Fascia and flexibility

(Remember rolling out with a foam roller, rolling pin (for baking), glass bottle, etc, is an excellent form of self myofascial release. - Lindsey).

The key to your best dancing body is right under your skin.

Dancers understand the importance of flexibility and alignment. Most have established practices for limbering up and spend each class carefully correcting their body positioning, working toward that magical day when muscle memory takes over and they achieve ideal posture. But many students—and their teachers—fail to consider an important anatomical player beyond muscle and bone: fascia. Learning to manipulate fascia, in addition to regular class work and stretching practices, can help dancers correct persistent alignment issues and reach unexplored levels of flexibility.

Fascia is a system of soft tissue that encases muscles, organs, nerves and more. It connects seemingly unrelated body parts along extensive, web-like lines, many of which run from the tips of the toes to the top of the head.

Superficial back line

Like muscles, fascia can be tight. To test this on your own body, try touching your toes before and after rolling out your feet on a tennis ball. Because the plantar fascia at the bottom of the foot is connected to fascia that runs up the backs of the legs (and up the spine and over the skull), releasing fascia in the feet can increase flexibility in the hamstrings.

Deborah Vogel, an Oberlin College faculty member, neuromuscular educator and co-founder of the Center for Dance Medicine in NYC, found that teaching students to stretch their fascia in addition to their muscles helped them progress more efficiently. If fascia is chronically tight, she says, dancers may stretch all they want without results. “It’s not that their efforts are incorrect, but there could be something else holding them back.” Similarly, the same alignment correction applied over and over again in class has limited long-term effect if a student’s fascia is restricting her body position.

Here, Vogel shares a few of her favorite dynamic exercises for stretching fascia. You’ll know you’ve achieved a fascial—and not just muscular—stretch, she says, when you feel a long line of sensation instead of a targeted point. You also may feel the stretch somewhere unexpected. A fascial stretch targeting tightness in the hamstring, for example, might be felt more along the calf, depending on the dancer’s body.

Stretches should be held for 30–40 seconds in a steady, strong pull. Vogel also warns that you should extend to just 70–80 percent of your flexibility to avoid overstretching or tearing the muscle. 

Fascial Turnout Stretch

Releasing fascia in this area can soothe tightness in the hips and improve turnout.

1. Sitting in a chair, cross one leg over the other so the ankle crosses at the thigh.

2. Clasp hands together and wrap them around the top knee. Press the knee down into the hands, while sitting up as straight as possible.

3. Slowly lean forward over the leg, bending at the hip joint and keeping the back flat. Keep pressing the knee into the hands to keep the working leg’s muscles activated.

• Depending on where you are tight, you may feel this stretch in the hamstring or deep in the hip’s piriformis area. Try rotating the spine to face toward and then away from the knee to change the stretch.

Fascial Latissimus Stretch

This is an exercise for dancers with tight shoulders who get the correction, “Keep your ribs down,” when raising arms to fifth position.

1. Standing in a comfortable parallel position, bring the hands above the head and grasp the left wrist with the right hand.

3. Gently pull the elbows away from each other, activating the muscles in your shoulders and arms.

4. Bend the torso to the right, so you feel a stretch along the left side of the body.

5. Rotate the elbows so you’re looking at the floor. The stretch will shift to include the lower back.

• Try bumping the weight into the left hip and rounding your lower back for a different feeling. Vogel suggests gently playing around with positioning to find the                                                                        tightest areas.

Fascial Hamstring Stretch

This stretches fascia surrounding the lateral hamstring, frequently tight in dancers.

1. Place the heel on a chair or low barre, with square hips and the knee pointing toward the ceiling.

2. Keeping the foot flexed, sickle it slightly, turning the bottom of the foot inward.

3. Rotate the entire leg inward, turning in from the hip.

4. Send the sit bone of the working side back so it almost feels like you’re sticking your butt out.

5. Strongly contract the front quad muscle.

• If your flexibility allows, lean forward to increase the stretch.

From Dance Teacher Magazine, Andrea Marks.

Blisters

 “A blister is a sign from your body that it’s time to take a step back,” says Monara Dini, a podiatrist and assistant clinical professor at the University of California, San Francisco. “Ignoring it for too long can lead to infection, and a breakdown of the skin and wounds that ultimately take a long time to heal.” Fortunately, the right foot care can help dancers speed healing, minimize pain and even avoid blisters in the first place.

