What You'll Learn
- Master walking tendus to establish floor pressure and leg rotation before center work.
- Execute ankle isolation drills to find the limits of your turnout and inner thigh engagement.
- Build dynamic stability through controlled transitions between piqué and fondu.
- Develop rock-solid balances en pointe while integrating complex head movements and port de bras.
- Learn the 'vibration' technique to initiate light, rapid, and tight bourrée movements.
About This Video
Level up your pointe work with this intensive technical practice from Broche Ballet. This session is specifically designed for dancers who want to push their boundaries, focusing on two of the most critical elements of dancing en pointe: turnout and ankle strength. By isolating these components, you will learn how to maintain better alignment and find greater stability during center work and variations.
The practice begins with walking tendus off the barre. This exercise is essential for establishing the correct floor pressure and initiating rotation from the hip before moving into more complex sequences. You will then move into sous-sus balances in fifth position, where the focus shifts to core stability and fluid port de bras, challenging you to maintain your height and turnout even as your upper body and gaze move through space.
One of the most unique aspects of this session is the technical drill focused on ankle shaping. By intentionally exploring internal and external rotation (isolating 'winging' and 'sickling' in a controlled environment), you will learn to better engage your inner thighs and find the true limit of your functional turnout. This awareness is vital for preventing injury and ensuring that your weight is correctly placed over the box of your pointe shoes.
As the class progresses, we integrate piqué and fondu movements. The transition from a sharp piqué to a controlled, melting fondu is one of the hardest skills to master en pointe. We focus on building the eccentric strength necessary for a controlled roll-down, ensuring your foot placement remains secure and your leg remains turned out.
Finally, the session concludes with a focus on bourrée technique. Instead of simply stepping, you will learn to initiate the movement through a 'vibration' in the knees. This specific technical cue helps ensure your feet remain tight in fifth position while allowing for the speed and lightness required for professional-level execution.
