One of my dancers has knee pain that is baffling me. She dances 5–6 hours a week and has had the pain for a few months. She says it doesn’t hurt until she starts dancing, and certain strenuous movements make it worse. She says the pain is at the bottom of her kneecap and mentioned […]
How does having wide hips affect my turnout? The width of your hips doesn’t influence how much turnout you have at the joint. Turnout is determined by your hip joint structure and the muscle balance around the joint. That being said, having wider hips can influence turnout in fourth and fifth positions because of how […]
When teachers say, “Tuck under” or “Pull in your belly button,” what is happening anatomically? Is there better language I should use? Our language should be as anatomically accurate as possible. Phrases like the two you mentioned can create a variety of responses, and not all desirable ones. For example, a teacher may say, “Tuck […]
I have plantar fasciitis. What do I do? —Jacqueline Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the fascia on the bottom of your foot. Fascia is a sheet of connective tissue that surrounds muscles. The traditional first step is to roll out your foot on a ball. Next, you’ll want to check other areas that may […]
First of all, thank you for answering my question about how to get higher extensions to the front and side. Regarding the exercise you suggested, I have a question. When I tried it, I felt the bone that is between the top of my thigh and torso “pop out” and a lot of engagement in […]
My 10-year-old daughter has a dance teacher who has the students stay in the frog position for a few minutes each class. My daughter finds it very uncomfortable. Does this position actually serve a purpose? Sometimes it is hard to know if uncomfortable is a good or bad sensation. Sometimes when you try something new, […]
Like many dancers, I was taught to hold my hips square when standing in fourth and fifth positions. However, in a recent professional development course, I was told the following: “The hips cannot anatomically be square in fourth or fifth. The dancer must not try to hold them square—it is neither possible nor desirable. For […]
What is the key to getting higher extensions to the front and side? I’ve gotten many suggestions to use my psoas, but during all of the exercises I’ve done to try to strengthen them, I always end up using my hip flexor. —Hadley Hi Hadley, What a great question and one that many dancers are […]
I have a student whose feet turn in naturally, even though her knees are straight and facing forward. I would like to know how best to help her handle this issue. Tibial torsion is when the lower leg bone has a spiral twist in it, turning the foot either outward (external tibial torsion) or inward […]
What happens to your perfect ballet posture can be alarming. Anneliese Burns Wilson, founder of ABC for Dance, recommends accepting the inevitable and offers some help for two common changes. Your butt sticks out and your lower back sways As the baby develops, it shifts forward in your pelvic basin, and your pelvis develops an […]