What You'll Learn
- How to visually verify your knee alignment in arabesque without relying on a mirror
- Techniques to rotate the leg toward the midline to achieve a fully straightened line
- How to associate physical sensations with a visually straight leg to build muscle memory
- Maintaining a straight back leg during transitions like demi-plié and active extensions
About This Video
Achieving a long, elegant line in arabesque is one of the most challenging aspects of ballet technique. Many dancers struggle with a persistent micro-bend in the back knee, often without realizing it. In this 5-minute targeted class from Broche Ballet, you will focus specifically on developing the awareness and control needed to fully straighten your leg through specialized barre stretches and extensions.
The lesson begins by addressing the relationship between what you feel and what you see. One of the most common pitfalls in training is relying solely on mirrors. While mirrors provide an external perspective, they can sometimes distort our sense of internal alignment.
Instead, this class encourages you to look directly at your leg during your practice. By visually confirming when the leg is straight versus bent, you can begin to associate specific muscular sensations with the correct aesthetic line. You will practice a series of extensions designed to refine your arabesque.
A key technical takeaway involves the placement of the knee: to achieve a truly straight line, you must focus on keeping the knee towards the midline of the body rather than allowing it to rotate too far outward in an uncontrolled manner. This subtle adjustment in turnout and leg rotation ensures the knee joint is fully extended and supported. The instructor also guides you through the challenge of maintaining this straightness during transitions, such as demi-plié.
It is common for the back leg to soften when the standing leg bends; this class provides the tools to combat that habit. By the end of this session, you will have a clearer understanding of how a straight leg actually feels, helping you build the muscle memory required for professional-level lines.
