DancinFeet Posted January 11, 2008 Report Share Posted January 11, 2008 I always stretch before every class, especially morning classes when I'm more tight. However, I do not have a certain routine, usually I just stretch whatever comes to mind, or I feel I need to stretch. I would like to start going through a whole routine. Could anyone post a list of stretches they usually do before barre, or a good stretching routine to follow? Especially before auditions, I would like my barre to look better and in class my barre to be more productive. Thank you in advance! Quote Link to comment
Administrators Victoria Leigh Posted January 11, 2008 Administrators Report Share Posted January 11, 2008 DancinFeet, the pre-class routine will vary for every dancer, as their needs are different. Some dancers do very little, others do a lot. Most work on feet, gentle hamstring stretches, or back stretches, or whatever they most need. These things will become more evident to you the more advanced you become. I really do not feel that anyone should prescribe a routine for you, as they have probably designed their own program, which is good for their body, but not for yours. Just start working on developing your own program. Quote Link to comment
DancinFeet Posted January 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2008 Thank you Ms. Leigh, i will start working on developing my own routine. I usually stretch inner thighs, hamstrings, calves and achillis, back, laterals, and feet but I was wondering if anyone had any specific stretches that were good. Quote Link to comment
Administrators Victoria Leigh Posted January 11, 2008 Administrators Report Share Posted January 11, 2008 I really don't like for students to describe stretching exercises in this format. Most may be fine, but some will not be, and they are very hard to describe in writing. Quote Link to comment
Lexie Posted February 26, 2008 Report Share Posted February 26, 2008 Ms. Leigh, I saw that you mentioned hamstring stretches and I've been trying to figure out what some of those are. Could you go in more depth of exactly what hamstring stretches are? I've looked but can't seem to find any post with them. Thanks in advance. Lexie Quote Link to comment
Administrators Victoria Leigh Posted February 26, 2008 Administrators Report Share Posted February 26, 2008 Lexie, when you sit on the floor and stretch your legs out in front of you, and bend forward, you are streching your hamstrings. If you flex your feet, it will stretch them even more. When you are standing and bend forward in a cambré, you are stretching your hamstrings. You can do these in first, fourth and fifth position, or even in parallel, with no rotation. Quote Link to comment
Lexie Posted February 26, 2008 Report Share Posted February 26, 2008 Thank you very much! I knew those things I just never knew what they stretched... oops. Well thank you! Quote Link to comment
Tamara Watts Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 Hey, when I had ballet as an elective at my old school, my teacher had us get on the floor, spread our legs and lean forward, and to the side. We also did a lot of time doing a stretch called "the frog". I don't know if you have heard of it, but it really helps with strengthening your things because you have to hold yourself up with your thighs, if that makes sense? Then we would get to go to the bars if everybody did a good job on the frog. There was one time he took his foot and pressed my butt to the floor because I wasn't low enough to get a good stretch. I don't want to tell you about the frog until I get permission from the mods, but, I hope this helps as an idea of different styles of stretching from different teachers. Quote Link to comment
Administrators Victoria Leigh Posted December 9, 2008 Administrators Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 Actually, Tamara, the teacher moderators here do not like the frog. We feel that if puts unnecessary stress on the knees, and it is also very easy to do it incorrectly and cause other problems. By the way, a 'bar' is a place people go to drink. In ballet we work at the 'barre'. Quote Link to comment
futureABTdancer Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 Well... if frogs arent good.. then how do you stretch your hips and turnout? Quote Link to comment
Clara 76 Posted December 10, 2008 Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 Laying on your back with your feet together like frog is one way. Also using the foam rollers and Yoga round objects ( b a l l s ) will help. Quote Link to comment
Administrators Victoria Leigh Posted December 10, 2008 Administrators Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 And let us not forget that just working really hard, and VERY correctly, on tendu, and especially rond de jambe, is the best thing there is to improve your rotation and the use of it! Quote Link to comment
Tamara Watts Posted December 10, 2008 Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 I'm sorry,I didn't know that the mods didn't like the frog. It's a personal favorite of mine. About the "bar" I wasn't thinking correctly. Please forgive me. I don't know about you, but I don't go to a bar to drink, Ms. Leigh! I'm underage!!! He he! Quote Link to comment
Clara 76 Posted December 10, 2008 Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 The Frog just isn't done that much anymore because there are safer ways to stretch. Ballet evolves and in doing so, some of the things that were de rigueur back in the 1970s just aren't done now. Ballet teachers must stay on top of the latest in training and PT so that they can train their charges in the state-of-the-art manner. Quote Link to comment
Tamara Watts Posted December 10, 2008 Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 Well my teacher(I can't give his name for site rules) let us bring pillows to class to rest our knees so they wouldn't hurt while in that position. Quote Link to comment
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