First tucked now swayed

[Guest Eulalia]

When I first came to my new school I was rather tucked, so by way of tryig to correct it, I over corrected and swayed. Now my new teachers (one of whom was a Russian ballerina and is one of two teachers who told me to do this) tell me not to tuck but to tighten my bottom until the swoopy muscles appear on the sides of my glueteals. Which they say shouldn't make me sway or tuck, but will give me proper alignment. And because I now sway I sit into my hip. They worked on me after class, and when I did the really tight bottom thing I didn't sink or anything, but I was just wondering what Mr. Johnson or Ms. Leigh thought of this, and if they can recommend anything else for me to help myself. Thanks.

[Mel Johnson]

Try this: Rather than think about your bottom (Great: now I've done it. It's like saying "Don't think about a duck!"), think about feeling your spine becoming as elongated as possible. Tightening the glutes runs a risk of tipping the pelvis too far forward, and if you just elongate the spine, they will tighten to exactly the right amount. It's kind of isometrics - work one set of muscles off against the other. As you lift yourself out of the hips, you make the spine long, and things go ka-chunk, ka-chunk into place.

[Guest Eulalia]

Thanks alot, Mr. Johnson! I'll try that! ;)

[Mel Johnson]

Good, now remember: Don't think about a duck!