I have a dancer who has a very tight back. She can’t even touch her toes. She says it doesn’t hurt, but she feels no stretch. I am able to push her back down further (with no pain for her), but she just can’t do it on her own. How can I help her? —Anna […]
Turnout—the outward rotation of the hips that dancers are constantly striving to improve. Yet few actually have the 180-degree outward rotation that is so idealized. In her 40-plus years of working as a movement analyst, Deborah Vogel has only come across a handful of dancers who have it. “That’s structural,” she says. “They have a […]
Miami City Ballet corps de ballet dancer Christina Spigner has always suffered from foot cramps. But the problem was especially troublesome during the company’s 13-show run of Ballet Imperial, a hallmark of Balanchine’s demanding choreography. “We’re onstage for such a long time and not just standing and posing, but doing a lot physically,” says Spigner. […]
It’s news that Dr. David Weiss doesn’t like to give. Sometimes dancers see him thinking they have shinsplints, when they actually have a stress fracture, a more serious injury that requires a longer recovery. “When dancers come in with stress fractures, I see a lot of denial,” says the NYU Langone Medical Center orthopedist. “They […]
Whether a dancer has too much or too little, turnout can be one of the most frustrating aspects of technique. Students often feel they must achieve 180-degree rotation to become successful in the field. In reality, the average person only has 45 degrees of external rotation in each leg, meaning their first position should be […]
Is it OK to include running, leisurely walking or speed walking in an advanced/professional ballerina’s exercise routine? Absolutely! Advanced and professional dancers know the importance of cardiovascular fitness. Running, speed walking, swimming, Nordic tracking and the elliptical (my personal favorite) are all OK cross-training options for elite dancers. I don’t necessarily advise dancers to run […]
If your students are going to class regularly, they’re probably in great shape, right? Most likely! However, even the most well-rounded dance class schedule can leave some gaps in overall physical fitness. “Any athlete should cross-train, especially ones who spend a lot of time doing one particular modality,” says trainer Sebastian Grubb. Here, he shares […]
From improved aerobic capacity to better reactivity, cross-training can to do wonders for dancers’ health and performance. But with the abundance of exercise programs available, how do you get your dancers on the right routine? Sebastian Grubb, a San Francisco–based fitness trainer and professional dancer, shares three questions to ask as you consider different cross-training […]
Fitness trainer, professional dancer and cross-training expert Sebastian Grubb weighs in on why it’s essential for dancers to build their upper-body strength. A balanced body is a healthy body. When a dancer maintains equilibrium between her upper and lower halves, she increases her athleticism and physical adaptability. “Most dancers have strong legs and strong balance,” […]
“If you don’t have strong abdominal muscles, you sag into your lower back, your pelvis usually tips and you’re hanging out and slumped into your hip joints,” says Deborah Vogel, movement analyst, neuromuscular expert and co-founder of the Center for Dance Medicine in New York City. “It just has this whole chain reaction.” The effects […]