Welcome to Focus Warm-up 5: Balance & Weight Placement, guided by Jenna Roberts. This class is designed to support dancers in developing stability and awareness through controlled transitions, spinal articulation, and coordinated movement.

The class begins with Curl & Bridge, focusing on spinal mobility and the articulation of the feet. Then, in Lengthen, Hold, Breathe, students explore internal and external rotation, supported by breath to encourage full-body length without tension. As the warm-up progresses to Weight Placement – Extension challenges dancers to shift weight fluidly while integrating upper body coordination, including port de bras, épaulement, and head movement.

Finally, Promenade – Extension, the fit ball becomes a valuable tool for refining trunk stability and rotation over the supporting leg.

This sequence promotes a grounded, responsive use of the lower body while training the upper body to remain expressive and aligned. It’s an ideal class to prepare students for more complex movement phrases, particularly those involving turns or directional changes.

Tips

Encourage dancers to visualise the pelvis as a bowl staying level during weight transfers—this helps avoid collapsing or over-tilting.

Reinforce that correct head placement can enhance balance—small adjustments in gaze can have a big impact on coordination.

Use breath cues to release unnecessary tension during port de bras and épaulement—especially in the shoulders and neck.