Strength: Your Legs

Strength and flexibility come hand in hand.  Even though it may seem like flexibility is everything, it's not.  You need to be able to hold your legs up high using your muscles!  Just like flexibility, strengthening your leg muscles takes time.  It could take up to four weeks or even up to years or hard work.  


In this post, we will focus on your leg muscles.  During class, it is important that you always tighten your knees.  This strengthens your muscle called the quadricep, or your thighs.  This is what will hold your leg up high; it helps with extension.  Another exercise to try are squats or grand pliés.  


For your calves, relevés are the best thing to do.  Whether you do them with plié or without, it is important that you do them nice and slow.  Make sure that you keep your legs tight while you are doing this.  

In dance, we use our hamstrings quite a bit when we jump.  It is important to do lunges or leg lifts to strengthen them.

To work your inner leg muscles, lie on your back with your legs straight up in the air and your feet pointed.  Switch them back and forth in fifth position.  Do this ten times.  Then move your legs down towards the floor a little.  Do it again for ten times.  Do this until they're almost touching the floor.  This exercise also strengthens not only your inner leg muscles, but also your core!


Do this once a day, and you'll be good to go!

 

Flexibility!

Extension is important when it comes to dance, ballet especially!  We've all seen the end product, but how do we get there?  How do we get to that?

How do I do that?

Like anything else you do in life, it takes time!  Depending on how flexible you are now and how flexible you want to be, it could take anywhere from a month to a couple of years.

Some of the following stretches are good to do in your free time:

1. Lunges –– Stand in a good forth position with your right leg behind you.  Lunge down.  Try to straighten your right leg (or leg that is behind you) all the way so that it is not touching the ground.  Don't lift your heel off the ground.  Stay down there for thirty to sixty seconds.  Then switch.  Repeat four times on both sides. 

2. Front splits –– Put one of your legs in front of you, and go down into a split.  Try to straighten and turn out both of your legs.  Try to stay squared, if you can.  Stay here for one minute.  Then come up and repeat on the other side.  (If you can do all of this, stretch forward and back for thirty seconds.)

3. Straddle splits #1 –– Open your legs to the side.  Take your right arm and stretch side to the left.  Stay there for thirty seconds.  Then, come back up, and stretch forward as much as you can.  Stay here for one minute and then come back up.  Then, take your left arm and stretch to the right.  Stay there for thirty seconds.  Then, stretch forward.  Repeat this for four times. 

4. Straddle splits #2 –– Open your legs up to the wall.  Sit up straight.  Push forward as much as you can.  Stay here for five minutes and then stop.  (Make sure you keep your legs straight!)

5. Straddle splits #3 –– Lie on your back, and put your legs up onto a wall.  Then, let them go down into a straddle split.  Gravity will pull it down.  Stay here until it starts to hurt.  (Not sort of hurt, really hurt!)

6. Use a stretcher from Discount Dance!

Here are a couple links:
Anaheim Ballet: 3 Steps: Instructional Stretching
Intermediate Ballet Dancing : How to Stretch before Dancing Ballet
Free Flexibility Video: 5-Minute Stretch Routine 

If you do some of these stretches each day, you're only one step closer to the final product!

And, guess what?  You not only need flexibility, but also strength!  Stay in tuned for a whole article on strengthening your body!

Pointe shoes: fitting, tips, and tricks!

Hello everybody! With the summer starting, many dance students will find their studio picking students to go on pointe! This is an exciting time in the student's ballet career, and is very important!

Before you go on pointe, some studios will require you to go to the doctors to make sure that you are strong enough. It is important for you to be strong so that you will not fall off of pointe or hurt yourself.

The next step to do...go to your local dance shop! :)

When you go to get your very first pair of pointe shoes, it is good to have the teacher come with you. This is so that they can see what pair of shoes they think will work best with your feet. All dancers' feet are different.

The person fitting you will give you different kinds of toe pads.

1. Gel

2. Lamb's wool

3. Ouch pouch

After they give you the toe pads that you find most comfortable, then they will give you the pointe shoes based on your feet! Exciting! There are many different brands of pointe shoes, as well as many different kinds! It can sometimes be very overwhelming!

After trying on lots of different pointe shoes, you will finally pick out the one that feels the best and looks the best on your feet.

Now, you need ribbons and elastics!
Ribbons & Elastics

When you get home, you should sew your pointe shoes. You shouldn't try them on at home...you should wait until you get to your dance studio so that you don't hurt yourself. Meanwhile, you should watch videos on youtube of how to tie your pointe shoes.

Anaheim Ballet Pointe Shoes Trying & Tips
Anaheim Ballet: Let's Talk Toe Shoes!!!

Some other accessories that could be useful are:
Jet glue –– Apply to the bottom of your shoes to make them last longer.
Stitch kit –– For sewing your ribbons and elastics.
Knot keepers –– For shows mostly, can be used during class; keep your ribbons from coming undone

Good luck! Hope this helps, and I will write more later!