What You'll Learn
- Proper alignment and turnout techniques for demi-pliés
- Foot articulation and floor pressure during tendus in all directions
- Building balance and stability through controlled relevés
- Transitions between inside and outside leg patterns at the barre
- Tips for maintaining core engagement and a square pelvis throughout exercises
About This Video
Building a strong technical foundation is the cornerstone of every great dancer’s journey. In this 24-minute instructional class from Broche Ballet, we dive deep into the essential movements that form the basis of all ballet choreography: the plié, the tendu, and the relevé. Whether you are looking to refine your existing technique or build better habits, this session provides the focused practice necessary to elevate your dancing and prepare your body for more advanced work.
The class begins at the barre with a series of thorough pliés. We focus on achieving a deep, controlled demi-plié while maintaining proper turnout from the hips and ensuring that the knees track directly over the toes. By emphasizing correct alignment and core engagement early in the workout, you set the stage for better balance, improved flexibility, and greater power in more complex movements like jumps and turns.
We discuss the importance of keeping the heels firmly on the floor during the descent to build Achilles flexibility and strength. Following the warm-up, we transition into comprehensive tendu exercises. You will learn how to properly articulate through the foot, brushing through the floor to reach a fully stretched position that lengthens the leg and engages the inner thighs.
We explore tendus in all directions—devant, à la seconde, and derrière—to target different muscle groups and improve hip stability. The instructor provides specific feedback on maintaining a square pelvis and avoiding the common mistake of sickling the foot. As the session progresses, we introduce relevés to challenge your stability and calf strength.
You will practice rising onto the balls of the feet with control, learning how to find your center both with and without the support of the barre. We also incorporate transitions that require switching between inside and outside leg patterns, helping you develop the coordination needed for center work. This class concludes with a final stretch and technical review.
