Pilates and Conditioning for Dancers

Synopsis

Professional dance is an exciting but demanding career to choose, and the dancer of today needs to be physically prepared for the stress on the body that a performing life entails. Pilates and Conditioning for Dancers is a practical guide to exercises designed specifically for dance students and professionals alike. The focus on how to choose exercises that suit the individual offers dancers the freedom to optimize their performance potential in a flexible environment. Key topics covered are Core Control; Turnout; The Healthy Spine; Footwork; Jumping and Landing. This new book covers each area of the body, relating the exercises closely to dance technique and providing movement solutions for dancers of al styles and at all stages of their performing career.

Summary

Chapter 1: Introduction

* Purpose of Pilates for dancers: improve flexibility, strength, posture, and injury prevention.
* Real example: A dancer experiences reduced back pain and increased range of motion after incorporating Pilates into their training regimen.

Chapter 2: Basic Principles of Pilates

* Principles: concentration, control, centering, precision, breath, and flow.
* Real example: A dancer learns the "Hundred" exercise, focusing on maintaining a neutral spine while exhaling and lifting the head and arms.

Chapter 3: Pilates Mat Exercises for Dancers

* Mat-based exercises tailored to dancer's needs, targeting core stability, flexibility, and strength.
* Real example: The "Roll-Up" strengthens the abdominal muscles and promotes spinal flexibility.

Chapter 4: Pilates Equipment Exercises for Dancers

* Use of equipment (e.g., reformer, Cadillac) to enhance balance, coordination, and body awareness.
* Real example: The "Pilates Tower" provides resistance training and improves shoulder and hip mobility.

Chapter 5: Conditioning for Dancers

* Supplementary exercises to enhance cardiovascular fitness, muscle endurance, and flexibility.
* Real example: A dance warm-up routine incorporates dynamic stretching, pliés, and battements to prepare the body for performance.

Chapter 6: Conditioning Exercises for Dancers

* Isolation exercises for specific muscle groups, such as inner thighs, calves, and shoulders.
* Real example: "Relevé Standing Calf Raises" build strength and flexibility in the ankles and calves, essential for pointe work.

Chapter 7: Pilates and Conditioning for Flexibility

* Exercises focused on enhancing passive and active flexibility, reducing muscle tightness and promoting range of motion.
* Real example: The "Swan Dive" on the Pilates Reformer stretches the hamstrings and improves spinal extension.

Chapter 8: Pilates and Conditioning for Strength

* Exercises to develop muscular strength, essential for executing dance movements with power and control.
* Real example: "Side Plank with Leg Lift" strengthens the obliques and hips, improving stability in Balançoire movements.

Chapter 9: Pilates and Conditioning for Balance and Coordination

* Exercises to enhance balance, agility, and body awareness, crucial for complex dance routines.
* Real example: The "Bird Dog" exercise in Pilates strengthens the core and challenges both balance and coordination.

Chapter 10: Pilates and Conditioning for Injury Prevention and Recovery

* Exercises designed to prevent and rehabilitate common dance injuries, such as plantar fasciitis and ankle sprains.
* Real example: "Eccentric Calf Raises" strengthen the calves and reduce the risk of Achilles tendonitis.