What You'll Learn
- Mastering the transition between low fifth, first, and high fifth positions.
- The technical secret of reaching with the skin for more fluid wrists.
- How to integrate breath with movement for better control and expression.
- Executing a third arabesque flow with proper verticality and extension.
- Using allonger to finish movements with grace and professional polish.
About This Video
Enhance your artistry and refine your upper body technique with this dedicated center practice from Broche Ballet. While footwork often takes center stage in training, it is the port de bras that conveys emotion and completes the dancer's line. In this 14-minute lesson, we focus on the delicate balance between strength and fluidity, ensuring your arms move with intention rather than just habit.
We begin by revisiting the core positions—low fifth, first, second, and high fifth—with a focus on the structural integrity of the elbows and wrists. You will learn the importance of keeping the upper arm stable while allowing the forearms and hands to flow. By using the visualization of reaching with the skin on the back of your hands, you can achieve a soft, professional look that avoids stiffness.
The lesson progresses into more sophisticated movements, including a beautiful third arabesque flow. This sequence challenges your coordination as one arm moves slightly lower while the other reaches higher, creating a dynamic diagonal line. Throughout the class, we emphasize the integration of breath.
Learning when to inhale to support a lift and when to exhale through a transition or an allonger will transform your dancing from a series of positions into a continuous stream of movement. To further develop your coordination, we incorporate pliés and tendus into the flow. This helps you understand how the movement of the legs influences the carriage of the arms.
Beyond the technical benefits, this practice is designed to bring a sense of lightness and joy to your ballet journey. Mastering these flows allows you to find freedom in your movement, even within the strict geometry of classical ballet. By focusing on the nuances of the wrists and the extension of the fingers, you create a line that appears infinite.
Whether you are preparing for a performance or simply want to improve your grace in class, these port de bras exercises provide the essential tools for a more expressive and polished upper body.
