What You'll Learn
- Proper hip alignment and 'up and over' mechanics for fluid, controlled bourrées.
- How to execute a stable tombé pas de bourrée transition while maintaining alignment en pointe.
- Techniques for incorporating a petit développé to finish sequences with grace and precision.
- Building ankle strength and balance for relevés in first position away from the barre.
About This Video
Transitioning from the stability of the barre to the center of the room is one of the most exciting yet challenging milestones in a dancer's journey. In this 16-minute Broche Ballet practice, we focus on "Venturing Off the Barre," helping you find your balance and grace en pointe without the constant support of a handrail. This class is specifically designed to bridge the gap between static exercises and fluid across-the-floor movements.
We begin by refining the bourrée. This delicate, shimmering movement requires immense control of the upper legs and core. You'll learn the essential technique of lifting the hips high to create enough space for your pointe shoes to glide underneath you.
We emphasize the "up and over" motion of the back leg, ensuring your legs remain straight and engaged to maintain a seamless, effortless look. By focusing on hip placement and precision, you’ll gain the confidence needed to travel across the floor with stability. Next, we dive into the tombé pas de bourrée, a fundamental transition step in classical ballet.
We break down the mechanics of the falling movement into a three-step transition, ensuring your weight shifts correctly through the shoes. To add flair to your combinations, we also introduce the petit développé at the end of a sequence, teaching you how to plant the foot and finish with a clean, controlled extension. Finally, the session works towards strengthening your relevé in first position.
Practicing these foundational rises en pointe in the center builds the necessary ankle strength and proprioception for more complex choreography. Whether you are relatively new to pointe work or looking to polish your center transitions, this class provides the technical corrections and encouragement needed to feel at home in the middle of the studio. Join us at Broche Ballet as we explore the freedom of movement that comes when you finally step away from the barre.
