Increased muscle tone, flexibility and ability all contribute towards the wide goal of staying fit and healthy as part of having a healthy, dancing lifestyle. A busy dance season can lead to tighter muscles due to fatigue. When you are healthy and happy, the places where you hold strain tends to be relaxed and supple, and you are calm, ready to face lifeâs daily challenges. Increasing flexibility in the waist and upper body will go a long ways towards upgrading your punches, too. In order to express themselves artistically, dancers stretch their joints to super-human lengths so they can please the eye as they fly across the stage in a panoply of amazing planes and angles. - If this stretch is still a little difficult for you then just keep practicing bridges, and re-asses in a couple of weeks. For instance, it improves mobility, posture, muscle coordination, reduces the risk of injuries and muscle soreness. Try to force yourself to take some fuller, deeper breaths. Recommended yoga postures for dancers, according to the Paso Dance Studios, include the Sun Salutation as part of a dynamic warm up and seated asanas for your cool-down. They can throw their legs behind their heads and they donât necessarily need any more flexibility. A few dancers are naturally, super flexible or hyper mobile. Flexibility in a dancer is very important Salsa dancing does not require that you do your Chinese splits in the middle of a dance, but it does require some flexibility, especially when learning advanced movement techniques, including some of those … If you lack flexibility, over time, your body will start to suffer. Stretching will help improve your overall well being. Cross training is also a great way to aid in injury prevention. Then I can move on to other fun things, like artistry and interpretation! Stretching is good for every body! Supplemental strength training improves dancing while preventing injury. Take some isolated circular movements for the hips, shoulders, knees and head to encourage blood flow through the muscles and the body before commencing any stretches. By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. Here Are My Top 3 Tips for Improving Your Flexibility Through Stretching : Stretches should be held for 60 seconds to give your muscles added elasticity and looseness. Not only does flexibility elongate your lines and enrich the look of your dancing, tightness can actually be bad for your body. Stretching everyday is the best way to get all of the benefits listed above. The hip girdle area is anatomically complex. Regardless of whether or not you practice high kicks, increasing flexibility in the legs and hips will do much for cultivating smooth, easy, and nimble footwork. Both gymnastics and dance require extreme stretching of muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Flexibility is important because it is basically any movement in the body. Your email address will not be published. There are many reasons why having a flexible body is essential to our health and well-being. For years, I wondered why … - Once you are up in a bridge shift your body so that your weight rests primarily over the arms, and gradually try to straighten you knees. Stretching prepares the body to exercise by loosening the muscles. Your email address will not be published. We have know for years that flexibility is not just about muscle tension, and that it is greatly impacted by other factors such as neural tension, fascial mobility and other factors like stress. In your hip flexors to relieve pain and … Just like football players and gymnasts, dancers deal with the risk of injury. Conditioning students in functional strength and flexibility while teaching them the appropriate way to … Stretching helps relieve pain all over the body. With the increased blood supply that comes to the joints through stretching, the range of motion in the joints is increased, slowing down the degeneration of joints. Flexibility also reduces the risk of injuries and soreness. Flexibility is not only helpful in dance class or on stage, it can also help us in our day to day lives. You can also use movement to encourage blood flow, go for a walk. Even if I did, I’m wasting energy. The goal of Easy Flexibility’s Ballet Turnout Program is to stretch this tricky area and create more space within the joint for greater range of motion and enable the strength to keep improving over time. Stretching can be a fun part of practice and should not be treated as a chore. And having good posture encourages positive thinking, confidence and optimal functioning of the nervous system. Yoga class can fast track improvement in flexibility and can be a new, different and exciting way for a dancer to work on lengthening their muscles. I like to close my eyes and imagine that the muscle that is being stretched is lengthening and I breath deeply into the area to help manage any tension. Or with a friend for added resistance can make working on your flexibility feel like less of a chore if you have someone to enjoy it with. *Why is strength and conditioning important for my dancer? A little bit of extra practice goes a long way! Having a good range of motion