What You'll Learn
- The ideal anatomical placement of the knee in passé relative to the shoulder.
- How to use 'directional goals' to improve active turnout without forcing the joints.
- The mechanics of prying the hips apart to create more space in the pelvic bowl.
- Why standing leg stability must never be compromised for the sake of working leg height.
- How to maintain energy direction when transitioning from retiré to à la seconde.
About This Video
Achieving a clean, high, and turned-out passé is a fundamental milestone for every ballet student, yet the specific placement of the knee often remains a point of confusion. In this Broche Ballet technical tidbit, we dive deep into the mechanics of knee placement in the passé and retiré positions. One of the most common questions we hear is: where exactly should the knee point? While many dancers strive for a flat 180-degree line, the reality of ballet technique involves understanding "directional goals." Rather than forcing a static position that your joints might not yet support, we focus on the active muscle engagement required for prying the hips apart. This means the front of the hips should feel like they are widening and opening, while the back of the hips—the deep rotators—are drawing together and closing.
A key technical cue discussed in this lesson is the relationship between the working knee and the shoulder. Ideally, the knee in passé should be aiming for a position behind the shoulder line. This specific placement ensures that the femur is properly rotated in the hip socket without causing the pelvis to tilt or the standing hip to collapse. Maintaining stability in the standing leg is paramount; it is always better to have a slightly less "open" knee with a perfectly vertical and stable base than to compromise your structural alignment just to force the leg back.
We also explore how these principles of turnout and directional energy apply to movements like retiré and transitions to à la seconde. By maintaining energy and direction through the working leg while rooting the standing leg firmly into the floor, you develop the functional strength required for more advanced center work and pirouettes. These micro-adjustments in your alignment will help you find more space in your joints and more grace in your movement. Join us as we refine your technique one position at a time, ensuring your ballet practice is both beautiful and anatomically sound.
