A: When working on strength for younger dancers in dance class, it is important that you don't bombard them with crunches and the go-to ab work outs for older dancers. Younger dancer's muscles are smaller and developing still, so it is important to do exercises that benefit their abdominal muscles but do not overwhelm their muscles either.
For my dancers ages 5 and 6, I encourage them to take a Hip Hop/Acro class where they do a little bit of tumbling the last half of the class. The tumbling portion is the strengthening portion. For their abdominal muscles, I start them with tuck rolls. At the beginning of the year, usually none of them can do it. Once they get stronger, I have them lift their rear off of the ground and reach forward. Then, eventually stand all the way up every time. That usually happens at the end of the year. ;)
I do the following exercise with my 7 to 9 year old dancers. I like to do bicycles with them and go on different "Trips." Start by having them lay on their backs on their elbows and lift the legs into the air as low to the floor as possible, while pressing the belly button in. Start by peddling forward and declaring "we are going on a trip, where would you guys like to go?" Let the dancers call out different places they would like to go, and as a class we all keep peddling until we have made all of our stops/ Maybe we go to a concert or a theme park or to the ballet. Then make the trip back by reversing the bicycle movements until you end up back home to the dance studio. Increase the length of the "trips" as the dancers get stronger and you start to see results. This is a fun way to help younger dancers build strength and use their imaginations in a fun way.
Written by Shannon Thomas
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