sharp edge of the barre. The composition is carefully balanced, with the figures placed off-center and the empty space of the floor emphasizing their concentration and poise.

A soft shadow falls behind each dancer onto the yellow wall, echoing their poses in muted tones. The dancer on the right wears a large yellow ribbon tied in a bow at her waist, which stands out against her white tutu. Both girls' faces are partially obscured, with only the left dancer's profile and the right dancer's cheek visible.

The upper right corner of the painting is filled entirely with the textured yellow wall, with no other objects or figures present. Loose, sketchy brushstrokes define the edges of the tutus, blending them slightly into the background and floor. Degas signs his name in the lower left, just above the watering can, integrating his signature into the everyday details of the scene. The cool whites and blues of the tutus stand out against the warm yellows of the wall, while the muted tones of the floor and watering can anchor the composition in a sense of realism.