Start your Day with This to Have the Best Class of your Life

The preferred warm up for dancers has traditionally been sitting in splits and stretching. Did you know this actually reduces your strength, balance, and speed.

The goal of a warm up is to prepare your body for the demands of your dance class, rehearsal or impeding performance. During the warm up, this is your chance to check your posture and note areas of tension or pain. This is your opportunity to address these areas of concern with focused movements to increase coordination and balance and improve performance. Keep in mind, a good warm up lasts anywhere from 5-20 min. 

According to the best minds in the dance world- the best warm up has 4 parts: 

1. Elevated Heart Rate

With an elevated heart rate there is increased blood flow to the muscles allowing for more strength, flexibility and power.

Examples: prancing, step ups/downs, jumping jacks, burpees, jogging in place. 

1. Joint Motion

Loosening up each joint is imperative for dancers who are constantly working through range of motion extremes. 

Examples: releves, hip circles and swinging, spinal roll downs or port de bras, arm circles, rib isolations. 

1. Muscle lengthening

This is your stretching alternative! Rather than holding the stretch for a period of time, dynamic stretching combines both flexibility and controlled functional movements. 

Examples: sun salutation, lunge/warrior series, kicks to the front, side and back. 

1. Balance

Where it all comes together-strength, flexibility, coordination and movement. 

Examples: single leg balance with eyes closed, warrior 3/airplanes, BOSU rond de jamb. 

International Association for Dance Medicine and Science:  https://www.iadms.org/blogpost/1177934/272128/Are-You-Warm-Enough-to-Start-Dancing

Warm ups from the Pros: https://www.rockettes.com/blog/the-best-ways-to-warm-up-before-dance-class/