Building from the feet upwards

I just came across this interesting statement from Sally Sevey Fitt (1996) Dance Kinesiology (2nd Ed.). and thought I would share it along with my thoughts and questions;

 If the foundation in a building is faulty, no amount of strengthening of the upper stories can correct the essential instability.  Many misalignments of the knee, hip, spine, and even shoulders can be traced to a chain reaction of compensations that began with a faulty foundation.

Do we spend so much of our time as dancers concentrating on the aesthetics, particularly in ballet, of where our arms are in space, the lines we are making with our bodies, that we forget to look after and strengthen our base of support?  It seems obvious that the more we strengthen our base of support the more freely our bodies can move in space under the safe knowledge that we have reduced our risk of injury by ensuring our foundations are strong.  

This is also very significant when it comes to young girls going onto their first pointe shoes.  It is a very exciting time and many girls are so eager to get onto pointe that the importance of first strengthening their feet and ankles is overlooked.

If we took the time to build up the strength in the lower body, and ensure correct alignment and weight distribution through the feet, then we would allow for more freedom of expression, as not only would the dancer be safer, but a strong base also allows the dancer to push their body further, create more amazing images.

Circles of the studio - the importance of thorough warm-up before class

I can't tell you the number of times I have walked into a dance studio before class to see dancers arriving and going straight into stretching, no aerobic warm-up or cardio of any description.  I know when I was at school it was normal practice at the beginning of a PE lesson to stretch, hamstrings, quads, glutes, all on cold muscles.  Now we are much better informed, and know that it is imperative that the muscles are warm prior to stretching to avoid tears and strains.

How many dancers do you see running around the dance studio to get their bodies warm before class?

To be able to perform at your optimal potential you need to arrive at class 15 - 30 minutes before the "warm-up" section of the class.  Of course we are used to beginning class with plies etc to warm up the joints, the feet and ease your body into the class, however warming up your body thoroughly prior to this will ensure you muscles are more pliable and you are less prone to injury.

Before you stretch you should include some form of aerobic exercise such as circuits of the studio, small jumps, running on the spot, anything to increase your heart rate and warm up your muscles.  Only once your muscles are warm should you begin stretching.  Also be aware that your muscles will be much more responsive to stretching at the end of the class, so stretching prior to class should be a lot lighter than at the end.  This should be softly stretch the muscles to allow for more freedom of movement and avoidance of injury during class.  Stretching for increased flexibility should always be completed after class when you muscles are at their most pliable.

Correct warm-up and cool down will help to protect your body against tears and strains and much more serious injury.

Hands on correction - vital for dance technique?

As a dancer and a teacher I have always preferred hands on correction, I feel this is the best way to ensure your positioning is correct rather than a verbal correct.

Dance is by nature a very tactile environment, but is the issue of touch correction a grey area, particularly when dealing with younger dancers?

As a dancer, the benefits of a touch correction mean your teacher can move your body into the correct position, locking this into your muscle memory to be repeated in future classes.  Being able to 'feel' the correct positioning is often a lot stronger than being told to move your arm etc in a specific way or to a certain position.

Corrections are particularly important with regards to injury prevention through correct technique.  Incorrect positioning can put strain on muscles, especially in young bodies where the muscles are still developing.  Therefore ensuring correct technique at a young age is vital in ensuring body alignment, foot placement, weight distribution and muscle strengthening.

Of course there are dancers who would prefer to receive a verbal correction in class and dance teachers must also be aware with younger students when making a touch correction.  It is therefore always a good idea to check a student is comfortable with a touch correction first.

How do you feel about touch corrections?  Does this help to improve your technique and a valuable tool for teachers?

Welcome to my blog

Hi
Welcome to my new blog.  I am a dancer & dance/fitness instructor and will be studying Dance Science at Laban in September.  Here I will be documenting my experiences as a dancer on what is out there are readily available for dancers when they become injured or even to prevent injury to start with.

From my experiences so far the resources are fairly limited, and those that are available are expensive on the average dancers salary. I believe passionately that dancers should have the same access to Dance Science support as athletes have in Sports Science.  After all dancers are athletes too....