What You'll Learn
- Technical alignment and core engagement for stable, high-repetition relevés.
- Glute activation techniques to support ankle stability and turnout.
- Functional stamina building through targeted calf strengthening exercises.
- Proper transitions between two-legged work and one-legged balance sur le cou-de-pied.
- Effective calf stretches to maintain flexibility after intensive footwork.
About This Video
Building the necessary strength for ballet requires consistency and a focus on the fundamentals of lower-body conditioning. In this intensive Standing Pre-Pointe for Stamina class, your Broche Ballet instructor leads you through a series of dozens of relevés designed to fire up your calves and stabilize your ankles. This practice is a cornerstone for any dancer looking to progress toward en pointe work or simply wishing to improve their balance and power in center work.
The session begins with a targeted warm-up to prepare the joints and muscles for high-repetition movements. As we move into the core of the class, the focus shifts to the technical precision of the relevé. You will learn how to engage the inside of the ankle to prevent rolling and how to activate the glutes in a clamshell motion to maintain proper turnout.
This isn't just a calf workout; it is a full-body alignment check. We emphasize keeping the hips stable and ensuring that the nose follows the hips, a crucial cue for maintaining a vertical axis during repeated rises. As the intensity increases, the class moves from two-legged exercises to one-legged variations.
Working sur le cou-de-pied challenges your proprioception and forces the supporting leg to manage the body's weight with control. We also incorporate demi-plié to teach the muscles how to transition smoothly from a bend to a rise, which is essential for jumps and transitions. Throughout the video, you will receive tips on pressing the heel forward and pressing the knee back to create the resistance necessary for building functional muscle.
We conclude the session with a series of calf stretches to ensure that the muscles remain limber after such an intensive strengthening set. By incorporating this video into your regular training routine at Broche Ballet, you will notice significant improvements in your stamina, ankle stability, and overall confidence at the barre and in the center.
