Train Your Brain: Reversing a Fondu Adagio Combination

At Broche Ballet, we believe that dance is as much a mental exercise as it is a physical one. This class, "Train Your Brain," is specifically designed to help you move past simple memorization and toward a deep, structural understanding of ballet movements. By focusing on a complex fondu adagio combination, we challenge you to not just follow along, but to deconstruct and reverse the sequence with intention and clarity.

Reversing a combination is a common hurdle for adult dancers. It requires a clear grasp of spatial orientation and the relationships between various steps. In this 8-minute session, we break down a sequence involving multiple fondu movements, specific port de bras transitions, and an enveloppé.

You will start by learning the initial version, focusing on the coordination of the low and high arms with the melting action of the plié in your fondu. Once the base combination is established, the real work begins. Reversing the combination involves more than just doing it backward.

You will learn how to switch from starting with the front foot to starting with the back foot, change directions from en dehors to en dedans, and adjust your focus through the corners of the room. We specifically look at the pas de bourrée and the double piqué, ensuring that your weight placement remains stable and your transitions are seamless. A key takeaway from this lesson is the importance of understanding the structure of movement.

When you understand that an enveloppé back replaces a développé front, or that an en dedans port de bras mirrors an en dehors one, you build a mental framework that applies to every ballet class you take. This cognitive training is essential for improving your performance in center work and adagio, where slow, controlled movements require absolute focus. Join Broche Ballet in this exercise to sharpen your mind and refine your technique, making your dancing more fluid and your learning process more efficient.