There are many body therapies from which dancers can choose from to gain and maintain strength, flexibility, and balance and to avoid injury or facilitate rehabilitation from injury. Over the years, many dance companies and dance schools such as Ballet British Columbia and the National Ballet School have introduced their dancers to the Pilates method. Colleges and secondary schools like Goucher College, Harid Conservatory, and York have added Pilates courses in their dance curriculum in their dance programs.
There are currently 200 Pilates exercises, and each one promotes an aspect of healing, restoring, balancing, stretching, or strengthening the body. Single-leg stretch and leg circles exercises help to train the body in a deliberate and specific way and teach the pelvis to conceal, restrict, and control movements.
Key Terminology and terms in Pilates
1. Powerhouse: The groups of muscles that initiate all exercises, consisting of abdominal, lower back, hips, and gluteals
2. Navel to spine: The action of pressing the belly to the spinal column, allowing the abdominal to flatten while strengthening and stretching the lower back muscles.
3. Pilates Stance: A slight external rotation of the legs (not a first position in dance), the quadriceps should be disengaged, and the buttocks, hips, and inner and outer thighs are engaged. This position requires the knees and heels to stay together at all times.
4. The Box: The lines create from shoulder to shoulder and from hip to hip. The box serves as a mental and physical reminder of symmetry.
5. Avoid hyperextension: the stretching of the limbs without locking or hyper-extending them. Limbs should never be hyper-extended.
Control is the foundation of the Pilates method. There should be no extraneous movement while carrying out the exercises. Exercises should be executed with attention to detail and muscular control to prevent injury and achieve an optimal result. For a dancer, control is an important aspect to develop and maintain.
Concentration is imperative in attaining the connection between the mind and body. The mind leads the body to work properly and efficiently. Joseph Pilates expressed, “ Concentrate on the correct movement each time you exercise, lest you do them improperly and thus lose all the vital benefits of their value.” (2006:93)
Instructors refer to Centering as the “powerhouse”. The “powerhouse” or centering is the core center that initiates movement, stabilizes the torso and aids in pelvic stability. It gives an individual an efficient posture. In ballet, the center refers to a point in the middle of the pelvis, which divides the individual in half. A dancer must learn to be strong in the core to perform the movement with artistic intent, control, and balance.
Fluidity or flow of movement is another quality that Pilates explores. There are never any static or jerky movements while performing the exercises. A dance student must learn to gauge their energy to achieve control and precision without a disjointed effect. Dancers should strive for flow in primary movements, transitions, preparatory movements, and conclusions. Pilates can assist students to acquire an understanding of how much effort is needed for a particular motion and to learn how to isolate the prime movers from the supporting areas.
In Pilates, the focus is also on precision rather than the quantity and speed of the movement. Without precision, the student cannot attain the flow or control needed. The quality of precision helps the student to achieve proper muscular strength, control, and coordination without fatigue and injury. As Berardi states, “it is not how much one trains that is important, it is how one trains.” (Berardi, 1991:31) Similar to ballet, transitions are important as the positions that precede and follow them. The student should aim to achieve exactness in movement, performing with harmony and grace.
Breathing is also another important aspect of Pilates. Joseph Pilates incorporated full inhalations and exhalations to energize and revitalize the body and to allow the muscles to work more efficiently. A student can learn to recognize one’s breathing pattern and how it coordinates with the performed movement. Breathing and precision impact performance skills, leading to better efficiency of movement. Rhythmic breathing minimizes tension and facilitates the motion of movement.
Students may be overwhelmed by the six principles to transform the basic exercise system into a complex world of motion. It is recommended that students attempt one concept at a time and add concepts to muscle memory to gain familiarity with the movements.
Benefit to Dancers
Pilates similar to other exercise regiments balances the skeletal muscles of the body that may have been neglected or overused. It works both on the muscles that move the limbs and other body parts, as well as the muscles used to stabilize the trunk and limbs. This enables the dancer to move with stability and mobility.
Evidence has indicated that good posture and proper body alignment can be learned and relearned through training techniques. Pilates-based research has shown that dancers have better body alignment, intention, and expressivity during dance movement sequences. Fitt (1993) found that Pilates-based training resulted in dramatic improvements in body alignment.
