by Meghan Keeney | Jun 28, 2021 | Health & Body
Ballet class is pretty predictable: There are always pliés, tendus, dégagés and so forth. Usually before center, the instructor gives a quick stretch break to “do whatever you need.” Many dancers use this time to sink into their splits. But should you be...
by Avichai Scher For Dance Teacher | Jun 9, 2021 | The Latest
A growing Christmas tree. Angels and mice. Flowers and a sugarplum. Snow. Last week, the curtain rose on a festive performance of The Nutcracker…in June? The pandemic has brought all sorts of odd workarounds for dance studios, from virtual classes to outdoor...
by Amy Brandt | Sep 26, 2018 | Ask Amy, Health & Body
I can barely get my leg up to 90 degrees in grand battement, and I still don’t have my splits. How do I become more flexible? — Kassidy I can relate. I struggled with tight hamstrings and hip flexors and had to work hard to get my extensions to an...
by Madeline Schrock | Aug 22, 2018 | Cross-Training, Health & Body, Profiles
National Ballet of Canada principal Svetlana Lunkina shares the choreographer who pushed her to the next level and secrets of her conditioning regimen. Wayne’s world: Despite being naturally limber, when Svetlana Lunkina worked with Wayne McGregor on his...
by Josephine Lee | Aug 14, 2018 | Health & Body, Viral Videos
Your feet may be the envy of your studio, but having flexible feet and ankles isn’t always easy. Master pointe shoe fitter Josephine Lee outlines the risks of hypermobility and how to combat them. For the pros and cons of inflexible feet and ankles, click...
by Amy Brandt | Jun 15, 2017 | Technique
Penché. So simple, yet so tough. Here, San Francisco Ballet School faculty member Tina LeBlanc offers her tips for a beautifully supported penché. Think three-dimensionally: “A penché is not just front and back, or down and up,” says Tina LeBlanc....
by Candice Thompson | Jul 31, 2016 | Health & Body
This story originally appeared in the August/September 2016 issue of Pointe. It’s a familiar sight on Instagram: A dancer lounges casually in an oversplit, drinking her morning coffee. One foot is propped up on blocks (or even a chair) as her legs split well...
by Nicole Loeffler-Gladstone | Mar 27, 2016 | Company Life
A correctly rotated, aligned and stabilized arabesque can feel elusive. It’s tricky to find the right balance between strength and flexibility, so we combined two of our best tips to help you find your line. Read on for training advice, and visualization...
