Everyday Dance Hacks
Finding the time to dedicate hours every day to practicing dance can be difficult, but practicing dance outside of the studio is one of the quickest ways to advance. If you're pressed for time, here are some small things to incorporate into your everyday life to improve your ballet technique and flexibility.
Plié to pick things up:
When I'm at home doing the dishes, I like to go into a grande plié rather than bend down to empty the dishwasher. Since doing the dishes is an everyday activity I always know that I'll have a chance to work on my pliés. The main thing I like to focus on when doing this is rotating from my hips and inner thighs, making sure my knees are over my feet, and keeping my core engaged and my spine straight.
Take the stairs:
It can be tempting to hop on an escalator or elevator, but taking the stairs is an easy way to incorporate a little extra activity and motion into your day.
On the subject of stairs, take two or three at a time rather than one:
Taking larger steps to go up the stairs will stretch the muscles in your legs that are used for splits. While taking the stairs three at a time isn't going to get you a perfect 180° split on the first try, this is a great supplement to regular stretching.
Stretch before and after going to sleep:
Set your alarm clock ten minutes earlier to do some light stretching in bed. If you have a lot of time on your hands, I would suggest trying yin yoga as a way to gently ease yourself into the day. I've been incorporating yin yoga into my morning and night time routines and it helps me to recover my sore muscles and I've noticed an increase in my hip flexibility.
If you don't have an hour each morning to dedicate to a yoga practice doing these stretches and holding them each for 30 seconds to 2 minutes is a great way to squeeze in some extra stretching.
a lunge on both legs
butterfly stretch
cat/cow
child's pose
straddle
straddle reaching towards right leg
straddle reaching towards left leg
straddle reaching towards center
pigeon pose with right leg in front
pigeon pose with left leg in front
cobra
child's pose
Work out in bed:
On days when I don't feel well enough to get out of bed or when I just don't feel like I've gotten enough physical activity in during the day I'll do some gentle workouts in bed. Ballet Beautiful, a fitness program created by former New York City ballerina Mary Helen Bowers, is a personal favorite of mine! They have range of videos on Youtube that are free to watch and (for the most part) can easily be done in bed. For my in bed workout routine I like to do Total Body Sculpt, How to Perfect your Posture, and Ab Workout for a Slim Waistline.
When you're waiting in line stand in first position:
Make sure you're turning out from your hips and thighs, not your ankles. A good way to make sure you're turned out correctly is to check that your knees are in line with your feet. While you're standing in first, imagine you're at the barre. Is your core engaged? Is there space between your ears and shoulders? If not this is a great opportunity to practice self correction!
Stretch while doing homework:
If you know that stretching will distract you from your work, use this suggestion for other things like reading or scrolling through social media. Anything that can be done while sitting can be done while stretching! Instead of moving from pose to pose, it's best to find one and hold it for this method. For example, I'm writing this blog post while leaning forward in a straddle, not trying to write while going through a yoga flow.
Workout while watching TV:
In the age of Netflix and Hulu it's easy to spend hours upon hours binge watching your favorite show. Rather than let these be hours where your body is sitting still, try incorporating a workout into your TV time! Pinterest has several TV show workout games, but you can easily make your own. Here's a sample routine for one of my favorite shows right now, The Office.
Theme song plays: hold a plank
Michael calls a meeting: 25 crunches
Jim pranks Dwight: 15 pliés in first position
Stanley does a crossword puzzle: 30 changements
A character looks at the camera: 15 élevés holding each for five seconds
A character talks to the camera: 4 reps of 5 swan arms
Do multiple mini workouts rather than one long workout:
When you have a full schedule the idea of dedicating a chunk of your day to working out can seem impossible. Fortunately, taking a break every hour or so from your usual activities and taking ten minutes to do a quick workout can be much easier, both in theory and practice. If you're in school and taking a break from class to workout isn't a realistic option, instead of rushing to the TV or social media when you get home try doing a quick barre routine or some crunches.
Check your posture during everyday activities:
When you're sitting down in class or at work, walking down the street, whatever the case checking your posture is always a quick and effortless way to improve your technique. When you're used to staying in proper alignment during everyday activities, it's easier to maintain that alignment in class and on stage.
Bring books and phones to eye level:
Hunching over to do daily activities is horrible for your posture! Raising your book or phone to eye level is an easy way to make sure the posture you're working so hard to obtain stays perfect!
These are just a few ways you can improve your ballet technique. Most of these take very little time and effort and can easily be worked into any schedule no matter how hectic. If there are any everyday hacks you've come up with to improve your technique and flexibility, comment them down below!
