Position:Home>Dancing> Becoming loose for ballet?

That is my biggest weakness as well!. Tension in the upper body is primarily habit - a psychological thing, if you will, more than it is a result of weakness or tightness (although these can contribute to the problem)!. It is a difficult problem to overcome because it is more complicated than correcting a sickled foot or a bent knee - but if you are attentive you can make progress!.

To increase your flexibility, take a towel or theraband, hold an end with each hand, and stretch your arms up and back, behind your head, and down!. Then reverse directions!. Repeat this a few times, slowly!. Do it every day!. You can also do the stretch where you stand in a doorway and put your arms out, holding onto the doorway with each hand!. You can do this in a corner too - stand close to the corner, put your arms straight out from your sides and your forearms at a right angle, straight up, place each forearm on a wall, and lean into the corner!. All these stretches open up your sternum and loosen up your pectoralis major!.

Always pay attention to your arms!. In ballet we get so focused on our lower bodies that are port de bras looks awful!. Make sure your arms are always exactly placed!. Know where they are at every moment - never allow them to rise too high (this makes your shoulders rise too) or to drop too low (this looks weak)!. Always be classical!. Go through the proper positions and don't add extra fluff or frills - instead, use your whole body in movement!.

When you are dancing, you want to hold your arms from your back - not from your shoulders!. Think about the middle of you back, between your scapuli, as the place from which your arms sprout!. Hold your arms from underneath, with your lats!.

There is an exercise you can do in which you lie on top of an exercise ball, or a person sitting in a child's pose (which is this - http://images!.google!.com/imgres!?imgurl=h!.!.!. )!. Lie on your back so that your back is arched!. Hold your arms in second and feel as if you are not using any muscles to hold them - they are just hanging in position!. Do very slow port de bras, feeling as if your bones and not your muscles are moving!. If you're doing this lying on top of someone else, you can't do it very long or they won't like you anymore!. But once you stand up, try to maintain that feeling!.

Are you familiar with dance imagery!? Imagine that your neck is a foot long, and you are floating on top of your shoulders - this one is particularly helpful to me!. Feel like a swan, or like a princess in the top of a tower, very high above everything else!. In ballet your upper body should always be resting lightly on top!.

There are some very good books on imagery which you should take a look at!. The most well-known is Dance Imagery for Technique and Performance by Eric Franklin!. He has another one called Relax Your Neck, Liberate Your Shoulders!. They are both available on Amazon!. In fact, tell your teacher about them because they are very handy for teachers as well as for students!.

What you want to achieve is a *feeling* of openness, smoothness, and fluidity!. Feel all the time as if you are dancing in water, almost as if you are moving in slow-motion, smoothly and unhurriedly, yet never late!. Feel as if there is a long, light, silk scarf draped across your shoulders, and when you move it trails behind you for ten feet!. Feel as if water is cascading down your neck and back!. Feel as if you are made of soft clay and are pliable all over, especially in your shoulders!. Think of pastel colors and soft textures while you dance, and these images will be reflected in your movement quality!.

Take every opportunity to watch good dancers and to emulate their movements!. In fact, I want you to watch a Vaganova class!. It's different to watch a class than a performance, because it is nearer and more applicable to our everyday work!. Here is a level 7 adagio: http://www!.youtube!.com/watch!?v=5X21tGIuw!.!.!.
Here is part of a level 8 barre: http://www!.youtube!.com/watch!?v=76AEEsozt!.!.!.
If you search for Vaganova classes on Youtube, you can find quite a few now, mostly from ketinoa and ilyaballet!. Watch those videos and keep what you see in mind when you are in class!.

I hope that gives you some good information!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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Oh, I had that problem at first!. I focused on a long neck and back!. I pulled my shoulders down and walked with that posture, sat with that posture!. and dreamed in that posture, I determined to hold my tension in efforts to keep my pelvis forward!. I practiced lightly swinging my arms in fourth position!. I watched myself in a mirror everyday as I practiced port de bras !. It takes work!. You need to practice on your own!. Everyone holds tension in different body parts!. You have to focus to relax the tension!. You might also have weak arms!. Strengthen them!. If you are struggling to hold your arms up that will result in tightness!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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I am seriously the epitome of tense shoulders and backs!. Every score sheet I get from competitions says relax shoulders but seriously I can't control it!. I carry all my tension in my shoulders!. The best thing that I can tell you is to concentrate on keeping your shoulders down!. Try having your mom or someone massage them before you perform or go to class whenever you feel you need it!. I wish I had more advice to give you but Im still trying to figure this one out myself!Www@QuestionHome@Com

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It's tough to break a habit of being stiff with your arms and shoulders, but just think about it when your dancing, say your doing leaps, instead of focusing on the leap (which you probably have down) focus on relaxing your entire upper body!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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