(Today’s post comes to us from AMA Instructor, Kaela Norwood.)
As a young dancer, you may wish for things about your body to be different… but DON’T! While the idea of having “perfect” feet, legs, back, and many other things would make you a better dancer or make dance easier is common, that philosophy is wrong. Everyone is built so differently; learning how to dance within your body type will help you to become the dancer you want to be!
There are a multitude of exercises that assist with strengthening our muscles for dance. These exercises assist our bodies in learning proper alignment, improved turnout, and gaining stronger ankles. Enhancing those skills will allow you to have better lines, posture, and execute steps better than before.
Here are a few basic exercises to start with as you begin your journey toward dancing the best with what you’ve got!
Exercise #1
Floor Plies – This is a great exercise for strengthening the muscles around the back of legs and developing better turnout.
Begin by lying on the floor with legs up in a perfect 90-degree angle from the hips with feet pointed. (See Figure 1 below.)
Floor Plies – Figure 1
Next, begin flexing the feet with straight legs, as if standing on the ceiling. (See Figure 2 below.)
Floor Plies – Figure 2
Then start to plié slowly (Figure 3 below)…
Floor Plies – Figure 3
…and return to the back to flex position (see Figure 2 below).
Floor Plies – Figure 2 (again)
Lastly, move back to the pointed position. Again, see Figure 1. (Below.)
Floor Plies – Figure 1 (again)
Going through these motions within a full 8-count of time for 10-20 reps will quickly make a huge difference in the way your leg muscles support your body while dancing or doing any physical activity.
Exercise #2
One Legged Squats – This exercise is all about pelvic alignment and control. By tracking the ankle as your leg bends and straightens you are teaching those muscles how to push off the floor correctly.
Simply lift one leg off the floor about 6-8 inches. Begin bending and straightening the leg as the lifted leg remains still. Be careful not to rotate the legs and ankles inward or outward, as shown in Figures 1 and 2 below. That type of misalignment during the exercise will over work the wrong muscle groups and increase the chance of tendinitis in the ankles.
Example – Figure 1
Example – Figure 2
Exercise #3
Ankle Raises – A perfect exercise for producing stronger ankles for better relevés, balances, and turns. It will help with alignment when standing on two legs and prepare proper tracking for more advanced technical dancing, like the strength needed for pointe.
Begin standing with legs hip width apart. Slowly rise to full relevé on straight legs. Stay for 8 counts and lower back down to a neutral standing position. Repeat in reps of 20.
Be sure not to shift to the outside of the ball of the foot or too far to the inside of the big toe, as seen in Figures 1 and 2 below.
Example – Figure 1
Example – Figure 2
Consistency is key!
Practice these exercises often; everyday if you can. It only takes a few minutes and will make a huge difference in your dance technique.
SHOW US HOW YOU DANCE WITH WHAT YOU’VE GOT!
Calling all AMA dancers!
Take a picture of yourself doing one of the above exercises and post it on Instagram. Be sure to tag @AmaDanceAndMusic in your photo for your chance to win a prize!
Your name will be entered into a raffle, and we will choose the winner and announce it on our Facebook page and Instagram next week!
Check back for more exercises and another Instagram challenge from Miss Kaela!
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