What You'll Learn
- Techniques for controlling momentum between consecutive pirouette and fouetté turns.
- How to execute a clean, stable landing in plié to facilitate a smooth swivel.
- Specific drills using quarter turns and passé movements to isolate balance issues.
- Methods for landing in fourth, fifth, or a lunge with professional precision.
About This Video
Elevate your classical technique with this comprehensive Advanced Ballet Center session at Broche Ballet, specifically designed to tackle the intricacies of turn transitions and momentum control. This class focuses on one of the most challenging sequences in the advanced repertoire: the seamless shift from a pirouette into a fouetté turn. To execute this move successfully, a dancer must possess not only strength but also a deep understanding of how to manage rotational force and weight placement.
The lesson begins with a long adagio to establish the necessary core strength, extension, and placement required for high-level center work. Following the adagio, the instructor guides you through a series of meticulous drills focused on the mechanics of 'posting' and landing. A primary focus is the 'passé one, and fourth' exercise, which forces the dancer to come down strong and stable on the supporting leg without shuffling the feet or losing turnout. By breaking down the turn into quarter-turn and three-quarter-turn segments, you will learn to manage your center of gravity during the descent.
Throughout the class, we explore several ways to finish a turn, including closing in a tight fifth position, a controlled fourth, or a deep lunge. Mastering these variations is essential for developing the versatility needed to handle professional-level choreography. The instructor provides detailed feedback on how to use a deep plié to absorb the momentum of a pirouette and redirect it into the next movement. You will learn the importance of a clean swivel and how to maintain your verticality even when the tempo increases. This session emphasizes that advanced ballet is not just about doing more turns; it is about doing them with the precision and grace that defines elite execution. Through repetitive practice of these specialized drills, the transition from a pirouette to a fouetté will become second nature, allowing you to focus on the artistry of your performance.
