Instagram story viewer> @dancewise.official> Posts

DanceWise

@dancewise.official

255

followers

198

following

Empowering artistic athletes with informed movement practices by bridging dance science with creative expression & performance longevity.

POSTS STORIES REELS

Fatigue is normal when returning to training from a break too quickly, or overtraining. When you are experiencing fatigue, your body is trying to protect you from physical exhaustion…listen to it! Take steps to prevent fatigue such as getting adequate rest, hydrating, and pacing yourself through your training. by @dancewise.official

Returning from winter break from dance training soon? Prepare your body and ease back into training. Your body will thank you by bouncing back more quickly! #dancescience by @dancewise.official

Going on holiday break from dance training soon? Take care of your body and maintain fitness by easing into the break and getting adequate rest. Your body will thank you by being ready to jump back in after the break! by @dancewise.official

For dance educators, it is vital to understand growth and the effects it has on dancers’ bodies at any age, but especially during growth spurts. I encourage all dance educators to learn about the stages of development and what their dancers’ bodies are going through physiologically during each stage! by @dancewise.official

Patellar tracking:

The knee joint is hugely important to us dancers, so it is important to understand its alignment, function, and how to keep it healthy.

How does the patella stay in its groove for proper tracking and alignment during movement? Watch to find out! by @dancewise.official

The effects of forced turnout…

-Turnout consists of hip ROM + tibial torsion
-Forcing turnout can place the medial knee under excessive stress, weakening the MCL & surrounding muscles and tendons. This also places stress on the medial meniscus.
-This also shortens the lateral hamstring & IT band, affecting mobility of the lower leg and ankle.
-Check to make sure that your knees are tracking over your 2nd toe, specifically during plié.

#dancescience by @dancewise.official

Let’s talk about the mechanics of a pirouette…

Key elements:
-alignment
-preparation
-engagement
-focus

Do you have any tips for a successful pirouette? Drop them in the comments! ✨ by @dancewise.official

Let’s talk about our bones…

-Bone tissue is alive and is constantly adapting, renewing, and changing.
-Dancers often experience thickening of the 2nd metatarsal bone due to repetitive movements on demi-pointe or pointe.
-This is because an increase in load increases bone mass & density, while a decrease in load decreases bone mass & density.
-To keep your bones healthy and proficiently functioning, stay hydrated and eat a balanced, nutritious diet.

What other areas of the body do you think bone thickening occurs for dancers? #dancescience by @dancewise.official

DanceWise is back!
Let’s talk about the mechanics of pullbacks…

Key elements:
-alignment
-preparatory plié
-extending legs in the air
-landing in plié
-jumping straight up, not back

Do you have any tips for a successful pullback? Drop them in the comments! ✨#dancescience by @dancewise.official

Biomechanics of Inversions!

Inversions are when we invert our bodies in space. We often see these in modern and contemporary dance.

Our hands become the contact point to the earth in the kinetic chain. Our base of support is now the hands, meaning that our hands essentially become our feet.

During an inversion we must lower our center of gravity (COG). This increases balance and stability, and also allows for greater force production to push off into inversions. The higher the center of gravity the less stable you are.

Considering alignment during an inversion, the body should be aligned as it would be during a relevé, but upside down. Wrists are over hands, shoulders are over wrists, pelvis is over shoulders, and legs are over pelvis.

It is important not to dome the hands during an inversion. Flattening the full hand creates more surface contact with the earth. This increases the base of support and friction.

To begin an inversion practice, lower the center of gravity and transfer your weight into your hands. Articulating the hands and wrists as you would the feet and ankles is important here.

Other things to consider during an inversion: -Mobilize and strengthen the upper body to prepare. This can be done by circling joints for mobility, and bear crawls or monkey crawls for upper body strength.
-Remember to keep the head in line with the spine by lengthening the back of the neck. -Engage your abdominals by pulling the belly button towards the spine.
-As you lower the center of gravity to lift the legs into the air, consider an undercurve motion.

What other tips do you have for inversions?
#dancescience #dancemedicine #dancebiomechanics #danceinjuryprevention by @dancewise.official

We are an agent of our own experience and conversation is key. What do you want to learn from DanceWise? Is there something you’re curious about in your training or movement practice? Leave a comment to start a dialogue!

#dancescience #dancemedicine #dancetraining #danceinjuryprevention by @dancewise.official

Sharing knowledge is the name of the game & references for information are vital, so here are a few of my favorites!

📚 Dance Science by Gayanne Grossman: this is my OG dance science text. I’ve been referencing this book ever since I started teaching Dance Science in higher education, 5 years ago. It includes anatomy, movement analysis exercises, conditioning suggestions, & so much more!

📚Dance Anatomy by Jacqui Greene Haas: I LOVE this book! It is stocked with images which help dancers to understand which muscle groups are working during dance specific movements, and gives suggestions on how to train these muscle groups for dance movements.

📚Dance Medicine in Practice by Liane Simmel: this is currently the required text for a Dance Science course I teach. It includes: anatomy, training suggestions, pitfalls in dance training, psychological considerations, growth/age considerations, & more. I will forever reference this book!

📚The Dance Anatomy Coloring Book by Tricia Zweier: this is a new one for me, but I am SO excited to dive into it. It is a coloring book specifically for learning anatomy for dancers.

#dancescience #danceanatomy #dancemedicine by @dancewise.official