Controlling the Arms

A very familiar comments for most dancer are "isolate your arms" or "shoulders down" (Especially for me admittedly >.<). The shoulder joints are some of the most complicated areas to control while you're dancing, since they are made up of so many many different muscles. Here's a few tips and tricks to controlling your arms while doing complicated movements with the rest of your body during routines.

1.) "Balance the strength between your elbow flexors and extensors." (Greene Section 4) This is especially important for those with hyper extended elbows, because it creates a better line. Hyper extending makes your muscles more prone to injuries. 

2.) "Do arm exercises that build both the flexibility and strength equally" (Greene Section 4). This will make for nice fluidity in arm movement, and allow you to add more artistry and expression to your routines (plus toned arms are super pretty soooo.... score)

3.) Focus on lines of energy through your arms. The line of your arms should not simply stop at your fingertips. You should feel energy coursing out beyond yourself. This is built by holding tension in your arms, and extending your arms as far as possible. 

4.) Engage your shoulders, but not so much  that you look tense.

Why  do think arms are so important to the artistry of dancing?

HAPPY DANCING.

-Kristin

Haas, Jacqui Greene. Dance Anatomy. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2010. Print.

HAPPY FEET :)

Feet are by far the most important component to dancing. "Quick, fearless" feet are required to execute all motions (Greene Section 6). But this type of foot must be trained. Whether it is flexibility, strength, or coordination, everyone has something they could do to improve their feet. In dance, you feet are never simply "good enough!"

This particular exercise trains the foot for what ballerinas call a "winged" position 

        (See the upward curve to her arch? OMG PERFECT. O.o)

So basically our goal is to achieve this craziness.^

1.)  Sit down with a thear band (or elastic band) "wrapped around the forefoot" (Greene Section 6) (or upper part of your foot).

2.) Push your foot outward, creating resistance against the band. This brings your foot into a wing.

3.) Repeat 10-12 times, both in pointed and flexed foot.

This exercise is simple, but very effective. I do resistance band strengthening to my feet a few times per week.

Feet points and turned out

Feet flexed and turned out :)

Featuring me, casually trying to be cute...... 

What other activities can strengthening your feet help with? What injuries can this exercise help prevent?

-Kristin

Haas, Jacqui Greene. Dance Anatomy. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2010. Print.

Hip Flexor Stretch

Any kind of dance requires a lot of activity from the joints and muscles around the pelvis.In ballet, maintaining a high develope, controlling batement, and holding quick turns requires strong, flexible pelvic and hip muscles. This hip flexor stretch builds coordination and strength in these areas. Exercises like these need to be repeated daily in order to gain anything from them. Strength, flexibility, and coordination are maintained through a little bit of work EVERY SINGLE DAY. Take even a week without stretching or strengthening, and all your improvements may be gone.

Here's how this exercise works: 

1.) kneel on the right knee. Have your foot on the floor with your left knee at a 90 degree angle. Lengthen through your spine, keep hips in line

2.) Make a pelvic tilt through your upper body.

3.) slowly lengthen your arms into cambre position (note the right picture to see what this looks like if you're not sure). Hold this stretch for 45 second at minimum. Breathing deeply will help your balance.

4.) Slowly bring you arms back into your body, keeping your balance on your knee. Make sure to keep your hips square the entire time.  If this is too easy, try closing your eyes! (its hard....)

5.) repeat on the opposite side. Do ten reps on each leg.

wha la!! Hope you feel a little stronger :)

Happy dancing!!

Why must we  strengthen and stretch on a daily basis in order to to see improvement? What are good ways to motivate ourselves to persist in exercises everyday?




 Haas, Jacqui Greene. Dance Anatomy. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2010. Print.