What You'll Learn
- How to maintain the elbow just above the wrist to ensure a supported, professional port de bras line.
- Techniques for applying 'down and out' floor resistance to build functional leg strength during barre work.
- The coordination of external leg rotation combined with internal arm rotation for better stability.
- Critical weight placement cues for finding your center during transitions and susu.
- Proper pelvic alignment to maximize hip flexor stretches and protect the lower back.
About This Video
Welcome to a comprehensive 42-minute ballet barre class at Broche Ballet, specifically designed to help you master the sophisticated coordination between arm movements and leg work. In this session, we focus on the essential technical detail of maintaining the elbow's position relative to the wrist, ensuring your port de bras remains supported and fluid even during the most demanding exercises. By learning to keep the elbow lifted and forward, you create the professional arm line that is a hallmark of classical ballet.
Throughout the traditional barre sequence—including plié, tendu, dégagé, and grand battement—we emphasize the 'down and out' principle. This method of applying pressure against the floor creates the necessary friction to build functional leg strength and stability. You will be guided through complex patterns such as tendus with fondu and dégagés with envelopé, which are designed to challenge your stamina and improve your muscle memory. We also explore the paradoxical coordination of maintaining external rotation in the legs while utilizing internal rotation in the upper body to keep the elbows forward during movements like développé and passé.
Balance is a key theme of this class. The instructor provides critical alignment cues for weight placement, such as shifting the chest forward when rising from a tendu to a susu to ensure you are properly centered over your feet. Furthermore, you will learn how to properly tuck the pelvis during back-reaching movements like rond de jambe or extensions to the back, allowing for a safer and more effective stretch of the hip flexors. Whether you are practicing a sharp frappé or a controlled coup de pied, this class offers the technical depth needed to refine your placement and elevate your overall dancing ability. Join us to build a stronger foundation and a more coordinated, graceful ballet practice.
