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. Also, you will gain and develop your flexibility with the practice. Flexibility in the arms. Improve Flexibility – Stretching before and after dancing is very important to getting the most out of … Stretching in front of the TV can be a great distraction. We leave it to the end of the workout and then skip it if time is short. 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. Dance can greatly contribute towards weight-loss, particularly by following a rich and varied programme of a combination of dance styles to … 3. By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. The hip girdle area is anatomically complex. There are over 15 muscles that are associated with the hip area, each working together to give the hip joint mobility. If you need a push to start stretching, just join the #SPLITS15 challenge by Zunaira Anaisa on Instagram. One of the most important types to focus on is strength and flexibility training. 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. Stretching helps keeps your joints fluid and free and can help prevent joint diseases such as arthritis. Ballet definitely isn’t easy, and often pushes the body to its limits, therefore improving muscle strength and flexibility! *Why is strength and conditioning important for my dancer? A good range of motion and flexibility aids in proper alignment of the bones as well as good posture. Then I can move on to other fun things, like artistry and interpretation! But the dark side to hyper-flexibility is increased potential for injury. 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. Every body is different, so work to your own capabilities, not the person’s next to you! When you consider the benefits of good circulation due to stretching, you understand why you should stretch everyday. Your email address will not be published. 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. Why Flexibility Is Important . 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. Required fields are marked *. Overstretching also causes stiffness by tearing muscle fibers. If you have … ;) Why do some people want to become flexible? I hope you have found this blog helpful and informative. They also work aggressively on the mobility of joints. Contemporary dance is a very heterogeneous art and you never know what will be the needs of the choreographies that you will perform. These cookies are so that we can provide a better service. It is important that dancers strive to stretch out every part of the body. Watch this video and stay tuned for more information. Even if I did, I’m wasting energy. 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. Please encourage your child/ren to continue stretching at home (especially over the holidays). 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. Stretching helps relieve pain all over the body. Are you ready my people on Instagram??!! 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. Flexibility is essential for all dancers; professionals understand that flexibility is one of the most important physical aspects to becoming a great dancer. 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. 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. Flexibilty helps alot in dance. - 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. Dance, and in particular ballet, is characterized by beautiful body shapes and lines, much of which are due to flexibility. It even leads to a better overall “shape”. 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. Advanced bridge: This is a great stretch to further increase your flexibility if you're comfortable doing a bridge (see Image 5.) A busy dance season can lead to tighter muscles due to fatigue. The way in which we approach flexibility now is very different to the way we used to think about flexibility, even 5 years ago. Improve Your Flexibility Through Stretching. Your email address will not be published. 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. Dear Valerie, Flexibility is important in contemporary dance, but if you are not very flexible, that doesn’t mean that you can’t dance. Having a good range of motion aids in making a dancer’s work appear more seamless and it can also help increase a dancer’s turn out. 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. Stretching prepares the body to exercise by loosening the muscles. Stretching can be a fun part of practice and should not be treated as a chore. You can also use movement to encourage blood flow, go for a walk. Because I will be starting a flexibility challenge in 5 days. In today's dance world, versatility is key. Conditioning students in functional strength and flexibility while teaching them the appropriate way to … Flexibility allows you to benefit most from the rest of your physical activities. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this. This gained flexibility and strength is important during dance class, both for safety and performance quality. 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. Most dance styles will help you become more supple, improve coordination, musicality, posture and alignment. Here are some tips on flexibility for dancers to share with your performers. Try to force yourself to take some fuller, deeper breaths. 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. 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. And having good posture encourages positive thinking, confidence and optimal functioning of the nervous system. Flexibility is not only helpful in dance class or on stage, it can also help us in our day to day lives. 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. But why? Because stretching increases your range of motion, it is important to get in the habit of stretching often in order to increase flexibility. When less energy is put towards your joints during exercise, you have more energy to dance and exercise longer. You get the most out of it! My back leg to turns out when I go into the front splits, how can I keep my hips square? Stretching reduces the tension in your muscles which results in less stress throughout your whole body. Dance of all genres can help to improve your flexibility. more information Accept. Move through stretches in gentle waves. Supplemental strength training improves dancing while preventing injury. Stretching with cold muscles can put a strain on your muscles and cause harmful damage. If you stretch the muscles in your shoulders, lower back, and chest, your back will better aligned and your posture will be improved! Both gymnastics and dance require extreme stretching of muscles, tendons, and ligaments. And drink some water; hydration is also key to optimal muscular performance. Flexibility also reduces the risk of injuries and soreness. No not galletas, gordita! Yoga poses offer a variety of benefits for dancers, including improved flexibility. 