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).