Finding Good Posture and Proper Alignment in Ballet

Posture is such an essential element of ballet. The way dancers stand and carry themselves is an important element to ballet technique. When you start taking ballet classes, one of the first things you will learn as a dancer is the correct posture for basic ballet positions. This essential foundation will not only help you progress quicker in your dance technique, but will help your body feel better in your everyday life as well! Let’s take a deeper look into the specifics and techniques of ballet posture!

Good Posture and Stronger Core

Having good posture and a strong core go hand in hand! Follow-along with Julie as she walks you through how to effectively strengthen your core and improve your posture, while helping prevent and get rid of back pain!

Videos with a Wonderful Chiropractor

We are excited to share with you a couple of videos with Dr. Wes Rickman from Highlands Sport and Spine (@highlandssportandspine). Dr. Wes is certified in Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS®), having completed training in Prague and Toronto. He is also a certified Sports First Responder and Active Release Technique provider. Join us as Dr. Wes talks about how to best stabilize our bodies incorporating some of his chiropractic techniques, while simultaneously focusing on form and posture to practice ballet more safely and effectively!

Side-Lying Turnout Exercises:

Core Stability Exercises:

Open Scissor Syndrome — A Common Mistake

It is so easy to lose your alignment during class when you are focusing hard on a certain step or combination. We’ve all been there! However, if we are diligent in practicing correct posture, even when we are not in class, our bodies will learn to recognize what it feels like when our alignment is off. A common visual example of correct vs. incorrect posture is the Open Scissor Syndrome. In this visual, the poor posture is providing an example of a pelvis that is not engaged and neutral. As a result, the abdominals are not engaged which is going to put added pressure and strain on the low back. This Open Scissor Syndrome is something we want to avoid as ballet dancers to protect our bodies and maintain proper alignment.

Let’s dance!

Want more opportunities to work on your ballet posture? Sign up to take online classes with us! See you in class!