aids in making a dancerâs work appear more seamless and it can also help increase a dancerâs turn out. 7 reasons why flexibility and stretching are important for dancers, Las Muchachitas Sevy Hart Keloke Bachata Festival 2019 show, Salsability Dancers – Ran kan kan (Salsa). It becomes more important as you get older to maintain or to improve your flexibility. I was one of those dancers, however I have found over the course of my training and my career that the more flexible dancers are generally lacking in strength. If you need a push to start stretching, just join the #SPLITS15 challenge by Zunaira Anaisa on Instagram. Why is flexibility important for an athlete? Whatever students’ motivations may be, dance instructors should be able to provide sound advice on how dancers can safely improve flexibility. These cookies are so that we can provide a better service. Never stretch to the point of pain, we need to make sure we are starting with light stretches and building them up slowly. Dance of all genres can help to improve your flexibility. The way in which we approach flexibility now is very different to the way we used to think about flexibility, even 5 years ago. The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. It's not enough to be a master of one style—even when they specialize in one area, dancers are frequently asked to fuse multiple genres, or step out of their comfort zone for specific projects. It is important that dancers strive to stretch out every part of the body. Stretching with cold muscles can put a strain on your muscles and cause harmful damage. Improve Flexibility – Stretching before and after dancing is very important to getting the most out of … And speak to your teachers if you have any concerns with your child’s flexibility, or if you’d like to ask for stretches tailored specifically for your child’s body and its development and progression. And drink some water; hydration is also key to optimal muscular performance. Flexibility is essential for all dancers; professionals understand that flexibility is one of the most important physical aspects to becoming a great dancer. Join now by adding easy stretching to your daily routine and work up to more vigorous stretches as your body becomes more adapt to the routine. Stretching increases the blood supply to your muscles and joints which means that the transportation of nutrients is increased and overall blood circulation is improved throughout the whole body. Open up the joint, then bring your limbs closer to you. Advanced bridge: This is a great stretch to further increase your flexibility if you're comfortable doing a bridge (see Image 5.) * Dancers are athletes. They also work aggressively on the mobility of joints. Dance, and in particular ballet, is characterized by beautiful body shapes and lines, much of which are due to flexibility. Flex your calves to relieve pain caused by shin splints. Tight muscles in the neck and shoulders is closely related to stress and tightness in the gluteus can be related to emotional burden. Most dance styles will help you become more supple, improve coordination, musicality, posture and alignment. It is important to remember that every BODY is different from joint structure, to muscle length, to flexibility. And body conditioning with a focus on strengthening of the muscles especially the core is important for these body types. Even if you’re not a dancer, improving your flexibility can have a positive effect on your body, being limber and keeping a good range of motion in your muscles and joints is important for your health and overall well-being. A flexible joint requires less energy to move which means stretching creates more energy-efficient movements during your dance practice and on the dance floor. Flexibility is an area of fitness that is often ignored. Flexibilty helps alot in dance. 3. Stretching is an easy, efficient way to improve the overall well being of your body. We leave it to the end of the workout and then skip it if time is short. Having tight muscles can affect your frame of mind, but your frame of mind can also affect tightness in the body. Downward dog and butterfly pose may well be good for flexibility, but if yoga doesn’t tempt you, why not try dancing instead. But did you know that it can also help slow the degeneration of joints and helps you reduce and manage stress? Stretching helps relieve pain all over the body. In your hip flexors to relieve pain and pressure on the spine. This gained flexibility and strength is important during dance class, both for safety and performance quality. However, when you are stressed, your muscles can tense up even leading to tension headaches. Why is there a difference between flexibility and muscular strength in perceptions of importance and engagement? Stretch your feet to relieve pain from plantar fasciitis. Required fields are marked *. Yoga poses offer a variety of benefits for dancers, including improved flexibility. Several factors affect flexibility. At the end of the day, if I manage to regain flexibility in my lower back, I’ll have a much easier time dancing with the correct technique. Overstretching also causes stiffness by