Absolute Beginner Ballet Barre Class #5: Learn the Développé

Welcome back to the barre for Class #5 of our Absolute Beginner series at Broche Ballet. In this 36-minute session, we transition from foundational footwork into the beautiful world of extensions. Our primary focus today is the développé, a movement where the working leg unfolds through the air, but we will also reinforce essential skills like turnout, alignment, and balance.

The class begins with a comprehensive barre sequence designed to warm up the body and establish correct posture. We will practice the demi-plié to find our center and utilize the tendu to articulate the feet. A significant portion of this lesson is dedicated to mastering the transition through coup de pied and retiré.

You will learn the mechanics of picking up through the demi-pointe, ensuring the heel scoops forward while the toe stays connected to the calf, all while maintaining a strong, outward turnout. Keeping the knee to the side is vital for achieving the classic ballet silhouette and protecting your joints. As we move into extensions à la seconde, you will learn to execute an allongé, maintaining a straight, energized leg before lowering back to a controlled tendu.

These exercises are not just about height; they are about control, strength, and the coordination of your port de bras with your lower body. We also incorporate calf raises in parallel and relevés to build the necessary ankle stability for more advanced work. Throughout the class, we emphasize staying square over your standing leg, avoiding leaning forward or back during your relevé.

Whether you are practicing in a studio or at home, these foundational exercises provide the strength and muscle memory needed for graceful movement. Join us at Broche Ballet as we take another step forward in your dance education.