What You'll Learn
- How to coordinate head tilts and facial expressions with traditional barre movements.
- Techniques for engaging the back and shoulder blades to support a fluid port de bras.
- The relationship between controlled muscular tension and elegant lines in développé.
- Strategies to maintain mental calmness and stability during difficult balance exercises.
- The importance of breathing and relaxation to prevent upper-body tension.
About This Video
Transform your technical foundation into a work of art with this Artistry Barre session at Broche Ballet. This class is specifically designed to bridge the gap between mechanical execution and expressive performance. We focus on the subtle nuances that define a seasoned dancer: the graceful use of head movements and the intentional shaping of every line. Often, dancers become so preoccupied with the work of the legs that the upper body becomes rigid or neglected. In this lesson, we break down how to maintain a calm, expressive face and fluid épaulement even while executing demanding movements.
Throughout the barre, we revisit essential exercises like the plié and fondu with a renewed focus on your port de bras. You will learn that true artistry comes from a sophisticated balance of tension and release. We explore how to engage the back properly, pulling the shoulder blades flat across the back to create a stable, strong frame. This internal engagement allows your fingers and forearms to extend with a sense of resistance and length, creating the elegant aesthetic characteristic of professional ballet.
As we progress into more complex movements like développé and explore positions such as attitude, the instructor emphasizes the importance of a calm mind. Mental tension often translates into physical tension in the neck and jaw, which can break a dancer’s line and disrupt balance. By practicing these difficult sequences together, we learn to breathe through the challenge and avoid the 'panic' that leads to instability. This class is as much about mental discipline as it is about physical grace. We conclude the session with a meaningful reverence—a traditional curtsy—to show respect for the art form and support for our fellow dancers. Whether you are refining your head tilts or working on the height of your extension, this class provides the tools to dance with both strength and soul.
