14-Day Plank Challenge

Since I had a Cesarean section 6 1/2 months ago, there are a lot of abdominal exercises I still can't do yet. It can take up to a year for the abdominal muscles to fully heal. My doctor told me I could do as much as I feel I can do, without overdoing. Not easy for a dancer. One exercise that is great not only for the abs, but for the whole body, is the plank.



Body-weight strength training is great for dancers. These exercises build strength without a lot of bulk. Thus, keeping the "dancer's body".

For the next 14 days, I will be doing a 14-Day Plank Challenge. You start of small, and build up to holding a plank for 3 minutes.

Here's what my schedule will look like:

Wednesday, January 7: 15 second hold

Thursday, January 8: 30 second hold

Friday, January 9: 45 second hold

Saturday, January 10: 1minute hold

Sunday, January 11: 1 minute hold

Monday, January 12: 1 minute 15 second hold

Tuesday, January 13: 1 minute 30 second hold

Wednesday, January 14: 1 minute 45 second hold

Thursday , January 15: 2 minute hold

Friday, January 16: 2 minute hold

Saturday, January 17: 2 minute 15 second hold

Sunday, January 18: 2 minute 30 second hold

Monday, January 19: 2 minute 45 second hold

Tuesday, January 20: 3 minute hold



I'll let you know how my progress in going. If you'd like to join me in my 14-day challenge, leave a comment. Check in and let me know how you're doing.

Work Through Your Demi-Plie

Hello, All! I'm so glad you've joined me on my new venture into the world of dance. I hope this blog will help you improve your dancing, think differently about dance, or introduce you to some techniques which may be unfamiliar to you.

For today's tip, we are delving into the importance of the demi-plie. Demi-plie is one of the most important movements in dance. We use demi-plie all the time. It proceeds and finishes every jump, turn and releve/pique. If you aren't using your demi-plie correctly, dance itself is very difficult. If you are struggling with your dancing, examine how you demi-plie. Analyze the way you use your feet, ankles, legs, knees, hips and the floor in this deceptively simple movement.


Demi-plie is defined as a small bending of the legs. It is an exercise we use at the barre to begin warming up the legs, feet, ankles and hips. However, it becomes increasingly important in center work. Here, we use demi-pliés to set up just about everything.


Make sure, when you are performing demi-pliés at the barre, you are keeping the whole foot on the floor. All five (5) toes should be in constant contact with the floor. Turn-out is held in the hips, and you are constantly rotating outward as you perform the demi-plie. To begin the demi-plié, press your feet into the floor as you lift up through the front of your body. There should be a downward force through the spine, elongating through the tailbone, pointing the tailbone down toward the floor. Begin slightly bending the knees, keeping the knees well over the toes. Allow your ankles, knees and hips to relax into the demi-plie. By relaxing these key joints, you allow yourself to reach your full demi-plie.
At the bottom of your demi-plie, press down into the floor, pressing through the feet, as you straighten your legs back to your starting position.

The most important thing to remember when doing a demi-plie is to relax the joints. Allow the full range of motion through the demi-plie. If you do this at the barre when you begin to warm-up, you will do the same later in the more complicated barre exercises and also in the center. By working through your full demi-plie, your turns and jumps will improve.

What do you do to help reach full range of motion in a demi-plie?
Did you try my tips? What were the results?

Introduction and First Tidbits

Hi everyone! I've decided to start an new blog for 2015. Don't worry, if you follow my Just A Few Thoughts blog, I'll still be posting in that one as well. I just felt led to do a dance blog. And that's what this will be, a dance blog. Here I'll be posting tidbits, advice, exercises, and anything else I feel led to write about concerning dance and related fields.





To introduce myself... I'm Leslie. I'm an adjunct dance instructor at a local community college where I teach ballet, modern, jazz, tap and repertoire classes. I am also the rehearsal director for the performance arm of our dance program. (I'll be writing more about this at a later date.) I have over 30 years of dance training, and am constantly doing my best to learn new techniques and methodologies for dance. I just started reading BALLET Beyond the Basics by Sandra Noll Hammond. I will, hopefully, be telling you about this book soon.


In this blog, I will be posting, as I said before, tidbits, advice, exercises, and anything else "dancy". If you have questions or would like to know more about a dance subject, please feel free to comment and let me know.


Here's your first tidbit...
Since it's the dawning of a new year, take some time before returning to your hectic schedule to sit down and write out at least one dance goal you'd like to accomplish for this year. It can be anything from working on that split that's eluding you to working on multiple pirouettes, or just learning that variation you've always wanted to learn to working on improving your extension. Make sure it's a realistic goal. If you're just starting out in dance, don't expect to be able to master fouette turns by February. It's probably not going to happen. However, if you're just beginning your journey in dance, set a goal to master plies and tendues by May. It'll be hard work, but it's totally an attainable goal. If you're more advanced, set a goal for yourself to work on a more advanced movement or pose. Work on perfecting that attitude derriere or triple pirouettes or a la seconde turns. In other words, set goals for yourself based on the level at which you are, but that will challenge you.
Set a time limit for yourself to accomplish your goal, but make sure it's a realistic time limit. Don't expect to be able to do a quadruple pirouette in a week if you can't even do a single. Give yourself time to really work on your goal. Talk to your teacher about your dance goal(s) for the year, and let them help you. However, you need to take some initiative yourself. Watch YouTube videos, read books, observe dancers who are more advanced than you or have already "mastered" the skill you are working on, talk to other dancers and get there advice. Don't just rely on your dance teacher to do everything. Remember, they are busy too. Do seek their advice and wisdom. Let them help you. If they know your goal(s) for the year, they will be better equipped to help you reach them.
Teachers, if your student asks for your help with something, help them. Try to remember their goal(s) as well as your own. I know sometimes it's difficult, and you can't always focus on everyone's goal(s). Especially if you're teaching a multi-level class. Do your best to give exercises that help with your students' goals. Let them know what the exercise is working, and tell them to continue working on that exercise at home. We have to give our students some responsibility as well. This, of course, goes for older dancers, not babies or young dancers. With young dancers, it is our responsibility as teachers to guide them through exercises to build strength and flexibility. This doesn't mean we can't help them reach their goals. Keep in mind the level of your class(es) and the abilities of your dancers.


I hope everyone has a happy and healthy 2015! Remember to set those goals and reach for them with everything in you. Be diligent, work hard, and stay focused. If you do, anything is possible!