Posture Exercise Is An Invaluable Tool To The Professional Dancer In The Technical Development Of Performance Quality
When you think about dance posture exercises and performance quality in professional dancers the connection may not be immediately obvious, but, when investigated, the former proves to be a strong source for bringing about excellence in the latter. If you were to ask a professional ballerina, contemporary dancer, b-boy, or tapper to describe their professions they would likely have the same response, dance is a performance art.
Irregardless of the style being executed, every dancer is in the focused pursuit of one common goal, to master the skill of performing. It is a two-sided coin when broken down into it’s component parts. On one side there exists a tremendous technical skill and on the other an equally powerful theatrical skill which balances out the performance equation. A dancer cannot properly obtain a superior qualitative performance ability without equally developing an expertise in both of these areas. The truth of the matter is, performance quality is the scale upon which a professional dancer is weighed.
When dance critics write reviews, judges render their opinions, or audiences give their evaluations, the commentary is rarely inclusive of the preparation a dancer took for a role. Instead, it typically focuses on the excellence and failure of the performance generated during a specific show. A peek behind the curtain reveals the enormity of preparation undergone during the weeks, months and even years prior to the staged event. Many roles are of historic significance, previously danced by iconic figures who were intrinsic in the development of the respect and admiration conferred on such famous parts as Giselle. The dramatic preparation for a role such as this is what is generally thought to evoke an audience to respond, but the lesser perceived preparation is the years of training and mastering of technique required to execute movement that appears effortless and connected. Gillian Murphy, a principal dancer for American Ballet Theatre, recently stated, “As any dancer is aware, there are a plethora of things we work on day in and day out. The process of finessing ballet technique is endless.”(1)
It is at this technical level which dancers begin the journey of discovering all the minute details requisite for great performances. At the core of technical skill is the ability to control the most finite and grandiose movements. A dancer will study each infinitesimal gesture to most effectively communicate the purpose of the choreography and simultaneously pursue motion that is boundless and free. Control is therefore key. When looking at the development of programs conducive to building the most effective and efficient connectivity between the upper and lower body, posture exercise has proven to be an invaluable tool for dancers.
Most notable is that posture exercise has the goal of bringing about the precise body alignment and control that classical dance demands. The training of the deepest core muscles responsible for stabilizing the body against the forces imposed and maintaining the aligned structure is at the heart of all classical dance technique. Dancers train to have total command of their form in many positions that are both on balance and what is referred to as off balance. Whether a position is on or off balance does not negate the strong postural alignment of the body masses.
As a result, dancers must seek out exercises and conditioning that support not only a strengthening of posture but an enhancement of the awareness of the body’s placement in space. This concept directly relates to one of the most difficult transitions a dancer must make, bringing movement intensely rehearsed in a studio environment onto a stage where bright lights, stage architecture and varied ceiling heights cause a change in visual perception that negatively effects their dynamic balance and stability.
Dance Posture Exercises
The posture exercise, Stork, in particular is of great value in reducing this disorientation when practiced on an unstable surface, such as a stabilization pad, with the eyes closed. WallTilts are fundamental in bringing awareness of the placement of the shoulders, pelvis and head carriage for the execution of turns which can be a particularly difficult alignment to discern on stage. The Ball series progressions bring motion to the focused alignment exercises and give heightened control and extension to complex actions that are multidirectional and require an instantaneous dynamic change in the force of movement. When injected into a daily training regimen, these protocols of the three elements of posture exercise: balance, alignment and motion, join forces to produce the strength, awareness and mastery of movement every professional dancer needs to optimize their ability in a stage setting.
The clear advantage of dancer posture exercises must not be overlooked though as it pertains to a dancer’s performance quality development and acquisition. As previously stated, control of the body’s masses as they balance and interact with the force of gravity is the origin from which all movement is derived. Once a dancer has a well stabilized, aligned and grounded base from which to move, the potential for movement becomes infinitely larger. The dancer is freed from the shackles of gravity and distractions of imbalance to be consumed with the passion that draws them to the art of dance. This is the point of divergence where the dancer evolves from producing sequences of choreographed steps to delivering an interpretation of movement that infuses the elements of the stage environment, interactions of performers, choreography and music, and they reach across the footlights to the audience and draw them in.
Posture exercise is a critical component in the development of the strength and control required for a dancer to achieve this merging of technique and artistry, thus producing the greatest performance potential they are capable of achieving.
Author: Kelli Dorrough has enjoyed a career in dance and dance education for the past 24 years. She began her dance training with Joe Michaels, and later joined the Miami Conservatory and Acadamie du Ballet. Kelli received a B.S. degree in education from Florida International University and began teaching for Dade Community College (Miami Dade College) Continuing Education Program. Ms. Kelli was studio manager and ballet director for Joe Michaels’s Miami Dance Center under the direction of Dana and Mia Michaels from 1993 to 1999. She was a member of Mia Michaels Dance Company for 6 years and has performed extensively throughout the United States and Europe. Since 2002, Ms. Kelli has worked as a judge for the national talent competitions Showbiz and Prime Time Dance and for the past 2 1/2 years been working as part of the business management staff for Mia Michaels. Kelli is in her 3rd year with The Dancer’s Pointe, and holds the posture specialization, Certified Posture Exercise Professional (CPEP).
(1) Murphy, Gillian. “Becoming Giselle.” Pointe Magazine June/July 2014: 14, 42-47. Print.