Pilates uses all planes of movement including flexion, extension, rotation, adduction, and abduction. The concentric and eccentric muscles contractions and the promotion of flexibility give a dancer stretch and strength. Reducing the risk of injury, making injuries less prevalent. Pilate also serves as a de-conditioning during the recovery process to allow the dancer to move with injury. Modifications of the mat exercises can assist in allowing the dancer to return to perform more quickly. The dancer learns about the varying degrees of internal and external rotation, neutral pelvis, core strength, and resistance training, which offered a valuable bodily knowledge. Pilates can re-strengthen, stabilize, improve spinal health, increase the functionality of hips, and re-educate body’s habits. Dancers can learn to spot areas of weaknesses, anatomical discrepancies, poor alignment during horizontal lying down before coming to a vertical standing point.
The Pilates method has existed for approximately 90 years. Pilates, as a universal movement system has garnered substantial attention within scientific, biomechanical, and kinesiological research. Physicians, physical therapists, chiropractors, sports and fitness trainers, choreographers, and performers have recognized its effectiveness. Pilates is ideal for retraining, rehabilitation, and re-educating the dancer’s bodies. Teachers can expand and enhance their roles and student become self-evaluators of their bodies. Pilates provide many effective tools for exercises and bodily knowledge that can compliment their technique class and enhance their performers for prolonged careers. Pilates provide dancers pertinent information about how to perform to improve technically without injury, serving as a source to meet their performance goals. The mat sequences executed with precise movement, and coordinated practice results in neuromuscular patterning produce heightened balance, muscular control, and overall improved technique. Students in Pilates gain awareness of their movements, posture, and muscular imbalances or deficiencies; improve balance and flexibility; feel refresh and regenerate and become more aware of their overall physical health.
Reference:
Ahearn, E. (2006) The Pilates Method and Ballet Technique Applications in the Dance Studio. Journal of Dance Education 6 (3) 92-99. Available at: http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=7f982064-5467-4f83-a294-3abee35ece1f%40sessionmgr111&vid=1&hid=107. [Accessed 8 April 2015].
Holmes, S (2014) The Pilates Pelvis: Racial Implications of the Immobile Hips. Dance Research Journal 46 (2) 57-72. Available at: http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&sid=cdeaa243-d300-4b28-94d1-a588d38194c1%40sessionmgr111&hid=107 [Accessed 25 March 2015].
There are currently 200 Pilates exercises, and each one promotes an aspect of healing, restoring, balancing, stretching, or strengthening the body. Single-leg stretch and leg circles exercises help to train the body in a deliberate and specific way and teach the pelvis to conceal, restrict, and control movements.
Key Terminology and terms in Pilates
1. Powerhouse: The groups of muscles that initiate all exercises, consisting of abdominal, lower back, hips, and gluteals
2. Navel to spine: The action of pressing the belly to the spinal column, allowing the abdominal to flatten while strengthening and stretching the lower back muscles.
3. Pilates Stance: A slight external rotation of the legs (not a first position in dance), the quadriceps should be disengaged, and the buttocks, hips, and inner and outer thighs are engaged. This position requires the knees and heels to stay together at all times.
4. The Box: The lines create from shoulder to shoulder and from hip to hip. The box serves as a mental and physical reminder of symmetry.
5. Avoid hyperextension: the stretching of the limbs without locking or hyper-extending them. Limbs should never be hyper-extended.
Control is the foundation of the Pilates method. There should be no extraneous movement while carrying out the exercises. Exercises should be executed with attention to detail and muscular control to prevent injury and achieve an optimal result. For a dancer, control is an important aspect to develop and maintain.
Concentration is imperative in attaining the connection between the mind and body. The mind leads the body to work properly and efficiently. Joseph Pilates expressed, “ Concentrate on the correct movement each time you exercise, lest you do them improperly and thus lose all the vital benefits of their value.” (2006:93)
Instructors refer to Centering as the “powerhouse”. The “powerhouse” or centering is the core center that initiates movement, stabilizes the torso and aids in pelvic stability. It gives an individual an efficient posture. In ballet, the center refers to a point in the middle of the pelvis, which divides the individual in half. A dancer must learn to be strong in the core to perform the movement with artistic intent, control, and balance.
