Brisé and Brisé volé

Brisé, translating to “broken” in French*, and brisé volé, meaning “flying brisé'', are our first #TechniqueThursday steps that do not always appear in a typical class and usually don’t have their own dedicated combination. These two very similar jumps are often found in petit allegro, but brisé volé in particular is probably most well known as the signature step from the Sleeping Beauty bluebird variation. We’re only discussing the technique for the lower body in these two steps today, because there are so many variations of upper body placement and arms, and Technique Thursday would be over before we could talk about them all! 

So what's the difference between a brisé and a brisé volé? Brisé is a single jump with the leg brushing out to beat once in the air, usually taking off from a croisé tendu front preparation or a fifth position and landing in plié often in fifth. Brisés can travel forward or back and multiple brisés can be linked by brushing the leg out to start the step again. On the other hand, brisé volé alternates between front and back brushes and ends in coupé front or back on one leg (one front and back brush per set) as many times as the choreography calls for, with the coupé landings linking the front and back directions together. 

Both steps are clearly very complex, combining technical elements from multiple smaller steps all while jumping. Tendus, jetés, rond de jambes and frappés are very useful for the technique needed to jump and beat the legs correctly. It’s important to remember to pass through a turned out and placed first plié even though the step can be quick. Establishing this turned out brush will keep the leg rotated as the second leg meets it at the top of the jump.

In both brisé and brisé volé, the legs should hit a fifth sous sous position in the air to the front or back as the beat happens, which is useful to imagine as a “picture” moment that almost freezes before the step lands. It’s also very important to make sure you’re using your plié to its fullest to help with the jump, both in a brisé and brisé volé. If you shorten your plié, you will not have all the power you could be using to get into the air as you brush front. The plié preparation should have a spring-like feeling, and as you brush the leg, think of pushing down into the floor to lift into the air. This idea of using energy into the floor to lift yourself into the jump is especially helpful to link the front and back brushes of brisé volé. If you are doing multiple sets of brisé volé, such as in Bluebird, it’s helpful to think of each set as a copy of the set before, and focus on each segment being equally important. Imagine the plié and brush lifting you to same amount each set as on the first. 

When you land from any jump, it’s necessary to use rotation and correct placement. When you land from a brisé volé, it’s also very important to pay attention to the coupé front and back. Pay attention to the heel staying forward on the front coupé, and the toes staying back for the back coupé. It’s easy to forget about shaping the foot when there’s a million other things happening in the step, but this will make your brisé volés even more polished! 

Brisé and brisé volé are certainly complex, but it can help to think of them being made up of smaller elements that create one jump. That way, you can work on each part of the step separately, then put them together while maintaining technique through the step.

Have a wonderful Technique Thursday!

*translation source: ballethub.com