What You'll Learn
- Coordinate port de bras timing with demi-plié and grand plié movements.
- Improve balance in relevé and sous-sous by aligning the ribcage over the hips.
- Refine foot articulation through floor pressure in tendu and dégagé.
- Build leg strength and precision using fondu and targeted grand battements.
- Isolate back and hamstring stretches by maintaining stable, stationary hips.
About This Video
Elevate your foundational technique with this 42-minute Ballet Barre class from Broche Ballet, specifically designed to harmonize coordination, balance, and musicality. In the world of classical dance, the barre is more than just a warm-up; it is the laboratory where we build the strength and muscle memory required for center work. This session focuses on the intricate relationship between the upper and lower body, ensuring your port de bras is as expressive and timed as your footwork.
We begin with demi-plié and grand plié combinations, where the primary challenge is coordinating a full arm cycle within a single movement. By mastering this timing early in the class, you set a standard for fluidity that carries through to more complex exercises. As we progress into slow and quick tendus, you will work on pressing through the floor to refine foot articulation, followed by dégagés that demand sharp transitions and perfectly straight knees.
Stability is a core theme throughout this class. You will spend time in relevé and sous-sous, learning how to keep the ribcage aligned over the hips and the elbows supported. These technical cues are essential for finding your center and maintaining balance during static holds and transitions.
We also address the mechanics of stretching, emphasizing how to squeeze the glutes to keep the hips stationary during cambre, allowing for a deeper, safer stretch in the back and hamstrings. The later half of the barre introduces fondu and frappé, building the necessary strength for jumps and allegro. Finally, we move into grand battement, where you will practice setting a specific target for your extensions using a développé.
This method prevents throwing the leg and instead promotes controlled power and precision. Whether you are a dedicated beginner or returning to the studio, this class offers the technical depth needed to transform your ballet practice into a more musical and balanced experience.
