What You'll Learn
- Mastering the pas de cheval for improved foot articulation
- Building ankle stamina through extended tendu and dégagé sequences
- Proper alignment and weight distribution in sous-sus and relevé
- Techniques for maintaining a straight supporting leg during transitions
- Essential parallel stretches to relax the ankles after pointe work
About This Video
Welcome to the fourth installment of our 16-week Beginner Pointe program at Broche Ballet. By now, you have established a solid foundation in your pointe shoes, and it is time to turn our attention toward building the strength and stamina necessary for more advanced work. This class is designed to help you integrate everything you have learned so far into more fluid combinations while maintaining the technical precision that pointe work demands.
We begin at the barre with a comprehensive review of foundational movements. Precision is key as we work through tendu and dégagé exercises specifically tailored for the resistance of pointe shoes. Unlike dancing in flat shoes, pointe work requires a heightened awareness of how the foot interacts with the floor. You will learn how to articulate through the metatarsals and maintain a strong, supported arch to prevent "knuckling" or sinking into the shoes.
A major focus of this session is the pas de cheval. This "step of the horse" is essential for developing quick, nimble footwork and strengthening the intrinsic muscles of the foot. The instructor breaks down the movement into manageable parts, ensuring you understand how to pick up the foot through a coupé or retiré position before extending it into a sharp tendu.
Throughout the class, we emphasize the importance of alignment and posture. The instructor guides you through plié and relevé sequences, ensuring your ankles remain forward and your weight is correctly distributed over the box of the shoe. We also introduce the sous-sus, teaching you how to draw the legs together tightly from a plié to find a stable, centered balance. Building stamina is a gradual process, and in this lesson, we increase the duration of our combinations to challenge your endurance. We conclude with a parallel stretch and cool-down to ensure your feet and ankles remain supple and healthy.
