Tender Tombé Pas de Bourrée - basic connecting steps in ballet & dance technique

One of the key steps that "glue" together all our more featured dance movements (jumps, turns, and so forth), pas de bourrée and tombé pas de bourrée are important skills in basic ballet technique and are present in the "Winter Fairy" variation from the ballet "Cinderella" that I've been teaching in live classes recently.

Related to grapevine in jazz and hip hop dance and contemporary and modern ballet pas de bourree movements, once you are familiar with this type of footwork, you'll recognize it everywhere!

In this video, I compare a couple types of grapevine and pas de bourrée steps, teach pas de bourrée dessous & traveling tombé pas de bourrée and we practice with lovely ballet piano music from Hawai'i.

Chapter Time Stamps
:00 Demonstration of tombé pas de bourrée
:09 Introduction
:55 Distinguishing between bourrée, pas de bourrée (and variations thereon), and tombé pas de bourrée
2:30 pas de bourrée is in three parts, like grapevine, a universal principle of nearly all dance styles (jazz, hip hop, contemporary...)
4:57 Practice basic pas de bourrée
6:00 Linguistic or other cues: "back, side, front" or "up, up, down"
6:41 Practice pas de bourrée with music
7:28 tombé pas de bourrée and the "Winter Fairy" variation from "Cinderella"
8:15 tombé pas de bourrée instruction
11:30 Practice tombé pas de bourrée (2 in each direction alternating) with music
12:56 Conclusion

Go to town with tombé pas de bourrée and let me know what you think in the comments below!

Blythe Stephens, MFA
she/her or they/them
A Blythe Coach: ablythecoach.com @ablythecoach
move through life with balance, grace, & power
Studio: Tanzshule Tanzraum, Cologne, Germany
Music: "La Gioconda, Act III Finale, Dance of the Hours (Tendu 1/4 Measure 64)" by Megumi Kopp

DISCLAIMER: A Blythe Coach recommends that you consult your physician regarding the applicability of any recommendations and follow all safety instructions before beginning any exercise program. When participating in any exercise or exercise program, there is the possibility of physical injury. If you engage in this exercise or exercise program, you agree that you do so at your own risk, are voluntarily participating in these activities, assume all risk of injury to yourself.