What You'll Learn
- Master counterbalancing techniques using the hips and knees to maintain verticality in passé.
- Use the 'noisy feet' drill to improve tactile awareness and centering during turn closures.
- Utilize a relevé arabesque preparation to correctly shift weight over the supporting leg.
- Refine your spotting and shoulder initiation to generate controlled, consistent momentum.
- Apply recovery techniques like the 'head knock' to stabilize landings and prevent falling forward.
About This Video
Elevate your technique with this comprehensive 22-minute practice session from Broche Ballet, specifically designed to help dancers master the art of the pirouette. Turning is often one of the most challenging aspects of ballet, requiring a delicate harmony of strength, coordination, and timing. This video delves into specialized drills that target three pillars of a successful turn: momentum, precision, and balance.
The session begins with a focus on counterbalancing exercises. You will learn how to coordinate your head, hips, and knees to maintain a strong vertical axis. By understanding the body's natural weights and measures, you can prevent the common habit of falling out of a passé position during rotation.
We explore the concept of 'noisy feet'—a tactile technique where the working foot maintains contact with the shin during the descent. This audible cue ensures you are remaining centered and controlled as you close into fifth position. Preparation is key to a powerful pirouette.
The instructor guides you through a relevé arabesque preparation, a dynamic movement that helps drive the hips forward and upward over the supporting leg. This prevents the weight from lagging behind in fourth position, which is a frequent cause of lost momentum. You will also learn the crucial role of the shoulders in initiating rotation and the importance of spotting the front of the room with speed and clarity to complete turns cleanly.
Throughout the practice, we work through progressive turning increments. Starting with quarter and half turns allows you to refine your alignment before attempting full rotations. Finally, we address the landing with the 'head knock' recovery trick, a subtle head movement that helps shift your center of gravity back if you tend to pitch forward.
Whether you are looking to stabilize a single turn or prepare for doubles, these drills provide the technical foundation needed for consistent success.
