What You'll Learn
- Proper heel alignment and turnout during the relevé
- How to maintain straight legs and knee control on one leg
- Techniques for a smooth, controlled rise and lower
- Effective calf stretching to prevent stiffness after training
About This Video
Elevate your daily practice with Broche Ballet’s "Cherry on Top" routine, a specialized three-minute session dedicated to perfecting your relevé technique. Whether you are finishing a full barre or just have a few minutes for a quick strength boost, this exercise focuses on the fundamentals of rising to demi-pointe with precision and control. This routine is designed to be added to the end of any practice session to build the endurance and stability required for more advanced choreography and center work.
Starting with a foundational plié, the routine guides you through several sets of relevés on both legs before transitioning into challenging single-leg work. " By consciously pushing the heels forward as you rise, you engage your turnout from the hips and ensure proper alignment through the ankles and feet. This helps prevent rolling or sickling and builds the necessary strength for future work en pointe.
As you move through the repetitions, you will focus on maintaining perfectly straight legs. It is common for the knees to buckle or for the legs to swing out of alignment during fatigue, but this class emphasizes a steady, controlled rise and a smooth lower. When transitioning to single-leg relevés, the instructor highlights the importance of pressing the knee back.
This action ensures that the working leg remains turned out, which is vital for stability and aesthetic line in ballet. To maximize the benefits, we incorporate a brief "hold" at the top of each relevé. This isometric moment builds stability and allows you to check your vertical alignment.
Between sets, shaking out the legs helps prevent excessive stiffness, keeping your muscles supple. We conclude the session with a restorative calf stretch to lengthen the muscles after they have been worked intensely. Join Broche Ballet to refine the small details that make a massive difference in your dancing.
