Whether you’re in the throws of competition season or not stepping on stage for a few months, make sure you save this newsletter for later. When I was coaching, one of the most frustrating things was receiving the judge’s feedback and seeing the same scores for...
Let me guess. When you or your dancers struggle with flexibility, your first instinct is to: Stack some yoga blocks and overstretch. Push on your dancers or have partners press and pull. Open a book or turn on the TV and sit in your splits. If these three...
“Point those toes!” You’ve probably shouted these words over the music to your dancers about a thousand times. Pointed feet make lines look longer and are aesthetically pleasing. But there is a little more to pointed feet than just looking pretty. Many coaches find...
You know that moment when you’re waiting to hear the judge's thoughts on your team’s routine. Although you may be thinking about that tricky section in the middle with the group lift, there are two specific areas that many teams get critiqued on the most. Sharpness...
As we wrap up the summer and head into our new season of dance, you might be faced with a brand new team filled with varying levels of dancers. Whether you lost a bunch of seniors or you have a huge incoming freshman class, it's important that you take the time to...
Dancers who are excited to improve their skills and reach their splits often ask me: How often should I be stretching? While this varies for everyone, dancers can stretch daily. Stretching for a minimum of three days a week is recommended by the American College of...
Splits on the floor but not in the air? Here’s how to fix it. Are you a dancer who has their splits on the floor but doesn’t have a full split leap in the air… yet? If so, you can stop stretching your hamstrings and start strength training your core and...
There are a lot of pieces to think about when you do a turn. Many dancers struggle with perfecting each piece at the same time. Forget about one part and you look like the leaning tower of Pisa. If you don't have a strong foundation, everything on top is just...
Summer is a great time for dancers to shift their focus from performing and competing to improving skills with strength training. Although your dancers may use this time to recover from the previous competition season, the school year, and other demands — now...
I think we can all agree that having enough strength and mobility to hit a full split at the top of a split leap is hard enough. Now imagine needing to hit that while your body is diagonal or quickly changing leading legs mid-air! The skills we’re talking about...
Improve the Top 4 Critiques From Judges With Strength Training ExercisesAre You Improving Flexibility the Right Way… or the Wrong Way?Want to Improve Your Pointe? Strengthen Your Ankles and Feet!Crush Your Dance Skills at Every Competition With Upper Body Strength