Short on Warm-Up Space? Try This Full-Body Workout Before Your Next Class or Audition

March 27, 2024

We’ve all been in those situations before an important audition or performance—a crowded hallway, a cramped dressing room. It’s not always easy to prep your body for what’s to come when you’ve got a small space to work within.

Integrative movement coach Bennalldra Williams, founder of Bové (located inside Kinected NYC), works with dancers of all styles, blending elements of Pilates, The Franklin Method, Gyrotonic, neuroscience, and other somatic practices. She recommends dancers find a workout that couples stability and mobility as they prepare for class or performance. “Our mobility is directly related to the stability of the other joints, which allow us to be able to reach our full movement,” Williams says. “The stability of the standing leg has to be in direct response to what the gesture leg is doing.”

Williams calls the series below “Primed for Success.” It prepares the brain, body, and other systems for movement. “You can be in one little area and get as prepared as possible in a small space,” she says. “This is intended to be a full-body warm-up that challenges both your body’s stability and mobility.”

You’ll need:

  • an extra-long medium or heavy strengthresistance band, or 2–3 standard-size resistance bands tied together
  • a small yoga brick or padding for your head
  • a wall
Videography by Meghan Keeney

“The Perfect Touch”

This preparatory exercise increases the connection between the brain and body to improve proprioception, or the ability to sense movement and body position. “When the brain can see the body part or body more clearly, it moves it with better coordination and efficiency,” says Williams.

  • Standing up, gently tap your right arm with your left hand from top to bottom, followed by long, downward-brushing strokes.
  • Continue down the right side of your body, from trunk to legs, tapping with both hands and then brushing.
  • Repeat on the other side.

“Tug of War” (Isometric Core Exercise With Variations)

These isometric exercises allow you to get full activation of your core, while also building dynamic stability.

  • A female dancer in dark blue leggings and a light blue sports bra lays on a yoga mat and does an isometric core exercise. She bends both leg in towards her chest and pushes down on her thighs with both palms.
  • A female dancer in dark blue leggings and a light blue sports bra lays on a yoga mat and does an isometric core exercise. She bends both leg in towards her chest and crisscrosses her wrists, pushing down on her thighs with her hands.
  • A female dancer in dark blue leggings and a light blue sports bra lays on a yoga mat and does an isometric core exercises. She bends her right leg in towards her chest and pushes down on it with her left palm while extending her left leg and right arm out.
  • Lie on your back and draw your knees up. Place your hands on your knees.
  • Push your legs into your hands while simultaneously pushing your hands into your legs, creating isometric tension.
  • Hold for 30 seconds, then relax. Try to work up to one minute.
  • Repeat, but with hands crisscrossed.

Variation 1:

  • Draw the legs up and press legs into the hands and vice versa. Lift your head, folding your chin towards your throat. Hold for 30 seconds, and relax.
  • For an added challenge, stretch the right leg and arm long, continuing to press into the left knee/hand. Repeat 6–8 times and relax, then do the left side

Variation 2:

  • Draw the legs up and crisscross hands, pressing into the opposite knee. Fold your chin towards your chest. Extend the opposite arm and leg long, and return. Repeat 6–8 times, then repeat on the other side.
  • For an added challenge, open the extended leg and arm out slightly to the side and return to center. Be sure that the opposite hip stays weighted while you extend the leg; do not let it roll inward.

Pilates Side-Lying Series With Band

This series helps with finding pelvis stability and initiating movement from the hip joint.

A female dancer in dark blue leggings and a light blue sports bra lies on a yoga mat with her head on a yoga block. She has a long blue resistance band looped around her left foot and wrapped around her legs, knees and thighs.
Photo by Meghan Keeney.
  • Tie the end of a long resistance band (or 2–3 bands tied together) into a loop, and wrap it around your left foot. Then wrap the band under the legs and across the shins, continuing to wrap around the lower thighs and then across the hips.
  • Lie on your left side, placing your head on a yoga block or other padding. Stack shoulders, hips, and feet.
  •  Flex your bottom foot and push down into the looped band.
  • Slowly lift your right leg up, feeling the resistance of the band with the whole leg.
  • Repeat 3–6 times. Then unwrap and do the other side.

For an added challenge, try:

  • Turning the leg out and returning to parallel
  • Pressing the leg back into a low arabesque and returning to starting position
  • Turning the leg out and lifting to coupé and passé, then lowering, returning to parallel

Standing Lateral Side Flexion With Band

In this exercise, working against the band’s tension increases strength while allowing your brain to connect to that side of the body so it moves more effectively.

A female dancer in dark blue leggings and a light blue sports bra stands facing the camera in second position. She has a long blue resistance band looped around her right foot, and she lifts her arms and bends to the side, holding the resistance band in both hand as it stretches along the right side of her body.
Photo by Meghan Keeney.
  • Loop the end of a long resistance band around your right foot. Hold the band with both hands, with more length of the band on your right side.
  • Stand in second position and plié. As you straighten the knees, stretch the band above your head.
  • Side bend to the left. Make sure to bend from the spine, as opposed to pulling the band over with your arms.
  • Straighten back up and return to plié.
  • Repeat 6–8 times.

Standing Spirals

This spiral exercise preps the body for turns and also trains the vestibular system, which moves fluids in the inner ear to help you regain composure and maintain balance.

A female dancer in dark blue leggings and a light blue sports bra stands facing the camera and does a grand plié in second position. She holds a long blue resistance band in both hands which she lifts up to her chin. The ends of the band are looped around both feet.
Photo by Meghan Keeney.
  • Loop the ends of the long resistance band around both feet.
  • Stand in second position, holding the band in both hands. Plié, then straighten and stretch both arms up over your head. Think of the resistance band as a door pane; do not let your body pop out in front of or behind the pane.
  • Slowly spiral the torso left to right for 6 reps, maintaining your balance.
  • Increase your speed, rebounding back and forth for 16 counts.
  • Return to center and plié, lowering your arms.

Wall Push-Up With Coupé and Passé Variations

This wall push-up series will help you achieve shoulder and hip stability.

  • A female dancer in dark blue leggings and a light blue sports bra stands facing a bright blue wall. She lifts her arms and leans slightly forward, pressing her palms into the wall.
  • A female dancer in dark blue leggings and a light blue sports bra stands facing a bright blue wall. She lifts her arms and leans slightly forward, bending her elbows and pressing her palms into the wall.
  • A female dancer in dark blue leggings and a light blue sports bra stands facing a bright blue wall. She lifts her arms and leans slightly forward, pressing her palms into the wall. She lifts her left knee into a parallel passé.
  • A female dancer in dark blue leggings and a light blue sports bra stands facing a bright blue wall. She lifts her arms and leans slightly forward, pressing her palms into the wall. She lifts her left leg into a turned-out passé position.
  • Stand with your feet together in parallel, arm’s length away from a wall.
  • Raise arms to fifth position, turning palms out.
  • Lean forward and press your palms into the wall, bending your elbows, while simultaneously pressing down into your feet. Do not push the hips forward. Make sure your feet feel connected to the ground.
  • Straighten the arms and return to standing. Repeat 4–6 times.
  • For an added challenge, try lifting one foot to a parallel coupé or passé while holding the bottom of the push-up, keeping the pelvis stable and the standing foot connected to the floor. Eventually, turn out the leg at the top of the pose, making sure the body doesn’t tilt right or left.