Tip of the Day: How to strengthen abdominal muscles on younger dancers?

Q:  How to strengthen abdominal muscles on younger dancers?

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

How To Find Dance Shoes Online

Everyone has a hobby or a passion. Sometimes we find these when we are young. For some people, these only appear to them at a much later time in life. The bottom line is that everyone is different and so are the hobbies that they are interested in. Dance is one passion that many are drawn to because they can express themselves with the style they like to the music they adore. Having said that, it is important to learn how to find shoes for dance class online.

Of course, anyone can take a trip to a local store that specializes in costumes, outfits and shoes for dance lessons. The problem is that they can be quite limited to what they can offer consumers. More often than not, they are small stores that serve a specific clientele. That means that these retailers will only deal with certain distributors and makes.

So, you have huge limitations with what's available to you. Furthermore, because they are specialty stores, they usually charge a hefty price for everything they carry. That means that not only will you pay much more for these items, you may end up with something you are not particularly fond of.

Thankfully, today we have the internet and all the possibilities that this incredible tool brings consumers. Not only can we have access to valuable information, we also have access to a world of goods and services that we can take advantage of. In other words, you may live in the United States and choose dance shoes online that are designed and developed in Italy.

Just with finding a site, clicking on a few choices, you can purchase shoes and other items that you like and at a price that you are comfortable with. Without the internet, you would be stuck either going to a department store that has cheaper versions or paying high end prices for something that isn't the correct brand or type of material.

This doesn't have to happen anymore. If you want to find dance shoes online, all you have to do is log on to the internet and enter the key phrase in the search bar. Before you even blink, you will have a list populated that could include millions of results.

So, whether your dancing has to do with ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, ball room or any other type of dance, you can be sure that you will find the size, the style and the color you are looking for. And the best part is that you could end up with a great deal that you would otherwise never have happen to you in a conventional retail specialty store.

Furthermore, you won't have to trek across town to do it either. Instead, no matter where you order your shoes from, they will be sent to your front door within days or as specified in the details of your order. Be sure you are dealing with a reputable store that will accept returns should the size not be right. Even better, try to order from one that might even fully refund you if you aren't entirely satisfied. Usually, you won't be refunded the shipping and handling charges, however.