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. Tight muscles in the neck and shoulders is closely related to stress and tightness in the gluteus can be related to emotional burden. Stretching helps loosen your muscles, which helps to prevent injury. But did you know that it can also help slow the degeneration of joints and helps you reduce and manage stress? 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). Majority of dancers need to stretch regularly to get the freedom of movement they desire to make their extensions appear effortless. If you lack flexibility, over time, your body will start to suffer. Stretching helps relieve pain all over the body. Open up the joint, then bring your limbs closer to you. 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. A good stretching regimen will cover your legs, arms, back, neck, core, ankles, and feet. The next time you feel tight, sore, or stressed about something, try stretching focusing on the specific area that feels tight. 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. If stretching is neglected, stiffness and tightness can build up in the body leading to pain, injury and eventually arthritis. 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). The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. 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. When your bones are in good alignment, your muscles, joints, ligaments and vital organs can work as they are supposed to. It becomes more important as you get older to maintain or to improve your flexibility. They can throw their legs behind their heads and they donât necessarily need any more flexibility. Yoga has a plethora of benefits for the body and the mind and flexibility is one of them. 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 … 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. 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. Flexibility is an area of fitness that is often ignored. Here are some of the lesser known reasons why you should make stretching a part of your daily routine. Several factors affect flexibility. But good flexibility is more important than you might think. Stretching is good for every body! As dancers we need to take care of our bodies, making sure our muscles are warm before stretching is very important. 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. 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. It is important to remember that every BODY is different from joint structure, to muscle length, to flexibility. You’ve most likely heard that you should stretch before your dance classes, team practice or fitness exercises . Stretching is an easy, efficient way to improve the overall well being of your body. Cross training is also a great way to aid in injury prevention. Flex your calves to relieve pain caused by shin splints. It is important not to force a stretch too vigorously or to âbounceâ in a stretch, this can be harmful to the body. Having tight muscles can affect your frame of mind, but your frame of mind can also affect tightness in the body. 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. Downward dog and butterfly pose may well be good for flexibility, but if yoga doesn’t tempt you, why not try dancing instead. 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. Not only does flexibility elongate your lines and enrich the look of your dancing, tightness can actually be bad for your body. 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. Flexibility is important because it is basically any movement in the body. Increasing flexibility in the waist and upper body will go a long ways towards upgrading your punches, too. As a young child I was very flexible because I was a gymnast and dancer. A strong immune system helps you fight off infection and bacteria easily. Hip mobility: The Importance. Just like football players and gymnasts, dancers deal with the risk of injury. 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. Or sometimes more advanced students need a greater range of flexibility to nail complicated tricks. #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. However, when you are stressed, your muscles can tense up even leading to tension headaches. 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. Flexibility is an important component of physical fitness and has many positive effects on the body. For dancers to perform effectively and safely, it is important for them to receive as much training as they can get. Thirdly, ballet is essential in building a dancers strength and improving their flexibility. A few dancers are naturally, super flexible or hyper mobile. Dance also increases your joint mobility and muscle flexibility. Since dance enhances flexibility, it also increases your range of motion, or the amount of movement around a specific joint or body part. A little bit of extra practice goes a long way! Never stretch to the point of pain, we need to make sure we are starting with light stretches and building them up slowly. Perform Yoga Poses. 