The Secret Message

Is there a secret message to make all your dancers turn like Sophia Lucia? Sorry, I don't think so. However, reminders that build muscle memory are the key to having consistently strong turners. Below are bullet points to remind your dancers of every class as to what to think of while turning. One of my favorite tactics is asking my class what they need to think about while they are turning. My dancers will raise their hands and we won't stop until all of the bullet points have been checked off.

High relevé
Straight supporting knee
High passé
Shoulders down (out)
Strong spot (spot your own eyeballs or a point in the room)
Strong arms (like holding oranges under your armpits)
Utilizing your closing arm
In second turns, turning out both your supporting leg and your working leg
Closing into a high, strong croisé and not swinging your leg
Leading with your heel and not gripping your turnout muscles
Not dropping your heel too hard in second turns or fouettes
Pulling straight up, not around
Engaging your center
Keeping your center directly over your turning foot
Get your power from your closing arm and your spot
Pulling up as you pull down to create opposition
PREP IS IMPORTANT!!!

By your dancers implementing all of these reminders into their muscle memory when they go to turn, they will not need to actively think about them. Therefore, your dancers will become strong, c onfident turners in no time.

Comments

Teacher Reactions

While we as instructors are so passionate about seeing our dancers improve, it is important to sometimes take our experiences with a grain of salt. From excuses like "I didn't have time", or "my Mom didn't tell me," we have heard them all. This article , is full of dance teacher reactions that we are all-too familiar with.

Injuries for Life

In the dance industry, career-ending injuries are all too common. As a dance teacher, coach, or instructor, it is important to be aware of some of the most common dance injuries. According to a study by Dr. Raj Deu and Hopkins Medicine, the following are injuries often seen on dancers: Hip Injuries Snapping hip syndrom Hip impingement Labral tears Hip flexor tendonitis Foot and ankle injuries Achilles tendonitis Trigger toe and ankle impingement Knee injuries Patellofemoral pain syndrom Stress fractures Metatarsals Tibia Lumbar Spine Sesamoids Arthritis Knee Hip Ankle Foot As a teacher, it is important to listen to your students if they are complaining of pain in these areas. It help them distinguish between pain and an injury, you can ask them the following questions: Does the pain keep you up at night? Is the pain already present before you start dancing? Does the pain increase with activity? Doe...

How should you incentivize your dancers?

Dance classes can be an extremely rewarding extra-curricular recreational activity. However, in many classes it is evident that many dancers do not have the energy or the discipline to focus as much as they need to in order to truly accomplish their goals. Many parents and students are paying for dance classes with an end goal in mind for their children and themselves. Some intend to make a high school or college team, some intend to simply improve on their skills from last year, some wish to win competitions. Therefore, giving these students an average dance education will not suffice. As influencers and educators , we should should set ourselves apart with a higher standard. So the question is, how can we motivate the more... uninterested of our students. Research has demonstrated that offering rewards to children can improve their concentration, performance, and behavior in a classroom setting. Teachers can reward their...

The Instructor's Dance Floor

Search This Blog