What You'll Learn
- How to use frappé as a technical foundation for powerful and controlled grand battement.
- The secret to higher leg extensions by focusing on downward floor pressure and grounding.
- Essential hip flexor stretches and lunge variations to improve turnout and range of motion.
- Correct arm coordination and body alignment during complex movements like grand plié and fondu.
About This Video
Step up to the barre for a comprehensive 52-minute session designed to solidify your technical foundation. In this in-depth beginner ballet barre class from Broche Ballet, we dive deep into the mechanics of movement, focusing specifically on the relationship between small, sharp actions and large, powerful ones. Many dancers struggle with the height of their legs in grand battement, but the secret often lies in the precision of the preparatory exercises.
We begin by exploring the frappé, a vital movement for developing speed and strength in the feet and lower legs. By mastering the strike and recovery of the frappé, you prepare your muscles for the explosive power required in a grand battement. The instructor provides detailed corrections on maintaining turnout and hip alignment throughout these challenging exercises.
One of the key takeaways from this session is the counter-intuitive concept that for the leg to go up, there must first be a sensation of pressing down into the floor. This grounding technique creates the necessary stability and leverage for a beautiful, high extension without compromising your posture. In addition to frappé and grand battement, this class covers essential movements like dégagé and grand plié performed en croix.
We place a heavy emphasis on hip flexibility and the mobilization of the hip flexors. Through specific stretching and lunge-based exercises, you will learn how to keep the hip down during high extensions, avoiding the common mistake of hiking the hip which disrupts the line of the body. Whether you are a beginner looking to understand the mechanics behind the movements or an intermediate dancer seeking to refine your form, this class offers the technical insights needed to progress.
Join Broche Ballet for this focused practice and experience how detailed instruction can transform your execution at the barre.