Find the Right Fit
Blisters are caused by a combination of friction, pressure and moisture. When the skin is subjected to repeated force, it creates tears in the second and third layers of the skin, while the uppermost layer remains intact. A serum-like fluid flows in to fill the space. 

The culprit can be too-big or too-small shoes that create unnecessary friction and aggravate “hot spots,” such as bunions and hammertoes, says Diana Werner, also a podiatrist and assistant clinical professor at UCSF. Proper fit is essential. Keep in mind that feet evolve over time, sometimes growing in size or developing new pressure points. “Chronic blisters are a sign that your feet have changed,” says Werner. If blisters suddenly become a problem, consider getting refitted.

Avoid Chafing
Slightly damp skin blisters more easily than either very wet or very dry skin. A little petroleum jelly dabbed onto vulnerable spots just before dancing (and reapplied as frequently as possible during long rehearsals) can reduce friction to minimize chafing. 
To keep skin dry, Werner recommends sprinkling foot powder inside pointe shoes just before dancing. Also, wear tights made of synthetic, “wicking” materials, such as polyester or microfibers; cotton tends to absorb sweat and exacerbate chafing. When it comes to padding, Werner says old-fashioned lambswool is still the best at wicking moisture away from skin. 

And smokers, take note: Studies suggest blisters are more likely to develop among cigarette users, possibly because tobacco damages the skin and constricts blood vessels in a way that weakens the skin’s friction defenses.

Tape the Trouble Spots
For extra protection, Dini recommends taping any spots where your shoes rub. Look for a high-quality adhesive bandage that can survive sweat. Using a stretch of tape that’s about twice as long as the diameter of the toe you want to protect, fold one end of the tape so that you have a nonstick surface to place over the “danger zone,” and then wrap the rest around your toe. Keep in mind that your feet will likely swell throughout the day, so avoid wrapping too tightly.

Drain the Fluid
When a blister appears, Turkel lances it with a sterile needle as soon as possible. “You don’t want it to pop in your shoe,” she says. Lancing right away will help relieve pressure and pain. But the procedure—and the potential for infection—should not be taken lightly. It is only safe to lance if the fluid inside the blister is clear, says Werner. 

First prepare your skin by washing it with soap and water or swabbing it with rubbing alcohol. (If it’s the end of the day, experts recommend soaking your feet in warm water and Epsom salts for 15 minutes beforehand.) Next, sterilize a needle by holding it in a flame until the tip turns red. Allow the needle to cool, then use it to gently make one small hole anywhere on the blister.

After draining the fluid, air the blister out overnight. Dress it with antibiotic ointment before wearing shoes in the morning. To relieve pressure, Werner recommends using a moleskin pad cut in the shape of a doughnut. (You can boost the pad’s adhesive power with a solution called compound tincture of benzoin, sold in medical supply stores.) Beware of any signs of infection: redness and pain extending up the ankle and leg, or pus in the blister.

There’s no need to drain a blister if you have some time off. “Blisters will heal on their own,” says Werner. But, “If you must dance and perform the next day, lance it.” 
     
Rest and Pamper
Don’t forget the healing power of timely rest. “It’s hard to find time in a demanding schedule,” Werner admits, “but it can work miracles.” She advises dancers to soak their feet in warm water and Epsom salts every night before bed—or at least on the weekend. Even when your feet are feeling fine, this can help reduce swelling. During very busy periods, it’s also a good idea to minimize walking as much as possible after a long day of dancing.

Taking such precaution is worth it. As Turkel says, “You can’t take a day off because your feet hurt. It’s part of your job.”

TIP: X Marks the Spot
San Francisco Ballet corps member Alexandra McCullagh discovered a smart way to relieve pressure when a painful blister formed on her bunion during Nutcracker season. She cut an “x” with a box cutter on the bunion of her pointe shoe. She says, “This allows the satin to stretch and relieves pressure from the area. And no one can tell from the audience.”

From Pointe magazine.

Demi plié.

The Demi-plié is the most important movement in the dance repertoire, preceeding at least 50% of all movements. Also responsible for protecting the body and joints in both relevés and jumps. One of the most important things to remember is that it is a MOVEMENT, and not a position. Today I want to take that thought one step forward.

