July 27th
I don’t know if you can help me but my question is mainly about my knock knees. I have been dancing all of my life, and now into college, I would love to perform in a Company someday on a more professional level, I feel like I have hit a wall in my improvement and [...]
June 10th
I teach a course on Somatic Studies at Oberlin College and shared with them a YouTube clip on affirmations (since we spend a lot of time exploring how words influence our behavior and our results) I ran into a few of them recently and they told them they are starting their day off by watching [...]
April 29th
About two years ago when I started training very seriously for just ballet, I started having a popping sensation in my hip. I soon learned that I had snapping tendon syndrome. During the winter of that year I hurt it badly enough where I couldn’t walk comfortably and couldn’t dance for about two weeks. It [...]
April 18th
Let’s continue the theme of physical wellness and aging… I am a teacher who teaches 6hrs straight a day, some tap, mostly jazz. I stretch with one of my classes throughout the day. I am finding when I have my next class my hamstrings are even tighter. Any suggestions on why I feel I am [...]
January 31st
Today’s Q&A post includes an excerpt from Train Your Brain: A Teen’s Guide to Well Being. Enjoy! I just found your web site and blog and it is really interesting. I have an almost 7 years old ballerina at home, and I have some concerns. She’s very lean, but she’s not so flexible and I [...]
January 20th
Anneliese Burns Wilson was kind enough to talk to me about training for balance and why it is so important! You can listen to the podcast by clicking here Thanks to all who took the quick survey. I’m going to keep it open for a few more days and then I’ll send more information out [...]
January 1st
When teachers say, tuck under or pull in your bellybutton, what is happening to the body anatomically? What are better catch phrases to use? You bring up a very important point that dance teachers need to be aware of. Our language should be as anatomically accurate as possible. As teachers, we should be aware of [...]
November 22nd
Training For Splits #1: I have my splits, but they aren’t straight (my hips aren’t straight). I’m wondering; is it necessary for your hips to be straight in the splits to be able to do good kicks and stuff? Or is it okay to not have straight hips in ballet? Thanks!!! Talya #2: I am [...]
October 16th
Someone recommended I e-mail you, because we have been unable to get answers from doctors and physical therapists who know enough about ballet. My daughter, stepped on a pencil a year ago. She is 14 and loves ballet. The pencil graphite lodged deep in the bottom of her foot. She was operated on by a [...]
August 3rd
I have been trying to dance ballet and I am so exasperated. What the heck does it mean to close the rib cage and how can i acheive this sensation? Should my abdominals feel hard or soft when I move? How can I possibly get the right alignment? I feel as though I am hopeless. [...]