Strengthens the entire body, improves circulation and helps dancers become comfortable with being upside down.

Tendency 1: Feet are too close to the hands, which doesn’t allow room for the spine and torso to extend. Too much weight is in the shoulders and wrists, making the pose difficult to maintain.

Feet are too far from the hands and too wide, outside the hips. This causes the shoulders to rise and the chest to sink forward, putting strain on the should girdle and the lower spine. Elbows are hyperextended and the neck is strained.

Instead: find a natural stance by starting on all fours, then moving into downward dog. This helps plant the feet sitting-bones-width apart and a comfortable distance from your hands. Ground through the first finger and thumb and spread width through the palms and toes, reaching your heels toward the earth (they may or may not touch the mat). Send your pelvis to the sky and breathe into the space between your shoulder blades, lengthening the spine and allowing the head to complete the line.

Warms and strenghtens the core, arms and wrists.

Tendency 1: Weight is too far back into the feet, misaligning the spine and causing the neck to strain forward. Students not confident in their upper-body strength often work this way.

Weight is pitched too far forward, causing the shoulders, spine and pelvis to sink. Hypermobile students tend to work this way.

Root hands directly under the shoulders and feet sitting-bones-width apart. Push through all four limbs, imagining the length of your head, arms and legs extending beyond the mat. Connect the line of the spine: skull in line with pelvis in line with the heels. Think of narrowing at the hip bones.

Teaches safe back-bending principles and warms the body.

Tendency 1: The pelvis is heavy and the dancer sits in the shoulders the legs start to turn out and the limbs are not fully activated.

The spine is overarched with the head cocked back, causing stress in the hsoulders and lower back. This is often seen in hypermobile students.

Imagine the curve of the spine as one fluid line, from head to pelvis. Press down into the hands and through the feet, keeping wrists in line with the shoulders and heels in line with the sitting bones. Broaden the collarbones and think of narrowing the hips, sending the belly button to the spine. Fully engage the legs in parallel to support the back.

Letting the legs hang upside down after a long day of dance can refresh the body and mind, help drain lactic acids built up in the lower body and relive the feet and legs:

Fold a blanket in thirds and lie down so it supports the back of your pelvis. Lie with your seat nearly flush against the wall and feet resting straight upward. Look a yoga strap around your thighs at hip width and let the legs fall into their natural rotation, relaxing the feet. The strap (a Thera-Band, scarf or another item that loops works as well) helps you completely relax your muscles. Lie here for 4-5 minutes. To come out of the pose, bend your knees and roll to one side before sitting.