What You'll Learn
- Correct alignment for the butterfly stretch to enhance hip rotation.
- How to use blocks and pillows to support and deepen your stretches.
- Targeted movements to release tension in the IT bands and hip flexors.
- Breathing strategies to facilitate muscle relaxation and flexibility.
- Modifications for the passé shape to suit individual mobility levels.
About This Video
Improving your flexibility is essential for achieving the effortless lines and range of motion required in ballet. In this Flexibility Flow session with Broche Ballet, we focus on one of the most fundamental yet challenging areas for many dancers: the hips. Specifically, this 12-minute practice targets the butterfly stretch, providing a comprehensive guide to opening the hips and releasing deep-seated tension in the lower body.
For many adult dancers, hip tightness can feel like a significant barrier to progress. This video addresses those concerns by offering a variety of modifications. By utilizing props such as pillows or blocks, you can provide the necessary support to your legs and shins, allowing your muscles to relax rather than grip.
We explore how to adjust the distance of your feet to target different areas of the hip and IT band, ensuring that the stretch meets you exactly where you are today. Technique is at the forefront of this flow. You will learn to focus on pulling the elbows back toward the ribcage while keeping the chest forward, maintaining the long, elegant spine that is a hallmark of ballet.
We also incorporate the passé position, showing how hip flexibility directly translates to your work at the barre and in the center. Stretching the IT band and hip flexors is prioritized to help you achieve a more fluid and functional range of motion. Beyond the physical poses, we emphasize the importance of breathing techniques.
You will learn to use your inhalations to create space and your exhalations to find a deeper release. This mindful approach ensures that you are working with your body rather than against it. Whether you are looking to improve your turnout or simply find more comfort in your daily movements, this Flexibility Flow provides the tools and techniques needed to unlock your potential.
Join us at Broche Ballet as we honor our bodies and work toward greater grace and mobility.
