Nearly all the movement a dancer does comes from the spine. And yet, “a lot of dance training can prioritize legs, or port de bras, without addressing where those things stem from,” says Bret Easterling, who teaches Gaga and contemporary at the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance. Not only is the spine “the trunk […]
Q: I have a very flexible spine and torso. My teachers tell me to use this flexibility during cambrés and port de bras, but when I do, I feel pain—mostly in my lower back. What should I change so I don’t end up with back problems? A: It can be challenging to support flexibility in […]
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 […]
I have a tall student who complains of pain in her middle back—at the bra strap area. She feels pain when sitting at school and if we are doing any sort of jump with the leg in arabesque. She has seen a doctor who suggested taking heavy pain meds when she feels uncomfortable. Can you […]
Spinal alignment is like turnout, says Michael Kelly Bruce, associate professor of dance at The Ohio State University. “It’s a mechanism, not an aesthetic.” But as with turnout, dancers’ visual goals often lead them to force their bodies into unnatural positions. “A healthier spine has to do with acknowledging the structural integrity of what’s there, […]