What You'll Learn
- How to coordinate arm timing and port de bras to lead a successful soutenu turn.
- Techniques for driving the hip forward to maintain proper proximity to the barre.
- The connection between glissade, relevé, and turn preparation.
- Using frappé and petit battement combinations to improve pirouette mechanics.
About This Video
Take your ballet technique to the next level with this specialized class from Broche Ballet, focusing on the execution of the full soutenu turn at the barre. In this second part of our series, we dive deep into the mechanics of the turn, providing a frappé combination to give the movement technical context and flow. Mastering the soutenu turn is a vital step for any intermediate dancer, as it builds the foundational coordination required for more complex center work and pirouettes.
This lesson focuses on the crucial relationship between your port de bras and your lower body. You will learn how to use your arm as a 'runway' to guide your rotation, ensuring you stay connected to the barre rather than pulling away. A common challenge for dancers is maintaining proximity to the barre during the rotation; we address this by focusing on driving the hip forward and hitting a clear first position of the arms during the transition.
By integrating elements like the glissade, relevé, and petit battement into our combinations, we emphasize the importance of keeping the legs together and the body vertically aligned. We also explore how these barre exercises serve as essential preparation for pirouettes, focusing on the speed and precision of the feet. Throughout the video, our instructor provides detailed demonstrations of double front, double side, and double back frappé sequences, ensuring you understand the rhythmic timing needed to transition into the soutenu smoothly.
Whether you are looking to sharpen your turns or improve your overall barre stability, this tutorial provides the professional cues and encouragement needed to advance your practice.
