What You'll Learn
- Techniques for maintaining balance when moving away from the barre
- How to recalibrate your alignment between footwork combinations
- Managing momentum during tombé and chassé movements en pointe
- Building the confidence to execute pas de bourrée without support
- Strengthening the feet and ankles through targeted fondu and tendu exercises
About This Video
Take your ballet practice to the next level with Broche Ballet’s specialized guide to venturing off the barre. Transitioning from the safety of the barre to the center is a significant milestone for any dancer, especially when working en pointe. This focused class is designed to bridge that gap, providing you with the essential basics required to build the strength, alignment, and confidence needed to dance entirely unsupported.
The lesson begins with foundational movements designed to ground your technique. You will work through precise tendu and fondu combinations that emphasize foot articulation and ankle stability. By focusing on these fundamental movements first, you learn to find your center of gravity while still having the barre as a light reference.
The instructor emphasizes the importance of the plié as a tool for transitions, ensuring that every movement is cushioned and controlled. As the class progresses, we incorporate more dynamic steps like pas de bourrée, chassé, and tombé, which challenge your ability to manage momentum while shifting weight. A key theme of this tutorial is the concept of recalibration.
The instructor guides you through the process of finding what is 'up'—realigning your hips, ears, and shoulders—between every movement. This constant check-in prevents the common tendency to fall forward or lose control as you move through space. You will learn specific cues, such as 'hips forward' and 'ears back,' to maintain a vertical posture that is crucial for successful center work.
Learning to manage your momentum and recover your balance is a vital skill for any intermediate dancer. We also explore how to use the music as a tool for stability. By matching your timing to the rhythm, you create a natural flow that helps maintain balance.
Whether you are practicing a passé or an échappé, the goal is to develop a sense of internal support so that the barre becomes a choice rather than a necessity. Through repetition and mindful placement, you will build the muscle memory required for complex center combinations and discover the freedom of dancing en pointe with total control.