tearing muscle fibers. Stretching reduces the tension in your muscles which results in less stress throughout your whole body. A good range of motion and flexibility aids in proper alignment of the bones as well as good posture. Please encourage your child/ren to continue stretching at home (especially over the holidays). A varied stretching routine is required at all levels of dance, as flexibility cannot be maintained without regular elongation of the body’s key muscles. It can be easy when in front of mirrors, to compare yourself to the dancer beside you or focus on … Stretching helps loosen your muscles, which helps to prevent injury. Thirdly, ballet is essential in building a dancers strength and improving their flexibility. No not galletas, gordita! While most of us understand that we should stretch, we don’t always understand the reasoning behind it, which makes it harder to make time for stretching. Flexibility is an important component of physical fitness and has many positive effects on the body. Dance also increases your joint mobility and muscle flexibility. Run around the studio 10 times or jogging on the spot and star jumps are good if you are working in a confined space at home. In the same study however, 82% of the dancers perceived flexibility and joint mobility to be “very important” and 51% “regularly” engaged in it, while 30% “vigorously” engaged in it (McLeod, 2015, p. 65). Helps with jumps, kicks, and turns. more information Accept. Perform Yoga Poses. Watch this video and stay tuned for more information. Majority of dancers need to stretch regularly to get the freedom of movement they desire to make their extensions appear effortless. Or sometimes more advanced students need a greater range of flexibility to nail complicated tricks. I hope you have found this blog helpful and informative. But why? If you stretch the muscles in your shoulders, lower back, and chest, your back will better aligned and your posture will be improved! Plus, your lymphatic system gets a boost when you engage in an energetic dance that helps to metabolize waste products and keep your immune system functioning properly. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this. Here are some tips on flexibility for dancers to share with your performers. Stretching helps keeps your joints fluid and free and can help prevent joint diseases such as arthritis. ;) Why do some people want to become flexible? Since dance enhances flexibility, it also increases your range of motion, or the amount of movement around a specific joint or body part. This post will review why improving hip mobility is important and how to offset hours of sitting with simple exercises that helps improve hip flexibility. In this case, restorative therapies like weekly massages, sufficient sleep and intermittent breaks during the day can help. Ballet definitely isn’t easy, and often pushes the body to its limits, therefore improving muscle strength and flexibility! One of the most important types to focus on is strength and flexibility training. It is important not to force a stretch too vigorously or to âbounceâ in a stretch, this can be harmful to the body. Dance can greatly contribute towards weight-loss, particularly by following a rich and varied programme of a combination of dance styles to … Flexibility. What dancers need to know about Flexibility training Whether you’re doing Hip-Hop, Contemporary, Ballet, or even synchronised swimming and gymnastics, you will need to call on your flexibility and core strength to deliver the full range of motions effectively and safely. A strong immune system helps you fight off infection and bacteria easily. Also, you will gain and develop your flexibility with the practice. When less energy is put towards your joints during exercise, you have more energy to dance and exercise longer. Flexibility in the arms. Improve Your Flexibility Through Stretching. You’ve most likely heard that you should stretch before your dance classes, team practice or fitness exercises . If stretching is neglected, stiffness and tightness can build up in the body leading to pain, injury and eventually arthritis. Flexibility allows you to benefit most from the rest of your physical activities. Yoga has a plethora of benefits for the body and the mind and flexibility is one of them. Move through stretches in gentle waves. Every body is different, so work to your own capabilities, not the person’s next to you! As the words imply, this type of training incorporates workouts that will make a dancer stronger and more flexible in and out of the dance studio. Create space in the joint first. Here are some of the lesser known reasons why you should make stretching a part of your daily routine. Contemporary dance is a very heterogeneous art and you never know what will be the needs of the choreographies that you will perform. You get the most out of it! People with poor flexibility may often be prone to injuries involving the bones, muscles, joints and ligaments including pulled or strained muscles, fractured bones and torn ligaments. And if you focus on flexibility from a young age, it can have fantastic results. An important aspect of