Most athletes – professional or not so professional – know that they need a time to rest and recuperate from months of training and pushing their bodies to the limits and beyond. But in this rest lies the danger of losing the benefits of everything they have achieved. This applies to dancers too!
Here in sunny South Africa, December heralds summer holidays and the country all but comes to a standstill. So, in the spirit of #maintain, I have drawn up a programme for my students to continue working during the holidays and will share it with you all too so that when January rolls around we are ready to work hard from lesson 1!
You can follow these exercises – should not take more than 30 minutes – two or three times per week.
Do the exercises at the level of dancing you managed during class – do not exert yourself or attempt anything new without your teacher.
PUT ON SOME MUSIC AND ENJOY YOURSELF!
PLIES
• Do demi Plies in 1st and 2nd
• Sets of 8 – increase weekly
IMPORTANT TIPS TO REMEMBER:
• Keep upper body lifted -as if in toaster
• Coccyx straight – aiming between feet
• Spread toes, push into heels
• Activate inner thighs
• Use glutes on the ‘up’
BATTEMENTS TENDUS
• Devant – a la seconde – derriere
• Sets of 8
IMPORTANT TIPS TO REMEMBER:
• Slow – using floor pressure; articulate the foot
• Push out with heel, close with baby toe leading (reverse for derriere)
• Alternate with theraband exercises
RONDS DE JAMBE
• Sets of 8 en dehors & en dedans
• Slow in 4 counts or quicker in 2 counts or 1 count
IMPORTANT TIPS TO REMEMBER:
• Check alignment of hips – square to front; hips still only leg moves in hip socket
• Make complete circle
• Try lying on the floor and do ronds de jambe – keeping both hips flat
GRANDS BATTEMENTS
• Sets of 4 en croix (devant – a la seconde – derriere –a la seconde)
• Either in 4 counts: point – lift – point – close OR Throw – point, close
IMPORTANT TIPS TO REMEMBER:
• Keep hips square
• Use the floor on the ‘out’ & the ‘in’; Keep low
• Try doing Grands Battements lying on the floor
PORT DE BRAS
• Basic port de bras x 4 increase to 8 or 12
• Full port de bras x 4 increase to 8 or 12
• 3rd to 3rd x 4 increase to 8 or 12
• 4th to 4th x 4 increaseto 8 or 12
• Arabesque lines
IMPORTANT TIPS TO REMEMBER:
• Watch yourself in a mirror to ensure shoulders are down and arm lines are extended
• Engage back muscles
• Try doing port de bras lying on the floor and maintaining alignment
PLANK
IMPORTANT TIPS TO REMEMBER:
• Squeeze your bum to protect your back
• Keep as straight as possible
• You can use your elbows or hands
• Try variations – build it up
PIROUETTES
Practice the elements of pirouettes suitable for your level of dance:
• Spotting
• Releves devant & balance with arms in 1st
• ¼; ½ or full turn
• From 4th /5th /lunge
• En dehors and en dedans
ALLEGRO/HIIT WORKOUT
Four minutes of cardio exercise divided into 20 seconds of activity followed by 10 seconds of rest. Make combinations of the following:
• Sautes
• Changements
• Echappe Sautes
• Skips
• Jumping Jacks
STRETCHING
Cat & Cow – for your back
Hamstrings – various options
Calf stretches
Hip flexor/ Splits – youtube offers many videos to get these quick!
Quadratus Lumborum
ENJOY – IT WILL BE WORTH IT!