What You'll Learn
- Refine your arabesque and promenade transitions with a focus on core stability and heel rotation.
- Master the coordination of arms and head for seamless épaulé and passé movements.
- Improve turnout and weight placement during complex pas de bourrée sequences.
- Prepare for en dedans turns with proper plié mechanics and carré hip alignment.
- Learn to use head orientation and soft gaze to maintain balance during directional changes.
About This Video
In this 27-minute advanced ballet center class from Broche Ballet, dancers are invited to challenge their technical limits through a series of demanding combinations. Center work is the ultimate test of a dancer's balance and strength, as it removes the support of the barre and requires a total integration of the core, limbs, and focus. This session specifically targets the nuances of classical transitions, moving beyond simple steps into the realm of professional-level execution.
The lesson begins with an intensive focus on the arabesque and promenade. Maintaining a beautiful line while rotating on one leg requires immense control of the turnout and the supporting side. Our instructor provides detailed cues on how to use the standing heel to drive the rotation without losing the height of the working leg or the stability of the torso.
Throughout the class, we emphasize the pas de bourrée, a foundational step that often lacks the necessary crispness at higher levels. Here, we refine the footwork to ensure speed, clarity, and proper weight placement. A significant portion of the instruction is dedicated to épaulement and passé.
Using the arms to guide movement is a hallmark of advanced dancing. You will learn the relationship between the épaulé line and the passé position, focusing on how the port de bras helps initiate turns and shifts in direction. We also tackle the en dedans preparation, focusing on the fondu and plié to create the necessary power for a turn while keeping the hips carré and the shoulders relaxed.
Body alignment remains at the forefront of every exercise. The instructor guides you through maintaining a soft gaze and specific head positions, particularly when transitioning from back to front. Leaving the head in its original position during a pivot is a key takeaway that will significantly improve your spotting and overall coordination.
Whether you are working on your croisé positions or perfecting your en dedans movements, this class offers the professional insights needed to refine your artistry.