A common problem when jumping is what we call "bucking" were the body jerks forward as the dancer jumps upwards. This has commonly been blamed on weakness in the core muscles but is actually down to a lack of co-ordination and the intention of the movement.

When we learn the correct classical stance, we work out from what is called "tripod foot". Where the three

pink spots represent where we divide the weight placement of the body over the foot. We can adapt this idea further by making this into a dynamic picture rather than a static one. We send the force of the plié into the foot, but the point at the back, in the heel, instead of going downwards is sent down and back (at a 30 degree angle).

By doing so we engage long muscle chains (particulaly the hamstrings) and improve dynamic alignment throughout the movement. RESULT: smoother, better jump! The goal is to create the illusion of ballon, were the dancer appears to float in the air (what basketball players call hang time). We are improving the foots biomechanics and the body's muscular co-ordination; giving less wasted energy (bucking) and assisting in injury prevention/reduction. Win-Win :)

NOTE: This isn't an easy concept to embrace and you do need to start slowly, with a conscious change in how you perform this movement before a jump. Like any movement in dance it will take thousands of conscious repetitions before it becomes natural and automated. Always ask if you are unsure, there is no such thing as a stupid question.



Tips
Start by standing in parallel and use your finger tips to feel the top of the hamstrings engaging as you plié.
Think of practicing just 1/4 of a plié. It will feel less deep than usual, as respect for the plantar vault maintains more pull on the calf muscles.
Think of the heel bone acting like a ship leaving the port, slowly pulling back before starting the plié. This mental imagery can produce a slow, powerful, yet microscopic sensation of movement.


This article is written by Peter Lewton-Brain, published by IADMS.

Quote

" Plié is the first thing you learn and the last thing you master."

                                                                                           Suzanne Farrell, ballerina, company founder.

Important.

Dancers are well known for their "dance bags", here is one of the many important things you should have in that bag.

Fluid

Exercise increases heat production by muscles. Cooling the body depends on evaporation of sweat from the skin. Sweat losses during a hard class or long rehearsal can be substantial-up to 2 liters/hour. Fluid loss results in dehydration that can impair performance and mental functioning, such as the ability to quickly pick up complicated choreographic combinations and execute them effectively.

A cup (8 ounces or 250 ml) of fluid every 15 minutes is recommended. Whenever there is a break in class or rehearsal, the dancer should have ready access to fluid, and they should be encouraged to drink because the thirst mechanism does not keep up with the body's need for fluid. A water bottle or sport drink should be part of a dancer's "gear," and, if possible, the dancer should be able to bring the bottle into the studio for frequent drinks. Following class and rehearsal, dancers should continue to increase fluid consumption for the next few hours. Avoid carbonated drinks and large quantities of fruit juice.

A simple way to monitor hydration is to check urine color: clear to light yellow is hydrated; yellow to dark yellow means dehydrated. One caveat, vitamin B supplements will result in yellow urine and make this dehydration "test" inaccurate.

All dancers need to ingest sufficient energy to meet the rigors of hard training. Consuming the right amounts and types of food and fluid will provide the body with "high performance fuel” necessary to achieve optimal training benefits and peak performance.

---

Written by Priscilla Clarkson, PhD, under the auspices of the Education Committee of IADMS. 

International Association for Dance Medicine and Science

Dancer problems

World Dance Movement

Good advice

Good advice from Ballet Fondation:

" Technical Specifics: A trained eye can tell from watching a variation performed how well the dancer attends technique classes. Dancers that have formed habits of good technique in regular class look more at ease doing things correctly because for them it is a trained natural muscle memory. Your body needs thousands of repetitions to do things correct without thinking. Put in the time to develop that technical base and your dance future will be longer and more successful. Bad habits are very difficult to break and even more difficult to replace with a good habit! "

Photo: Walnut Hill School for the Arts

When you're performing on stage you shouldn't be thinking about technique, it should be second nature. To achieve this you need to do many thousands of good repititions in class. This means knowing the what, how, and why, for every repitition. You can't learn on autopilot. Dance isn't all the amazing tricks you see people perform on stage, it is the ability to perform all the small steps inbetween.