NEW SCHOOL YEAR'S RESOLUTION

As we prepare ourselves for a new school year why not make a resolution to really contribute to the health and well-being of our dance students. After all, it is in our best interest to keep our client-base healthy, happy and injury-free. Some of us may find this hard as it may mean reevaluating what and how we teach, but rest assured, this is a good thing. By burying old traditional methods and looking into current techniques available to us (through dance science and psychology) we not only stay on the forefront of new and exciting developments, but enable ourselves to deliver the best possible training to our students.

A Balancing Act: What not to do

© Matt A. Chapman

Balance is not a constant, but invariably changes with the minutest of influences.  The process of learning to balance is continuous for the dancer, not only affected by mechanical forces but also by the dancer's emotional, psychological and mental state at that moment in time.  In addition, the body needs to make slight adjustments as the dancer anticipates the next movement and any unnecessary tension in the body will impair the dancers ability to balance or to balance well.  This tension is inadvertently taught to our students by making them believe that balance is static - something you find and keep. To make students hold poses excessively further instills this tension and conflict.  Adding fuel to the fire (and one of the biggest mistakes we make as dance teachers) we also use cues such as "pull up" and "tuck under" thinking  these words will fix the problem when we observe students struggling to "hold" their balance.  We know those signs - students hopping around, twisting the torso and throwing the arms around to control their balance.  By being too specific with our cues, we force our students to focus on a particular part of the body and interfere with their neuromuscular process and proprioceptive ability (where each part of the body is in space). Instead, it is more productive and constructive to allow dancers to learn balance through trial and error by being more guiding rather than commanding.  Encourage them to embrace the learning process by creating an environment where it is ok to make mistakes - to be their own problem solvers.  If they fear humiliation and reprimand they will not be free to explore and learn.  Regularly add unexpected changes of direction and quick weight shifts throughout the class.  Teach them to be alert and prepared for any balance challenge.  Through this process they will not only become better dancers, but learn to trust themselves and their abilities.

If you are looking for more specifics about this topic read this article in the current bulletin from the IADMS Understanding Balance: Applying Science to Dance Training.

"Education consists mainly of what we have unlearned." ~Mark Twain

 

A Balancing Act

Eric Underwood in Infra © John Ross

A colleague of mine mentioned that her ballet teacher made the students balance in a pose at the end of an exercise while the ballet teacher moved around the studio and corrected them.  My colleague appeared to be enthralled with the idea that this was teaching her students to balance.  But does this practice of holding a pose really teach dance students anything? I very rarely see dancers holding poses on stage for endless periods of time.  I think that balance in dance is more dynamic than that and want to hear your opinions and experience with this.


Since this is a blog, and not a book I have to restrain myself from explaining how the laws of physics impact the dancers and their movements.  There are many excellent books, articles and texts dealing with this subject.  Instead I want to give you some practical advise and exercises to take into class with you that will enable your students to become more aware of their balance (and in so doing improve their dancing in general).


Think outside the box:

• Exercise equipment such as exercise balls, bosu balls and balance beams not only create excitement class (great for motivating students) but also help with strengthening their core (essential in proper alignment and vital to improving balance).
• Add or subtract elements that will help students work on their proprioceptive ability (knowing where the body is in space).  This can be done by closing eyes whilst in a pose, then moving the head from side to side, or better yet slowly rising and lower the heel while standing on one leg.
• Use a plumb line (can be bought at a hardware store) to help your students visualize where their aplomb is in any given position.  Students want to ensure that the hips, torso and head are over their supporting base (i.e their foot when flat or their toes on eleve).  I initially have them in first position facing the mirror with the plumb line in front of them (hanging through the center from nose, sternum, pelvis to fall inbetween the heels.  As they perform a tendu the plumb line should fall on the ball of the supporting foot.  In order for them to accomplish this their entire body must shift over.  This exercise can be used for various steps and is a wonderful tool for students to understand where everything should be in space.
• Since the core, feet and ankles are key to proper alignment (and therefore balance) add strengthening and stretching exercises into your class routine.  Remember the key to good muscle tone are muscles that are strong and flexible!

For more information on the laws of physics in dance read Kenneth Laws "Physics and the Art of Dance".

"it is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge" (Albert Einstein, 1879-1955).