Teacher is Forcing Stretches Before Warming Up

[Guest pink tutu379]

Everynow and then we have a teacher teach the morning class. He does very fun but interesting combinations. He makes us do these weird thigs before we are even warm and it gets to the point where we could hurt ourselves! What are th students supposed to do, i mean we cant say "no" to doing the combinations, but then again i dont want to hurt myself. Should i warm up before class even starts or something?

[Victoria Leigh]

Yes, warm up before class. But what kind of "weird things" are you speaking about? Can you describe them?

[Guest pink tutu379]

Well, some people might not describe them as "weird", but its like very contempary things that doesn't go with the move before it, and like not nessecaryly good technique. For instance, we have to do the hand and leg strech up to our ear (and if it isn't high enough he comes and makes it touch our ear), in like the middle of baree when we're not warm. It doesn't sound that bad, but it hurts when my muscles are streched that far when im cold. And, i will be warming up before class now!

[Guest EnPoInTe4EvEr]

Yikes. It really isn't so horrible except for the not-warmed-up thing. Have you brought it up with your teacher at all?

[Victoria Leigh]

Actually, forcing stretches is not at all a contemporary thing, but a very old fashioned thing. Personally, I do not care for the practice. Helping someone with better placement of the leg, and maybe trying to help them get it a bit higher is fine, but definitely not forcing.

[Guest pink tutu379]

No i haven't. maybe i should ask him if we could do some more warming up things before everything. I'm sure he won't mind; now don't get me worng this teacher is one of my favorites and i love his classes! I just don't want to get hurt.

[Guest theskysthelimit]

he might be presuming you warm up before class already. That's what happens in my class. We have 15 mins to do a basic warm up andstretch by ourselves, then do a quick barre to make sure everyones really properly warm, then we do some really intense stretches. Ask him maybe?

Edited November 23, 2005 by Mel Johnson

[DewDrop5392]

He might as theskysthelimit said think that you are already stretched before class starts and that by ronde de jambe you are almost warmed all the way. Is he just heightening the level of the stretch by pushing you and your body together? Sometimes this is a good thing if you can't get a hold on your leg, and he helps as long as you let him know when to stop, or does he actually wrench your leg up to your head when he knows it is painful. Maybe you just need to let him know that it hurts beyond what a stretch.

 

Just a thought.

[Belle of the ballet #1]

i'm not sure what the ideas are on safe dance practice in the US, but at my high school, safe dance practice is one of the first things we learn in theory. one of the biggest no-no's in stretching is buddy stretches where someone else is forcing your leg further than it can go. (this is different to a stretch where someone is applying pressure for you to press against to increase strength which is fine because you control the amount of force.) in a forced stretch, especially when you are not warm, the "stretch reflex" can happen when you are pushed to far. this is pretty much just the reflex of the muscle tensing up and fibres tearing. this can also happen in stretches that pulse which are often done in a jazz class but should really be avoided.

if the teacher is forcing your stretches or doing anything else you don't feel comfortable with, tell them you are not happy with it, or just modify the stretch to make it safe.

there is a website with all of the safe dance stuff we are taught on it, i'll see if i can find out the address for you.

luv belle