Improve my Splits

[Guest Candi_Puff]

We are going to be doing a modern ballet dance for a preformance and we are all expected to be able to do the splits as this will be a move during our dance. Except the problem is i do not have a full split yet as well as my other dancing friends who will also be in this dance. So we were just wondering if anyone knows of a stretch or something that will help us get a full split, at the moment we are about 3 and a half quarters down Thanks

[Victoria Leigh]

Candi, splits ARE a stretch! One gets splits by working on splits........when you are well warmed up, of course! The only purpose for doing splits is to stretch. If the students cannot yet do them, easily and comfortably, then they should not be put in the dance. Someone will get hurt trying to do something that is beyond their ability at the moment.

[Guest Candi_Puff]

or of cause... what was i thinking when i said are there any stretches to help improve my splits as of caise splits are a stretch!! SORRY!! well, do you think we should talk to our teacher about maybe only doing half splits in our dance or even not doing them at all??

[Victoria Leigh]

Personally, Candi, I think if your teacher is putting splits, or even half splits, in a ballet (as opposed to a jazz dance), the problem starts there. The problem continues to a teacher choreographing something that could be harmful to students who cannot yet do the choreography. If this dance is not ballet, then perhaps half splits would be possible. If it IS supposed to be ballet, then I think I would look for another school.

[Guest Candi_Puff]

the dance is a ballet, its to a snow goose, i really do like the school that i'm attending right now because i've been dancing there for a while and have lots of friends, but we did try talking to our teacher and she told us that she might replace that part of the dance with more pointe work (that sounds like more fun) but if she dosen't we desided that we will tell our teacher that we were always told that dancing is supose to be something you enjoy, and how can we enjoy dancing something we can't even do??

[ABT Wannabe]

i always sit in the splits and watch tv every night it really helps!

[Guest Candi_Puff]

thanks i will try that

[balletlover421]

I also sit in split and watch TV. When i was a gymnast we were told to elevate our front leg and do splits and elevate either one or both for middle. Im not quite sure how but for me that helped alot. Maybe you could try that.

[Victoria Leigh]

Sorry, not a good idea, balletlover. That would be an oversplit, and we really do NOT recommend that. I know that gymnasts do it, but we do not feel it is good for ballet dancers.

[Guest arabesque07]

Sorry, not a good idea, balletlover. That would be an oversplit, and we really do NOT recommend that.  I know that gymnasts do it, but we do not feel it is good for ballet dancers.

Could I ask why not?

One of the professionals at my ballet school went to Cuba for a month and took several classes there and they worked on their splits by elevating their legs on anything from a thin pillow to a chair. I was just wondering why this wouldn't be a good idea.

[qtpiedanzer01]

yeah i though an over split was good.

[dancer31220]

I thought they were good too... Because if you got an oversplit down on the floor then when you did a grand jete or sotesha (sp?) wouldnt it get to a regular split since it is harder to get it in the air than on the floor?

[Victoria Leigh]

Actually, I don't believe it is harder to get it in the air, especially if you have a good jump and understand how to use the force and energy to move up and forward through the air.

 

I think oversplits are potentially dangerous, especially to anyone with any hyperextension. The ligaments at the back of the knee can be overstretched very easily, and this is not at all a good thing. It is painful, and takes a long time to heal and remains vulnerable to further injury in the future.

 

Besides that, they are acrobatic, and have nothing to do with classical ballet.