5 Exercises to Improve Dancing

Looking to improve your dancing skills? Like everybody else, physical activities are must for dancers to reach their higher potential. If you want to dance stronger and become more flexible, we have couple exercises for you to improve your performance.

Let’s start!

 1- Stretch

 Stretch before you dance, dance before you stretch.It’s a simple equation: if you’re flexible and limber, your dancing will look better.

 Stretching is the key to flexibility. You can do it before or after a workout but keeping up a consistent 30-minute stretch session each day will help improve your overall flexibility and endurance — two things that will make you a better dancer.

 Once you add stretching to your routine, you’ll notice that your jumps, landings, and steps all look smoother. You can twist and contort yourself more as you continue to keep up with your daily stretch routine.

2- Cardio 

Dancers, many of you have asked me how to get your cardio in.

 I know it can be a challenge to fit in a run or jog with all the other things you're doing. But let me tell you: cardio is one of the most beneficial things you can do as a dancer. Not only will it help your cardiovascular system, but it'll also help you feel lighter in the dance studio and help you dance with more ease.

Getting your run or jog in—whether outside or on a treadmill—is a great addition to any workout regimen for dancers. And don't worry about taking time away from your other workouts; I've found that when I add cardio into my routine, it helps me increase my strength and flexibility because it gives my body time to recover from the other exercises I'm doing!

3- Squat

 Dancers need strong legs!

Totally true. And the best way for dancers to strengthen their thighs, legs, and glutes? Squats and lunges. Squats and lunges don't just increase strength—they also increase flexibility, balance, and jump height. They'll help you land more powerfully, too!

 To do squats stand with your feet shoulder width apart, bend your knees until they are at 90 degrees then return to standing position. If this is too easy try doing them on one leg instead of two. For lunges stand with one foot in front of the other with your hands on hips then step forward with your back leg until your knee reaches 90 degrees then return to standing position with both feet together again.

 If you find these exercises too hard at first don’t worry! Just start off slow by doing just 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps each day until you build up enough strength to increase the number of repetitions

4- Push ups

Push-ups may not be your favorite activity, but they have many benefits that will help you become a better dancer. This fitness routine will increase your strength and core stability, improve posture and overall balance and power.

 If you've never done a push-up before or have trouble with them, we recommend starting with the wall push-up instead of the floor push-up. Start by finding a wall and placing your hands on it so that they're at least shoulder width apart. Now swing your legs back behind you so that you are in a plank position (with your back straight). From here, bend one knee down towards the floor while keeping your other leg straight behind you. Slowly lower yourself down until both elbows touch the ground then slowly raise yourself back up again until both arms are fully extended. Repeat this movement for 10 repetitions per set with 3 sets total per day (morning, afternoon/evening).

 As your strength improves over time, feel free to add some variations into your routine such as: adding resistance bands around wrists or ankles; performing single arm variations; or doing high repetitions instead of low repetitions (20+).

5- Core Training (Sit- ups& Crunches)

 You are probably wondering why learning more about sit-ups and crunches is so important. If you are interested in dance, you know your core is everything. Our core keeps everything connected and strong. Sit-ups and crunches are the best way we can work out our core at home to improve our dance practice. Sit-ups and crunches will help strengthen your hips, arms, abs — your entire body benefits from sit-ups and crunches. You will see overall improvement from jumps and landings to overall ease improvement in your performance.

 So how do we do it? It's easy! Just lie on your back with your knees bent and feet planted firmly on the floor. Then raise your upper body until your torso is parallel to the floor (or as close as you can get). Hold this position for a count of three, then slowly lower back down to the starting position. Repeat ten times for a full set. And don't forget core strength is everything!

 We hope you got motivated at least to do one of them…

You may be thinking, "I don't have time for sit-ups and crunches!" or "My dance practice is tedious enough already, no need for cardio!" Trust me! Even if you only do them once a day, you'll be surprised by how quickly your body responds—you'll see improvement in your jumping and landing technique, as well as an overall ease in your performance.