why is strength important in dance

Or what exactly should I be doing in between my busy rehearsal period? However, strength training can happen within the dance classroom but can also happen outside the classroom, either in a gym setting or a quick workout in your living room. Strong muscles in … Special edition on supplementary training, available at: https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.iadms.org/resource/resmgr/Public/IADMS_Bulletin_DT_5-1.pdf, Marion Tait to step down as Assistant Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet, Filming Dance for Stage Upskilling Workshop, Filming Dance for Screen Upskilling Workshop, Stuart Waters IADMS iConference 2020 Resources, The mindset for returning to the stage and studio, Tel: +44 (0)20 7713 0730 Michelle Matte is an accomplished fitness professional who holds certifications in personal training, pilates, yoga, group exercise and senior fitness. It doesn’t have to be something to be afraid of or daunting, the main aim is to actually continually strengthen the main muscles group. How am I supposed to fit in supplementary training within my busy schedule? Fear of bulking up often steers dancers away from the weight room. Flexibility allows for increased range of motion and accomplishes the aesthetic of dance. Nimble, flexible, lithe, willowy, wraith-like...adjectives used to describe dancers often allude to rail-thin feather-light physiques. Flexibility is an important part of being healthy. 4(1). Without a certain baseline of these important abilities, you are more likely to incur musculoskeletal imbalances and injuries. In Quin E, Rafferty S & Tomlinson C. (2015) Safe Dance Practice. It is possible to increase intensity and load by changing the position of the body. Elaborate lifts, acrobatics and amazing balance are all integral to a winning dance performance. The Difference Between Gymnastics & Ballet, Journal of Strength Conditioning Research, May 2009: Effect of Partner's Improvisational Training on Dancers' Muscular Strength, Journal of Dance Medicine and Science: The Significance of Muscular Strength in Dance, Koutedakis, Yannis, Thessaly University Department of Sport and Exercise Science: Muscular Strength in Dance, Medical Problems of Performing Artists: Muscular Strength: Applications for Dancers. 801552 | Vat Registration No: 451 0858 58, The Programme Board; Children and Young People, Dance, Learning and Participation Network, The benefits of strength training for the novice dancer, https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.iadms.org/resource/resmgr/Public/Bull_4-1_pp15-17_Kozai.pdf, https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.iadms.org/resource/resmgr/Public/IADMS_Bulletin_DT_5-1.pdf. Muscular strength is important in dance given that most dance styles comprise a combination of static positions and dynamic movements at varying intensities (Cohen, Segal, & McArdle 1982). The strength mo- toric ability in dance activities plays an important role. It's great for both kids and adults and can build strength and balance as well as self-esteem. From the tips of your fingers and toes through to deep within your abdomen, everything gets used. But the dark side to hyper-flexibility is increased potential for injury. For example, dancers need strength to control their movements, which again will enhance the aesthetic of their movement. Why is this an issue you might ask? First of all, you must avoid the accumulation of people. When a dancer is described as having strong, supple feet, the topic of conversation is usually pointework. Ballet dancers in particular are vulnerable to foot and ankle injuries. Whether supplementary training is incorporated within the class room, outside the classroom in the gym or at home, a dancer will find what is right for them to build on their weakness and execute their ‘need’. Muscle strengthening exercises promote joint integrity by balancing muscle tension. Vico Images/Alin Dragulin/FogStock/Getty Images. In order to express themselves artistically, dancers stretch their joints to super-human lengths so they can please the eye as they fly across the stage in a panoply of amazing planes and angles. Supplementary Muscular Fitness Training for Dancers. Without the appropriate strength, control and endurance in these muscles dancers are at risk of developing shoulder injuries. Muscular strength creates speed and force, making for more powerful movement. Dance requires a great amount of flexibility. Copyright 2020 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. A strong rotator cuff allows arms to appear light and expressive but also stable for weight bearing during complex choreography, lifts and acrobatic work. A dancer will be more prone to injuries when fatigued but by improving overall body strength, it will both provide a measure of protection and improve a dancer’s cardiovascular endurance and step away from this idea of just ‘getting through the performance’. It is completely dependent on the student’s own prior training, ability and capacity as to what they will be able to do – if they can perform 12 – 15 of the movement with ease, it’s too easy. Surely, I am building muscle each time I dance? If we adapt the previous example, performing bicep curls using dumbbells to increase bicep strength, but instead adopt a press up position, students can choose from one of three options to increase the intensity and difficulty. * Dancers are athletes. Fax: +44 (0)20 7833 2363 Strength training allows dancers to meet the needs that dance physically demands. Your core is your center of gravity and all movement begins there, according to Dr. Robert Donatelli in an article for SportsMD website. Whilst a dancer’s technique class focuses on teaching dancers the correct technique, doubled with preparing for performance, assessment and giving feedback, it leaves little room to focus on dancer’s conditioning needs. But dancers often lack upper body strength. A report by Yannis Koutedakis of Thessaly University in Trikala, Greece cites a study in which dancers participating in a strength training program for quadriceps and hamstrings showed markedly less fatigue after dance training than a control group. Therefore, you should do supplementary exercises for muscular strength, power, and endurance outside of your dance technique classes. Available at: https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.iadms.org/resource/resmgr/Public/Bull_4-1_pp15-17_Kozai.pdf, The IADMS Bulletin for Dancers and Teachers. To increase the difficulty, they could move the hands forward further away from the knees, creating a diagonal line from shoulders to knees. The information contained on this site is for informational purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for the advice of a professional health care provider. However, strength training can actually be very valuable in increasing strength and endurance for dancers, which in turn then compliments the aesthetic of the movement. Dancers who fail to recognize the importance of strength in realizing their potential may never reach it. It is therefore recommended that dancers participate in supplementary training outside the classroom. Much of dance class is spent learning and refining movements, with less time spent dancing with full energy and exertion. Teenage students often enjoy Pilates or Yoga exercises, which can also be incorporated into a technique class. The IADMS Bulletin for Teachers. The greater the range of motion, the more muscles can flex and extend. For example, stretching the quadriceps from the hip while contracting the gluteals and hamstrings lends stability at the hip joint. In between busy rehearsal periods, technique classes and daily life, dancers may not have time to spend hours and hours on strength training so it is about finding out and focusing on what is right for you and making an effective change. 2931636 | Registered Charity No. Finally, allowing students to work in partners to provide feedback for each, identify weaknesses and allow students to provide manual resistance for each other can be an effective notion of strength training. The muscles in the feet provide stability for all movement, and are particularly important for jumping. It is important for dancers to develop strength to enhance their endurance ability to perform. Throughout my time at University, I was always being told ‘you need to be participating in additional fitness training’ and ‘you need to ensure you’re developing your core’ and I was always thinking to myself, but I do enough exercise! Elaborate lifts, acrobatics and amazing balance are all integral to a winning dance performance. Strength is foundational to all dynamic movement. Chapter 4: Training Principles and Supplementary Fitness. This can be implemented within the technique class rather than necessarily happening outside the traditional dance classroom. Pilates training also promotes hip and pelvic integrity, balancing the deleterious effects of lateral hip rotation, or turnout. Dancers must strive to achieve full range of motion for all the major muscle groups. Our team periodically reviews articles in order to ensure content quality. The important thing is not to look for the reason (this can be left to us, the psychologists), but to choose the appropriate way to react.