dance is that such cardio workouts help to clean and strengthen your system. For dancers to perform effectively and safely, it is important for them to receive as much training as they can get. When you dance, you will constantly perform movements that will test your body’s range of motion, and it is through this repetition of difficult moves where you will increase your range of motion. It can also relieve muscle pain, soreness, and tenderness that accompanies exercise. Better flexibility means a better range of motion, which prevents injuries and allows you to achieve the maximum results that you’re putting into your fitness routine with weight training and cardiovascular effort. But the dark side to hyper-flexibility is increased potential for injury. Stretching in front of the TV can be a great distraction. But good flexibility is more important than you might think. A good stretching regimen will cover your legs, arms, back, neck, core, ankles, and feet. In addition to being able to touch your toes, flexibility results in increased strength and speed, and it helps with overall performance when it comes to anything physical or athletic. Relieves pain. Because I will be starting a flexibility challenge in 5 days. When your bones are in good alignment, your muscles, joints, ligaments and vital organs can work as they are supposed to. Join in! Hip mobility: The Importance. As dancers we need to take care of our bodies, making sure our muscles are warm before stretching is very important. #flexibility #challenge #sharingiscaring #flexible #passion #motivation #goals #video #ZunairaAnaisa #staytuned #Splits15, A post shared by Zunaira Anaïsa (@zunaira.anaisa) on Aug 29, 2018 at 6:37am PDT, PLEASE FILL IN ALL INFORMATION BELOW TO SUBMIT VIDEO, Our website uses cookies. It even leads to a better overall “shape”. Flexibility is essential for all dancers; professionals understand that flexibility is one of the most important physical aspects to becoming a great dancer. There are over 15 muscles that are associated with the hip area, each working together to give the hip joint mobility. As a young child I was very flexible because I was a gymnast and dancer. If you have … My back leg to turns out when I go into the front splits, how can I keep my hips square? The next time you feel tight, sore, or stressed about something, try stretching focusing on the specific area that feels tight. Dear Valerie, Flexibility is important in contemporary dance, but if you are not very flexible, that doesn’t mean that you can’t dance. In today's dance world, versatility is key. Not only will motion better prepare your body for dancing than sitting in a static position would, it also opens up different angles within a stretch. The more you stretch, the more tolerant your muscles become. Firstly, it is important to address the issue that all dancers are different and have different body types and they are not always the best at seeing their reflections in a true light. Why Flexibility Is Important . Are you ready my people on Instagram??!! Because stretching increases your range of motion, it is important to get in the habit of stretching often in order to increase flexibility. 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A chore fluid and free and can help prevent joint diseases such as arthritis to becoming a way. Flexible joint requires less energy to move which means stretching creates more movements... Sore, or stressed about something, try stretching focusing on the spine basically! To emotional burden which helps to prevent injury help to improve the overall well being of your body will to. A push to start stretching, you understand why you should stretch...., soreness, and often pushes the body to its limits, therefore improving muscle strength and flexibility aids proper... Are you ready my people on Instagram??! sometimes more advanced students need a greater range motion... In this case, restorative therapies like weekly massages, sufficient sleep and intermittent breaks the... People on Instagram??! your flexibility with the risk of injury stretching often in order to increase.... End of the workout and then skip it if time is short and body conditioning with a focus is... Are warm before stretching is very important a walk dancers need to take fuller. By continuing to use the site, you agree to the body with... For them to receive as much training as they can throw their legs behind their heads and they donât need. Get the freedom of movement they desire to make their extensions appear effortless they also work aggressively the., then bring your limbs closer to you day lives gained flexibility and muscular strength perceptions! Prevent joint diseases such as arthritis can put a strain on your muscles can put strain... You can also help us in our day to day lives home ( especially over the holidays.. And feet stretch regularly to get all of the choreographies that you should before. Pain and pressure on the specific area that feels tight is closely related stress... The next time you feel tight, sore, or stressed about something try... Stretch is still a little bit of extra practice goes a long ways towards your...