What You'll Learn
- How to use ribcage rotation to counteract twisting in retiré back
- Techniques for activating the obliques to create internal opposition
- Strategies for keeping shoulders square when letting go of the barre
- How to maintain alignment during transitions to the side
About This Video
Finding stability in the center is one of the most rewarding milestones in a dancer's journey. In this Broche Ballet tutorial, we dive deep into a specific challenge: keeping your balance in retiré back. When the working leg is behind the knee in a retiré position, the body’s center of gravity shifts, often causing dancers to twist or lean toward the working side.
To combat this, we focus on the subtle mechanics of the torso and core. The secret to a rock-solid balance in retiré back lies in the ribcage. Instead of allowing your torso to follow the rotation of the hip, you must find opposition.
This involves a conscious lift and a slight rotation of the ribcage toward the standing side. By lifting the ribcage on the side of the working leg and rotating it forward, while pulling the standing-side ribcage back, you create a stable frame that resists the pull of gravity. Furthermore, the engagement of the obliques plays a crucial role.
Activating these muscles provides the internal corset needed to maintain your vertical axis. This is especially important when you are ready to let go of the barre. Without this core activation, the shoulders often lose their squareness, leading to a fall or a wobble.
As you move through your exercises, perhaps transitioning into a grand movement to the side, maintaining this squareness ensures that your weight stays centered over the ball of the standing foot. At Broche Ballet, we believe that understanding these anatomical nuances empowers you to dance with more confidence. By focusing on these refined adjustments—ribcage rotation, oblique engagement, and shoulder alignment—you will find that staying on balance in retiré back becomes a natural part of your technique.
Practice these tips at the barre and then challenge yourself to find that same stillness in the center.