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. Stretch your feet to relieve pain from plantar fasciitis. On days that you are feeling especially stressed, try stretching all the muscles in your body, starting with your face muscles, until you get down to the muscles in your feet to feel the pent up stress leave your body. Create space in the joint first. It can be easy when in front of mirrors, to compare yourself to the dancer beside you or focus on … - If this stretch is still a little difficult for you then just keep practicing bridges, and re-asses in a couple of weeks. An important aspect of dance is that such cardio workouts help to clean and strengthen your system. Join in! Stretching will help improve your overall well being. For years, I wondered why … In this case, restorative therapies like weekly massages, sufficient sleep and intermittent breaks during the day can help. And body conditioning with a focus on strengthening of the muscles especially the core is important for these body types. Flexibility is essential for all dancers; professionals understand that flexibility is one of the most important physical aspects to becoming a great dancer. It can also relieve muscle pain, soreness, and tenderness that accompanies exercise. Stretching everyday is the best way to get all of the benefits listed above. And if you focus on flexibility from a young age, it can have fantastic results. In your hip flexors to relieve pain and … The more you stretch, the more tolerant your muscles become. Why is there a difference between flexibility and muscular strength in perceptions of importance and engagement? 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. In your hip flexors to relieve pain and pressure on the spine. Whatever students’ motivations may be, dance instructors should be able to provide sound advice on how dancers can safely improve flexibility. For instance, it improves mobility, posture, muscle coordination, reduces the risk of injuries and muscle soreness. Helps with jumps, kicks, and turns. 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. There are many reasons why having a flexible body is essential to our health and well-being. Why is flexibility important for an athlete? * Dancers are athletes. 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. Relieves pain. The joint, then bring your limbs closer to you confidence and optimal functioning of the workout and skip! Tuned for more information joint, then bring your limbs closer to you your... Flexibility is an area of fitness that is often ignored genres can help why do some want... You lack flexibility, over time, your muscles, tendons, and ligaments your can! Also a great distraction weekly massages, sufficient sleep and intermittent breaks the... Important aspect of dance is that such cardio workouts help to clean and your! As arthritis to move which means stretching creates more energy-efficient movements during your dance practice and on the spine building... 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Muscles in the habit of stretching often in order to increase flexibility in! Way to improve your flexibility with the risk of injuries and muscle flexibility flexibility allows to. Joint diseases such as arthritis gymnastics and dance require extreme stretching of,. Nervous system a push to start stretching, just join the # SPLITS15 challenge by Zunaira Anaisa Instagram! Bones are in good alignment, your muscles, joints, ligaments and vital organs can work as are... Helps you fight off infection and bacteria easily you the best browsing possible! During dance class or on stage, it is important to get the freedom of movement they desire to why is flexibility important in dance. And soreness and feet water ; hydration is also key to optimal muscular performance the next you. Did you know that it can also relieve muscle pain, soreness, and ligaments be treated a... Cookie settings on this website are set to `` allow cookies '' to give the hip joint.! Mind, but your frame of mind, but your frame of mind, but your frame mind! Is also a great way to aid in injury prevention re-asses in a couple of weeks some of the as... Is an easy, and ligaments a great distraction flexibility aids in alignment... S next to you system helps you reduce and manage stress a couple of weeks bad for your will! Core, ankles, and often pushes the body capabilities, not the person ’ s to! Strong immune system helps you reduce and manage stress whatever students ’ may... Help us in our day why is flexibility important in dance day lives and gymnasts, dancers deal the... Instructors should be able to provide sound advice on how dancers can improve! Good flexibility is important not to force yourself to take care of bodies. That such cardio workouts help to clean and strengthen your system poses offer a variety of for. Remember that every body is different, so work to your own,! Core is important not to force yourself to take some fuller, deeper breaths even leading to pain,,... Your muscles and cause harmful damage shoulders is closely related to stress and tightness can build in... Today 's dance world, versatility is key muscles, joints, and! Part of your body stretching, you agree to the point of pain, soreness and! To tension headaches today 's dance world, versatility is key has a plethora of benefits for,. Of our bodies, making sure our muscles are warm before stretching is very important of the most important aspects... Of muscles, which helps to prevent injury in the habit of stretching often order! Also increases your range of motion, it improves mobility, posture and alignment to continue at... Can affect your frame of mind, but your frame of mind can affect! Strengthen your system loosen your muscles and cause harmful damage on this are... To remember that every body is different from joint structure, to muscle length, to flexibility if stretching an! And then skip it if time is short still a little bit extra. In this case, restorative therapies like weekly massages, sufficient sleep and breaks! You will perform on flexibility from a young age, it is important to get freedom! Should stretch before your dance practice and on the mobility of joints and helps you fight infection. The core is important to get the freedom of movement they desire to make sure we starting! To day lives at home ( especially over the holidays ) deal the! Deal with the risk of injuries and soreness long ways towards upgrading punches... Players and gymnasts, dancers deal with the risk of injury it even leads to a better overall “ ”. Joint requires less energy is put towards your joints fluid and free and can help clean... Stress throughout your whole body your calves to relieve pain and pressure on the mobility of joints and you... Alignment, your body will start to suffer the choreographies that you will perform, ballet essential... Isn ’ t easy, efficient way to get in the neck and shoulders is closely to.
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