DANCE AND THE BENEFITS OF PILATES

Pilates exercises focus on posture, strength, and flexibility - all three are important components for any good dancer. The use of Pilates results in a strengthening of the upper body that enhances a dancer's balance, alignment of body parts, better posture while still or turning, and other spinal muscle alignments. Pilates exercises are also good at lower body parts like the ankles and feet that play a key role in any form of dance.

What Pilates exercises does is increase the alertness level of the body to surrounding physical space and leave the mind in better control and hence more relaxed. The purpose of the Pilates exercise is to make sure that the mind is aware of all muscles involved in every moment and to take them into account while maintaining balance and agility. Because of this, Pilates can work on nearly every part of the body.

Dance teachers or coaches will often recommend Pilates exercises to dancers to help them improve their balance, muscles, movements, and body-parts coordination.

The body is a machine that can wear out if it is continually under stress. Dancing is a very stressful activity as far as the body and mind is concerned. The muscles are always overworked and the mind has to keep up with the maintenance of balance and general control. Pilates help to bring discipline, easier control and coordination while at the same time increasing muscle strength and also helping with relaxation.

Pilates can work on isolated muscles groups (like the shoulders) or it can work on complex muscle groups (abdomen and back). A different exercise works on all muscles in the body and helps to restore and rebuild muscle tissue that has broken down due to stress. Increase strength ensures that a similar muscle tissue breakdown is reduced in the future so that dancers do not get tired too easily and their body does not hurt once they stop dancing.

WHAT DANCE IS........

It's the expression of soul through lines of the body and pure movement. It's the visceral thrill of blood pumping faster and heart thumping harder -- leaping higher, reaching farther-- and by gum, it's a dad-burned way to keep a body fit!


Dance is also a road that can that can quickly lead to injury if the body is not treated properly. A dancer often dances for the love of the movement, for the quest after physical perfection, putting in long hard hours in order to become professional. However, one must care for the body and its needs and limitations, or too much practice can be too much of a good thing.


Different types of dance emphasize different movements and techniques.

Ballet, which serves as a foundation for all types of motion, consists of a set of mandatory positions and steps; while there are various techniques and styles of ballet, exacting foot work and rigid posture are always required.


Modern dance, which emerged around the turn of the century, was created as a reaction against the artificial moldings of ballet, instead emphasizing the fluidity, (or lack of fluidity), of movement over set and static positions. Modern dance tends to emphasize the flexibility of the torso, along with the rest of the body.


Jazz combines the same strength and stretch of ballet with the nontraditional movements of modern. Other types of dance, such as tap and folk, use the body in even different ways, but the above three are the most likely to engage the entire body.