Tips n' Tricks: Dance Conditioning

Improve your ballet turnout and strengthen your feet!

One of my ballet instructors took a day to show the class some theraband exercises that we can implement into our conditioning program if we aren't already. These exercises are intended to improve strength, turnout and foot bevels specifically for ballet. During a weekend sometime I'll put together a video demonstration of each of these exercises.

Each exercise is intended to work towards 6 reps ea. and holding for about 8 SLOW counts of music...or in otherwords what feels like forever. ;) The foot exercises can be done before or after class, but the leg exercises should be saved for after class or an activity that warms up your body to avoid injury. Start by doing these exercises about 3x a week (every other day).

FEET/LEGS
Sitting up straight: One foot at a time

• Wrap the theraband around the ball and toes of the foot, pulling back towards your torso for resistence. Press through the ankle, progress to spreading the toes and pressing to an extended pointed foot.
• Point your foot, have a partner wrap the theraband over the top of the metatarsal and toes. Keeping a straight leg, lift the toes then continue to flex the foot. The partner should add resistance but not keep you from being able to lift the toes.

Sitting up straight: Both feet with one theraband
-Wrap from the bottom of your feet around and tie in a lose knot. Hold onto the theraband ends and sit up straight.

• Keep the legs in parallel with the ankles together and bevel the foot from the ankle. Do this with a flexed and a pointed foot.
• Keep the legs in parallel and separate them from the hips without losing the alignment of the legs and feet. Do this with flexed and pointed feet.
• Keep the legs straight. Begin in Parallel then rotating the legs outward from the hips keep the legs together but try to hold a first position with the legs. You will probably feel this in the rotators below the butt.
• This is an extra one, but in that turned out first you could try separating the legs. You may need to move the theraband to the ankles to avoid hurting the feet.

LEGS (continued in a future post)....