What You'll Learn
- Correct foot placement and alignment in retiré on flat and demi-pointe
- Targeted exercises to activate the hips and find your natural turnout
- Professional barre technique to improve stability and upper body grace
- Strength-building strategies using sustained holds in retiré and sous-sus
About This Video
Welcome to another technical deep dive with Broche Ballet. In this 25-minute session from our "Step by Step" series, we focus on one of the most foundational yet challenging movements in the ballet vocabulary: the retiré. Whether you are working on flat or moving toward demi-pointe, a successful retiré requires a precise blend of strength, alignment, and active turnout.
This class is designed to help you move past just "doing the step" to truly mastering the mechanics behind it. We begin by breaking down the retiré from the ground up. You will learn how to properly draw the foot up the leg, ensuring the heel stays forward and the calf is properly engaged.
Our instructor emphasizes the importance of the held position, which is essential for building the muscle memory and stability needed for future pirouettes and adagio work. A major focus of this tutorial is the specialized exercise designed to help you find and maintain your turnout. Rather than forcing the feet into an unnatural rotation, we focus on firing up the hips and the supporting leg.
This ensures that your turnout originates from the top of the leg, leading to a safer and more aesthetic line. Beyond the lower body, we address critical details like proper barre technique. You will learn the correct hand positioning on the barre to avoid gripping or developing calluses, ensuring your upper body remains light and responsive.
We also incorporate sustained holds in retiré and sous-sus to build the stamina required for center work. By the end of this class, you will have a deeper understanding of how to maintain control and strength through every transition. Join us at Broche Ballet as we refine your technique, one step at a time.
