In the last post we saw a good example of a popping and snapping hip and I talked about the possible reasons for a popping/snapping hip. Many of you appreciated the post and have asked me to talk about the hip pops that happen in the front of the hip. That’s been duly noted and is [...]
Read more of Stretches for the side popping and snapping hip…
I had the pleasure of working with dancers from the Allegro Performing Arts Academy recently and they were the dancers shown in the picture on the post on strengthening the iliopsoas for higher extensions. This week’s post is answering a common question about snapping or popping hips. What does it mean? There are different types [...]
Today’s posting looks at another way to help get your extensions higher and développés even smoother and more controlled. It has to do with the wonderful iliopsoas muscle that you hear so many anatomists and body workers talking about! I know I’m someone that always looks at this muscle carefully when I am assessing someone’s [...]
Today’s post is a series of 6 short clips about looking at the different elements of a pointe shoe. Things such as do you need a wider or a narrower box and what is the crown of the shoe are looked at. Many thanks to Anneliese Burns Wilson for sharing her expertise and to Geneva [...]
I had the pleasure of meeting up with Anneliese Burns Wilson at The Dance Shop in Fort Worth, Texas. The next series of video clips are from that very informative time I spent at The Dance Shop. This first clip is about how the foot should be prepared before putting on a pointe shoe. Things [...]
I’ve returned from TCU where I annually teach an intensive course for their freshman dance majors. What a pleasure it is – (and what an amazing new facility they have after massive renovations last year!) My good friend, Elizabeth Gillaspy is a professor of ballet at TCU consented to sit down and allow me to [...]
This week’s newsletter tackles the very sensitive and tricky topic of overweight dancers. A reader writes… You may have already discussed this issue in the body series but I just wondered if you had anything specific on over-weight dancers. It is so tricky discussing weight issues with students and parents that I thought if there [...]
The question today came from Bethany who writes… I could really use some advice about my arches. Over the last year or so they have begun to cramp terribly mostly on pointe but often on flat also. Sometimes it hurts so bad that I can barely handle it and start to feel nauseous. I feel [...]
This week’s posting is on the tried and true clamshell strengthener for the turnout muscles. Watching a dancer do the clamshell exercise also gives you an idea of their functional strength and range of turnout. Since the hip is flexed – which allows for more range of turnout at the hip as we talked about [...]
Read more of Isolating and Strengthening the Turnout Muscles…
Today’s video blog shows you my new favorite way of stretching the turnout muscles. No floor needed… just a chair:) Makes it easy for a dancer to get a quick stretch in while at school or sitting at the desk. Last week’s post on testing turnout got some great comments from dance teachers that you’ll want [...]