What You'll Learn
- How to achieve perfect vertical alignment from ears to ankles for maximum stability
- Techniques for moving from the barre to the center without losing your center of gravity
- The critical role of ankle positioning in maintaining a solid balance en pointe
- Strategies to manage anxiety and prevent upper-body tension from disrupting your balance
- How to stay grounded and connected to your pelvis to maintain control
About This Video
Balancing en pointe off the barre is one of the most rewarding yet challenging milestones in a dancer’s journey. It marks the transition from using external support to relying entirely on internal strength, alignment, and mental focus. In this instructional guide from Broche Ballet, we break down the essential techniques to help you find stability and confidence in the center.
The primary key to a successful balance is proper vertical alignment. To stay upright en pointe, you must ensure that your ears, shoulders, femur bones, and ankles are perfectly stacked on top of one another. When dancing in pointe shoes, the position of the ankle is particularly vital; it acts as the base of your vertical column.
If the ankle is not correctly aligned over the toes, the rest of the body will struggle to find its center of gravity. Many dancers struggle with the transition from the barre to the center because of a physical reaction to nerves. When we feel anxious about letting go of the barre, our bodies naturally tend to lift or hold tension in the upper body.
This panic often causes dancers to thrust their shoulders behind their hips, which immediately disrupts the vertical stack and leads to a fall. Instead, focus on a gentle, controlled rise. Avoid jerky movements and aim to keep your energy low and grounded.
Managing your psychological state is just as important as your physical technique. By staying calm and focused, you prevent tension from rising into your neck and shoulders. Keeping your center of gravity low—connected deeply with your pelvis and hips—allows you to feel more secure.
At Broche Ballet, we believe that understanding the physical sensations helps you master the technique. By combining correct skeletal stacking with a grounded mental approach, you will find that balancing en pointe becomes a graceful, controlled expression of your technique.
