What You'll Learn
- How to maintain consistent turnout throughout complex center combinations.
- Techniques for coordinating port de bras with leg movements for a fluid look.
- Strategies for improving balance during weight transfers and temps lié.
- Correct mechanics for the coupé movement and crossing into fifth position.
About This Video
Taking your first steps away from the barre can feel daunting, but center work is where the magic of dance truly begins. In this quick 10-minute beginner ballet class from Broche Ballet, Julie guides you through essential center combinations designed to build your confidence and refine your coordination. This session focuses heavily on maintaining turnout and finding your center of gravity while moving through space.
One of the primary challenges for beginner dancers is keeping the legs turned out as the complexity of the movement increases. You will practice combinations that emphasize picking up the front foot into a coupé position without letting the heel turn in, ensuring that your alignment remains correct even as you prepare for extensions. We will work through specific exercises involving a plié, extension, and closing, repeated to build muscle memory and stability.
Coordination is another key pillar of this class. You will learn to integrate port de bras seamlessly with your footwork. Julie emphasizes the mechanics of the arms—using the wrist to pull you in and the back of the hand to open you up—to create fluid, professional movements.
You will also practice a specific combination involving tendu front, closing, and a weight transfer through fourth position to help ground your movements. Weight transfer is further explored through movements like the temps lié, where you will focus on staying balanced while shifting through first position. Throughout the class, we emphasize the technical details that make a difference: keeping the shoulders wide, lifting the front hip while dropping the back, and ensuring that your turnout doesn't diminish by the end of a combination.
Crossing into a tight third or fifth position is a workout in itself, requiring constant core engagement. By focusing on these foundations, you will build the stability needed for more advanced center work. Whether you are practicing in a small space or a full studio, these exercises provide the perfect workout for those transitionary moments in your ballet journey.
Join us at Broche Ballet to strengthen your technique and find your balance in the center.
