Intermediate Ballet Center: Advanced Penché Mechanics & Waltz Flow

Welcome to this 22-minute intermediate center class at Broche Ballet, designed to bridge the gap between technical barre work and fluid center combinations. This session focuses heavily on two pillars of intermediate ballet: stable penché mechanics and coordinated pirouette transitions. We begin with center practice that emphasizes coordination through piqué turns, as well as en dehors and en dedans turns.

A key technical focus here is the transition into soutenu. You will learn how landing with open arms after an en dedans pirouette provides the necessary momentum and frame to step into a clean soutenu. The heart of the class is a challenging adage that integrates développé and penché.

The instructor provides detailed breakdowns of the mechanics of leaning and recovery. To maintain stability in your penché, you will learn to push the standing hip forward over the leg while reaching long through the arm. This counter-tension prevents the common mistake of falling backward or losing the vertical axis.

We also address gaze; by following your fingers toward the junction of the floor and wall, you can maintain a continuous line and better balance throughout the movement. We conclude the session with a lively waltz sequence. This segment challenges your musicality and weight transfer through chassé and pirouette turns.

For fast-paced waltzes, the focus shifts to driving the hip completely over the supporting leg, ensuring a strong vertical axis for both balances and rotations. Whether you are working on your arabesque line or the fluidity of your pas de bourrée, this class offers the technical cues needed to find your center. Throughout the exercises, we utilize movements like fondu and enveloppé to build the strength required for controlled intermediate center work.