Hi Dance Friends! Our free printable for this week is all about proper dance alignment. This is a printable you could print out and hang on the mirror, by the drinking fountain, or it could be something that goes in your dancer's journal. These simple reminders about alignment may help your dancers with a dance concept they are struggling with.
Proper alignment is essential for dancers because it allows for more graceful and efficient movement, and reduces the risk of injury. Here are some tips for proper alignment in dance that you could discuss with your class:
Head and shoulders: The ears should be in line with the shoulders, and the shoulders should be over the top of the thigh bone.
Ribcage: The ribcage should be vertical over the pelvis.
Spine: The spine has natural curves that help absorb shock and allow for a wide range of motion. Instead of striving for a flat back, dancers should find their best spinal position, which may be slightly curved.
Pelvis: The front of the pelvis should be vertical.
Feet: The arches of the feet should be vertical, and the knees should be over the centers of the feet.
Weight distribution: The dancer's weight should be evenly balanced on both feet.
Alignment throughout movement: Any movement of one part of the body should not cause another part to go out of alignment.
Posture in daily life: Dancers should try to carry their dance posture into their daily lives.
I find when I teach about proper alignment and posture that it is helpful to use imagery. Imagery helps students to picture and feel certain movements in their body. Examples of this imagery might be:
Imagine there is a rod or pole that goes through the top of your head, down through the center of your body, holding your bones and muscles in proper alignment.
Imagine your pelvis to be a bowl holding soup. You do not want to tip the bowl in any direction or else you will spill the soup.
Think about a plant growing from your pelvis and sprouting out of the top of your head. Help your posture by growing upward out of your pelvis.
Think of your bones as building blocks making a tall tower.
Think about stitching the front of your ribcage together with string so that ribs do not splay open.
I hope these tips and this printable will help you in teaching this week. In dance we are always reviewing the fundamentals, and this printable is as fundamental as it gets!
I hope you have a fun and effective week of teaching!
Keep Dancing!
Whitney
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