Strength

[greyhound]

I need the advice of the professionals....

 

My daughter is extremely flexible. Has near perfect turnout. Now for the problem. She is lacking strenght. I have been told by different people that this is due to her extreme flexibility. I was also told he needs to get the strenght quickly as she is now almost 15.

 

What can she do?

[Victoria Leigh]

Greyhound, if she is the long, loose type, and still growing, it is just going to take time. I have had many dancers with this kind of structure and it always takes them quite a bit longer to gain the strength that more compact bodies seem to have more naturally. Some of them don't get it until 16 or 17, or even later.

 

That said, I would recommend Pilates or Gyrotonics, as that might help expedite the matter a bit. But give her time. You really can't force that kind of thing.

[greyhound]

Thanks Victoria,

 

She has a long body and long legs. She has started the pilates and has exercises she is doing at home.

 

I will let her know that all is not lost. She was getting upset...She was accepted year round to a pre-pro from the summer intensive audition and was thinking they would not want her after seeing her dance more.

[vicarious]

Hi Greyhound,

You've met my DD. She struggled with this for a while. She has gotten stronger with each year. She's a year older than your DD. She still isn't as strong as some of the girls in her class but she's strong enough for now. Pilates has helped as well as puberty changes.

 

She'll probably never be as strong as some of the other girls but her AD fills different roles with the dancer who most fits it. If the role is for a powerful compact dancer he uses someone else. If he's looking for long willowy, my DD might be one of the dancers he would consider.

[fauxpas]

My DD has been told she needs to gain strength as well. I wonder how much puberty will help this process of gaining strength. Can anyone speak to that issue?

 

Thank you.

[Victoria Leigh]

It should, however, as I said above, those with that certain body structure take longer.

[greyhound]

Just wanted to update...DD will be 16 next week and has began to get stronger. Much stronger than she was before.

[danceintheblood]

My dd has had a similar problem - very flexible, perfect turnout, some hyperextension, but lacking in core strength (she was 16 in June) and general strength. She came home six months ago extremely excited, saying "I've found my core!'. She was at the studio early and took a class a couple of levels lower than her usual, and focussing on basics seemed to help her with really identifying the muscles she needed to use. She has, to excuse the pun, gone from strength to strength since then and the difference is very noticeable.

 

I'm not sure if it's the case with all these 'flexible types' but sometimes dd is given specific strengthening exercises by the AD and it can take them a few experiements and variations of an exercise before dd is feeling it in the correct muscles.