Dancing - Tap - Jazz - Ballet

In discussions about hyperextended knees, some students who have been dancing for years are just beginning to understand that their knees hyperextend, or over-straighten.

Explaining a neutral leg, in the first few classes, is as important as explaining a neutral spine, whatever words the teacher uses. (Unless there are no hyperextended legs in the class, this is necessary).

A neutral leg is: knee above the ankle bone, pelvis above the knees. A line drawn down through a photo of you standing, taken from the side, should reveal a postural plumb line, from the center of the skull, neck, spine (through your natural curves), pelvis, through the knees and ankles, or just in front of the ankles, depending where you rested your weight.

With hyperextended legs, the knees stretch back behind this line. While this curving out at the back of the knees is an admired line in a dancer's gesture leg, it causes many problems in a standing leg.

First you tackle the feeling of the legs being bent, when held in a straight position. However, in this straight position it is much easier to hold the turnout and have the pelvis in a neutral position where you can build strength in your center.

When the knees rest back in hyperextension, the thighs turn in, and often the pelvis tucks under. Now you have compromised the safety of your low back. (In this position you may develop bulky thighs and bulky hip muscles). From here you destabilize your balance. You can compensate for this distortion in many ways in soft shoes, to a degree.

When you get onto pointe shoes, all kinds of problems will show up, if they haven't already.

Easily a whole booklet could be written about this. To keep it simplified, focus on the straight, or neutral leg.

If you are a few years into training, it's extra work, it's reprogramming neural pathways. But most dancers do this all the time as they progress through their training and careers.

There is also a lot of talk about overdeveloping the quads or inside knee muscles, or some other deformity, because of holding the leg straight. Not so. If your pelvis is neutral, you can use your muscles properly. You don't need to grip or clench.

You want your thighs pulled up long. You want a feeling of pushing down through the center of your leg bones into the floor. And imagine a space between your hip bones and the top of your thighs. You will achieve a real lengthening by doing this, your deep lower abs will pull up and in nicely, and now your core muscles are supporting the length you want.

You will be able to hold your turnout and have a strong supporting leg. When you get into pointe shoes, you will have your body aligned well, over that tiny point on the floor.

Always remember in your ballet stretching, to relax and lengthen all your muscles. Use a soft rubber ball to knead the muscles, leaning on a wall, or use it with the floor. Deborah Vogel has a DVD on this. You can find it on thebodyseries site.

Dianne M. Buxton trained at The National Ballet School of Canada, The Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance and Toronto Dance Theater.

An Exciting new series of Learn to Dance instructional videos which has encouraged dance and fitness is rapidly being recognized. In an era poorly populated with "well being and healthy culture" dancing is an exciting innovation to lifestyle. It provides fitness with friendship and a new outlook in life.

Cha cha is a dance of the Latin American vogue of ballroom dancing where it is has become known as Cha Cha. In general Cha cha is a charismatic dance and a joy to watch. Inspired by television programs like Dancing with the Stars the ChaCha and other forms of dancing are now being learn in the home.

Rumba is another of the dances. American style rumba is characterized by the hip movement arising from the bending and straightening of the knee. Rumba is a sensual Latin dance, It is considered erotic for its hip movement and relatively slow rhythm. It is a slower dance and perhaps that is what adds sensuality.

Tango. The complex figures of this style became the basis for the style of Tango seen in the touring stage shows. The dance was simplified and adapted to the preferences of conventional ballroom dancers. Most Dance Instructors recognize that lessons needed to be easy to learn and the new methods have captured the true spirit of the dance.

Salsa. The dance steps currently being danced to salsa music come from the "Son" but were influenced by many other Cuban dances such as Mambo. Solo salsa steps are called "Shines." Salsa can be an improvised dance, taking any form the interpreter wishes. The free flowing pattens of salsa add a sexy feel to this ever popular dance.

The waltz has been danced for centuries in many forms. It has evolved to be a dance of grace and elegance. The Waltz is recognized as smooth and graceful dance and it is characterized primarily by its rise & fall action. The Waltz has a unique freedom of expression, including the ability to showcase character and theatrical presentation.

Samba. The festive mood and style of the dance fits most of today's popular music. Samba is a fun dance that has kept popular to this day. The dance can go from average to a very fast pace. The dancer simply follows the beat of the music whilst an Instructor adds easy moves and technique depending on the mood of the music.

Foxtrot is a universal and social dance and may be danced to wide range of music. Unlike slow Foxtrot, it is easy to learn and can be danced on a crowded dance floor. It is seen as one of the great social dances and can be danced to medium and fast music tempo's. The ease of learning is wonderfully expressed by any would be dancer.

Jive was introduced to competitions in 1968 as the fifth dance in the latin section. Jive is characterized by its upbeat tempo. It is an energetic dance with dance steps taking in the triple step, one set forward and the other set back. The introduction of unique step-by-step learning has made this vibrant dance an easy dance to learn.

In conclusion, Dance Schools and Professional Dance Coaches have provided innovative and complimentary new methods to the art of learning to dance. New techniques are available for people to learn to dance at home. There is hours of fun that will combine cardiac and physical fitness with the joy of dance.

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Alan (AL) Smith is an Australian dancer and is working to distribute the collection worldwide from his website [http://learntodancedvd.blogspot.com]LearnToDanceDvD.blogspot.com

AL believes that learning in the home is a pleasant way to surprise friends with a new found talent.

To begin your dance journey, enroll in a dance school to taking up formal dance lessons. Your next very big step will be buying a pair of dance shoes.

Typical ballroom dance shoes may have non-slip soles and a metal shank for support on the foot's arch. They are so lightweight and flexible that you may sometimes forget that you are wearing them.

Some dance shoe stores carry only dance shoes that can be purchased online. These stores have wide selections of handcrafted ballroom and even Latin dance shoes from overseas shoe capitals. Dance shoes can be worn in all types of dance - be it Latin, salsa, ballroom, tango, or swing.

Dance lovers who majored in dance are major buyers of dance shoes. Dance majors hone not only their physical skills but also their knowledge of the science, history, and theories surrounding the art of dance. They brace themselves for rigorous dance techniques and choreography classes, long nights of dress rehearsals, and academic classes.

These dance majors can also have careers apart from professional dancing. They can concentrate on other dancing-related fields such as dance education, therapy, and administration. Challenging both their minds and bodies in this demanding art form, those who major in dance need all the help they can get. This is where dance shoes come in. They are the dancers' best friends with their stylish look, durability, and ease of use.

Students of dance are taught how to express their ideas and emotions through various forms of dance such as modern, jazz, ethnic, folk, and ballet. They learn about positive body image, good nutrition, and methods to prevent injury. They also help in the production of dance concerts, working with costumes, lights, and sound. They may opt to teach dance later on in their careers.

So if you want to pursue your love for dance on a higher level, enroll yourself in dance school. But before doing that, you need a good pair of dance shoes to weather all dance challenges. [http://www.i-DanceShoes.com]Dance Shoes provides detailed information on Dance Shoes, Ballroom Dance Shoes, Salsa Dance Shoes, Discount Dance Shoes and more. Dance Shoes is affiliated with [http://www.i-dancewear.com]Ballet Dancewear.

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