Technique Tidbit: Why Ballet Arms are So Hard to Master

Ballet arms, or port de bras, are notoriously difficult to master because they require us to move in a way that is fundamentally opposite to our daily habits. If you have ever felt that your arms look stiff or disconnected during a ballet class, you are not alone. In this Quick Tidbit from Broche Ballet, we break down the biomechanical shift required to achieve that elusive, graceful look.

In our everyday lives, we rely heavily on the elbow swing. Think about how your arms move when you walk or run; the elbow acts as a hinge, providing momentum and balance. However, in the world of classical ballet, this reliance on the elbow is exactly what we want to avoid.

Proper ballet technique demands minimal elbow movement and maximal shoulder movement. When you move through the positions—from first to second or up to fifth—the movement should be initiated and sustained from the shoulder joint and the upper arms. By keeping the elbow relatively stable, you create the appearance of a long, unbroken line.

If the elbow joint opens and closes too much like a pendulum, you lose the structural integrity of the pose and the movement begins to look fidgety or lacks the desired classical aesthetic. Transitioning your focus to the shoulder joint allows for a more expansive and controlled movement. It requires engaging the muscles of the back and the rotator cuff to guide the arm through space.

This technique not only improves the aesthetics of your dancing but also helps with your overall balance and placement, especially when moving away from the barre. At Broche Ballet, we believe that understanding the mechanics behind the movement is the key to improvement. By recognizing that ballet movement is counterintuitive to our natural pendulum-like momentum, you can consciously train your body to adopt these new patterns.

Practice this during your next adagio or even while standing at the barre to see a visible difference in your artistic expression.