What You'll Learn
- Refine épaulement and palm placement (en palmé) for professional-level artistry.
- Master stability and alignment in écarté turns and sustained adagio développé.
- Improve core control and upper body stillness during double piqué turns.
- Learn specific head and neckline positioning to prevent breaking the line of the pose.
- Perfect the transition from allongé to passé with correct hip and shoulder squaring.
About This Video
In this comprehensive advanced center class from Broche Ballet, we transition from the support of the barre to the fluidity of the center floor. This 26-minute session is specifically designed for dancers who want to move beyond the basics and master the artistry of balletic movement. We begin with a tendu combination that emphasizes the integration of épaulement, ensuring that the head and neckline extend the line of the body. You will learn the importance of showing the paume (palm) in various positions, including during the feeling of a développé (phonetically heard as 'devil’s pay') to create a more expressive and professional performance.
As we move into the adagio portion, the focus shifts to strength and sustained control. You will work through challenging développé sequences where maintaining a square hip and forward shoulder alignment is crucial. The instructor provides detailed corrections on how to execute a proper passé, showing the 'eight' from an allongé position and stepping out with intentionality. We also dive into the technicalities of the écarté (phonetically 'carte') turn. A key takeaway here is keeping the upper back lifted and the core engaged to prevent the body from dropping during the landing, ensuring a clean and stable finish.
The class also covers more dynamic movements, including the double piqué turn and the pas de chat. You will learn to keep your upper arms still during these rotations, allowing the hands to follow as an elegant afterthought rather than a driving force. By focusing on these minute details—such as not letting the head 'break' by keeping its movement slight and controlled—you will elevate your technique from a series of steps into a cohesive dance routine. This lesson concludes with a performance of the mastered steps, allowing you to apply all the corrections in a final, polished sequence.