Fluidity or flow of movement is another quality that Pilates explores. There are never any static or jerky movements while performing the exercises. A dance student must learn to gauge their energy to achieve control and precision without a disjointed effect. Dancers should strive for flow in primary movements, transitions, preparatory movements, and conclusions. Pilates can assist students to acquire an understanding of how much effort is needed for a particular motion and to learn how to isolate the prime movers from the supporting areas.
In Pilates, the focus is also on precision rather than the quantity and speed of the movement. Without precision, the student cannot attain the flow or control needed. The quality of precision helps the student to achieve proper muscular strength, control, and coordination without fatigue and injury. As Berardi states, “it is not how much one trains that is important, it is how one trains.” (Berardi, 1991:31) Similar to ballet, transitions are important as the positions that precede and follow them. The student should aim to achieve exactness in movement, performing with harmony and grace.
Breathing is also another important aspect of Pilates. Joseph Pilates incorporated full inhalations and exhalations to energize and revitalize the body and to allow the muscles to work more efficiently. A student can learn to recognize one’s breathing pattern and how it coordinates with the performed movement. Breathing and precision impact performance skills, leading to better efficiency of movement. Rhythmic breathing minimizes tension and facilitates the motion of movement.
Students may be overwhelmed by the six principles to transform the basic exercise system into a complex world of motion. It is recommended that students attempt one concept at a time and add concepts to muscle memory to gain familiarity with the movements.
Benefit to Dancers
Pilates similar to other exercise regiments balances the skeletal muscles of the body that may have been neglected or overused. It works both on the muscles that move the limbs and other body parts, as well as the muscles used to stabilize the trunk and limbs. This enables the dancer to move with stability and mobility.
Evidence has indicated that good posture and proper body alignment can be learned and relearned through training techniques. Pilates-based research has shown that dancers have better body alignment, intention, and expressivity during dance movement sequences. Fitt (1993) found that Pilates-based training resulted in dramatic improvements in body alignment.
Pilates uses all planes of movement including flexion, extension, rotation, adduction, and abduction. The concentric and eccentric muscles contractions and the promotion of flexibility give a dancer stretch and strength. Reducing the risk of injury, making injuries less prevalent. Pilate also serves as a de-conditioning during the recovery process to allow the dancer to move with injury. Modifications of the mat exercises can assist in allowing the dancer to return to perform more quickly. The dancer learns about the varying degrees of internal and external rotation, neutral pelvis, core strength, and resistance training, which offered a valuable bodily knowledge. Pilates can re-strengthen, stabilize, improve spinal health, increase the functionality of hips, and re-educate body’s habits. Dancers can learn to spot areas of weaknesses, anatomical discrepancies, poor alignment during horizontal lying down before coming to a vertical standing point.
The Pilates method has existed for approximately 90 years. Pilates, as a universal movement system has garnered substantial attention within scientific, biomechanical, and kinesiological research. Physicians, physical therapists, chiropractors, sports and fitness trainers, choreographers, and performers have recognized its effectiveness. Pilates is ideal for retraining, rehabilitation, and re-educating the dancer’s bodies. Teachers can expand and enhance their roles and student become self-evaluators of their bodies. Pilates provide many effective tools for exercises and bodily knowledge that can compliment their technique class and enhance their performers for prolonged careers. Pilates provide dancers pertinent information about how to perform to improve technically without injury, serving as a source to meet their performance goals. The mat sequences executed with precise movement, and coordinated practice results in neuromuscular patterning produce heightened balance, muscular control, and overall improved technique. Students in Pilates gain awareness of their movements, posture, and muscular imbalances or deficiencies; improve balance and flexibility; feel refresh and regenerate and become more aware of their overall physical health.
Reference:
Ahearn, E. (2006) The Pilates Method and Ballet Technique Applications in the Dance Studio. Journal of Dance Education 6 (3) 92-99. Available at: http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=7f982064-5467-4f83-a294-3abee35ece1f%40sessionmgr111&vid=1&hid=107. [Accessed 8 April 2015].
Holmes, S (2014) The Pilates Pelvis: Racial Implications of the Immobile Hips. Dance Research Journal 46 (2) 57-72. Available at: http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&sid=cdeaa243-d300-4b28-94d1-a588d38194c1%40sessionmgr111&hid=107 [Accessed 25 March 2015].