What You'll Learn
- Master the grace of the waltz step and pas de bourrée.
- Improve balance and alignment during promenade movements.
- Develop fluid port de bras and coordinate arm positions with footwork.
- Coordinate tendu and dégagé transitions without the barre.
- Build confidence in center plié and relevé sequences.
About This Video
Welcome to this 20-minute focused center practice at Broche Ballet, led by instructor Julie. This session is specifically designed for beginner dancers who are ready to take their skills away from the barre and into the center of the floor. Center work is the heart of ballet, where you learn to find your own balance, coordination, and grace without the support of the barre.
In this lesson, we dive deep into the elegance of the waltz. You will practice the rhythmic quality of the waltz step, focusing on the lift and flow that defines this movement. Julie provides detailed instruction on executing a beautiful promenade, a challenging but essential skill where you rotate slowly on one leg.
You will learn how to maintain your alignment and keep your working leg in a strong cou-de-pied position while maintaining a steady gaze and upright posture. The promenade requires micro-adjustments in the standing foot, and Julie explains how to manage these movements with grace. The class also emphasizes the importance of port de bras, or the carriage of the arms.
Moving through various arm and hand positions while performing footwork like tendu, dégagé, and pas de bourrée helps develop the full-body coordination required for more advanced choreography. We focus on scooping the arms and moving through first and fifth positions with softness and strength. We will also work on plié and relevé in the center, which are fundamental for building the strength and stability needed for future jumps and turns.
Throughout the session, Julie offers technical corrections to help you refine your form. Whether it is keeping your toe precisely placed during a promenade or ensuring a clean push-off and close during a dégagé, these small details make a significant difference in your development as a dancer. This class is a wonderful way to build your center legs and transition from being a student at the barre to a dancer moving through space with confidence.
Join us at Broche Ballet and find your flow in the center!
