Stretches to improve your dancing flexibility

As a dancer, we are nothing without our flexibility. It is our flexibility that allows us to contort our body into different shapes, try out different styles of dance, as well as bring energy and life to a performance.

For this reason, a dancer’s flexibility is paramount. Whether you are dancing to modern, classic or even rhythm and blues music, dancing requires you to have a huge amount of strength and bendiness.

Moreover, it is our flexibility that helps our bodies to guard against any nasty injuries, either during a performance or during regular day-to-day activities. So let’s take a look at how you can improve your dancing flexibility through a series of stretches.

Improve Your Dancing Flexibility With The Butterfly Stretch

This particular stretch lengthens our groin and inner thigh muscles, and is a popular stretch that many professional and amateur dancers around the world use.

To begin, you need to start on the floor, your flat feet pressed into the ground. Your knees should be at your sides, with the soles of your feet squeezed together.

Then, you need to pull your heels towards your groin. If you feel discomfort, you’ve pulled them far enough.

Keep your back straight and then shake your knees up and down. This will loosen the muscles, and we suggest you shake them for up to 10 seconds.

Finally, you should press your knees towards the ground with your elbows for another ten seconds.

Improve Your Dancing Flexibility With The Kneeling Quad Stretch

This stretch is good for improving thigh flexibility, as well as your hamstrings. It can also reduce the risk of injury to your upper leg.

Start by kneeling on your mat. Then, lift your left foot out in front of you before lying it flat against the floor. At this point, you left leg needs to have a 90-degree angle.

With your back straight, you need to then push your hips outward toward your left leg. At this point, you should feel your left hamstring and right quadriceps working. Keep this position for 15 seconds, before doing the same thing again on your right side.

If balance is hard to come by, hold onto a chair.

Improve Your Dancing Flexibility With The Ceiling And Toe Touch

This stretch utilises a combination of movements to reap positive effects on your arms, legs, sides and back.

Begin by sitting on your mat with both legs pointed out straight in front of you. Then, lift your arms towards the ceiling, with your palms facing one another. Keep your fingers extended.

Now work on your left side. Lift your left arm up high towards the ceiling for up to 10 seconds tops. Do the same with your right arm.

Now, you can do the same with both arms at the same time.

With your back straight, reach for your toes. Don’t go too far that you become uncomfortable, but go far enough and hold the position for 15 seconds comfortably.

These three stretches will be enough to make sure that you are able to be more flexible and versatile with your performances, but they will also help to minimise the risk of injury. It’s important to stretch before each dance.

At Ikin Dance, we’re firm believers in stretching the body in all the right ways to help perform at ones best. We also provide top level training in all styles of dance! Our teachers are of the highest calibre and our friendly staff pride themselves on making your entire experience at Ikin Dance as pleasant and rewarding as possible. Call us today on 5522 1863 to find out more!