What You'll Learn
- Techniques for a stable tombé by keeping the back leg relaxed and tucked
- How to execute smooth pas de bourrée by focusing on the lift and relevé
- Foundational center positions including croisé, cou-de-pied, and fondu
- Strategies for finding balance on the front leg without weight-shifting
- Coordinating port de bras with center footwork for a fluid performance
About This Video
The transition from the barre to the center is one of the most significant milestones in a dancer's journey, especially when working en pointe. Taking your practice away from the physical support of the barre can feel daunting, but it is the key to unlocking true freedom and professional grace in your dancing. In this focused 13-minute practice from Broche Ballet, we move into the center of the room to find calm, stability, and comfort.
This session is specifically designed to help intermediate dancers bridge the gap between stationary barre exercises and fluid center movement. We begin by establishing a strong foundation with fundamental positions such as croisé, cou-de-pied, and fondu. These basic shapes are essential for building the proprioception needed to balance without assistance.
The instructor guides you through a series of exercises designed to stabilize your core and align your weight over your toes, ensuring that every relevé and sous-sus feels secure and controlled. One of the core focuses of this class is the tombé. A common challenge when moving off the barre is maintaining control during weight transfers.
You will learn how to keep the back leg relaxed and tucked underneath you as you lift into a relevé. This technique prevents the common mistake of 'stepping up' onto the back leg, which can throw off your center of gravity. Instead, we focus on a 'bouncing' sensation at the top of the movement to test and refine your balance.
The class also dives deep into the mechanics of the pas de bourrée. By focusing on the lift and the intuitive dragging of the leg underneath the body, you will develop the agility required for complex center combinations. We also integrate port de bras to ensure that your upper body remains expressive and fluid even as your feet work to maintain stability.
Whether you are working toward your first center combination or looking to refine your existing pointe technique, this practice offers the tools to help you stand tall and move with confidence.
