I want to use today's post to check up on the "ballet dancer" Wikipedia page that we looked at a few weeks ago. I am thankful to say that all of my edits are still there.
Cross training methods are absolutely necessary for dancers. Here are some of the most effective ones: Yoga, swimming, Pilates, and non-impact cardio training. My cross training method of choice is Pilates. To be honest, everyone could greatly benefit from it. This form of excersize targets the difficult to reach, small twitch muscles that can transform the look (and strength) of your body.
When I'm not dancing full time in New York City at the Ailey School, I turn to a religious Pilates schedule. Sure I'm not dancing every single day, but I am working all of the muscles that keep me what I like to call dancer strong.
Dancer strong is different than body builder strong. Dancers must hold balances while also appearing fluid and grounded. The glutes, hamstrings, lats, inner thighs, and chore muscles need to be engaged but not stagnant.
Pilates gives me that little extra strength I need to dance at my best, without making me extremely fatigued. I also like this method because it was created as a workout specifically for dancers. Watch some of these videos if you want to learn some of the basic exercises.
You can can do most of these exercises at home! Enjoy your weekend everyone, and try to incorporate a few Pilates exercises into your routine.
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