What You'll Learn
- The impact of hyperextension on ballet alignment and how to manage it safely.
- Foundational PBT core exercises to improve stability and muscle memory.
- Methods to enhance proprioception and body awareness during floor work.
- Techniques to stabilize the knee joint during movements like relevé and pirouette.
- How to use unstable surfaces to activate deep core and stabilizing muscles.
About This Video
Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) is a revolutionary conditioning program designed to enhance ballet muscle memory through innovative exercises using resistance and gravity. In this specialized class from Broche Ballet, we explore the fundamentals of PBT core work with a specific focus on managing hyperextension. While hyperextension can create the stunning aesthetic lines often sought after in classical dance, it presents unique challenges for stability, balance, and injury prevention.
Dancers with hyperextended knees often struggle with proprioception—the body's internal sense of its position in space. This lack of awareness can lead to difficulties during complex movements like a pirouette or when rising to relevé. Because the joint can move beyond a straight line, it requires significantly more muscular support than a standard joint to remain stable. This session introduces exercises on unstable surfaces to activate deep stabilizing muscles, helping you find your center and protect your ligaments and tendons.
Throughout the lesson, we discuss how to maintain proper alignment from the core down to the toes. You will learn how to engage the correct muscle groups to avoid 'locking' into your hyperextension, which can often throw off your weight distribution during pointe work or a deep plié. By focusing on the core as the powerhouse of your movement, you can transform unwieldy flexibility into controlled, functional strength. Whether you are looking to improve your balance in an arabesque or simply want to understand your body's mechanics better, this PBT-focused session provides the tools necessary to dance with both grace and safety. Join us at Broche Ballet to refine your technique and build the strength required to support your natural facility.
