THE PERFECT BALANCE GERALDINE LETT SEPTEMBER 2013 FITZROY PILATES STUDIO MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA FACULTY:JOLEEN WATSON

Transcription

1 THE PERFECT BALANCE GERALDINE LETT SEPTEMBER 2013 FITZROY PILATES STUDIO MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA FACULTY:JOLEEN WATSON 1

2 SUMMARY OF RESEARCH I have been fortunate enough to have had an extremely diverse career as a professional dancer, working in Classical and Contemporary dance Companies in both Europe and Australia, as well as having performed in the related area s of Spanish dance, Tap dance and Musical theatre. My training has enabled me to work with many wonderful teachers who were inspiring, and knowledgeable, as well as being humorously insightful people. These influences have most certainly impacted on my work and development today. My current work as a Pilate s Instructor, Dance teacher and private coach and my love of choreography and creativity have inspired me to focus my Research Paper on developing a program which endeavors to achieve The Perfect Balance. 2

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. TITLE PAGE 2. ABSTRACT PAGE 3. TABLE OF CONTENTS 4. AN ANATOMICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE MUSCLES OF THE FEET AND THE RESPIRATORY MUSCLES 5. INTRODUCTION, CASE STUDY 6. PROGRAM 7. CONCLUSION 8. BIBLIOGRAPHY 3

4 AN ANATOMICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE MUSCLES OF THE FEET AND THE RESPIRATORY MUSCLES THE DANCER S FOOT What is efficient use of the foot in order to achieve balance, stabilization and strength during Pointe work? The foot supports the weight of every part of the body. Therefore, careful attention to how you stand on it is required. It is essential that the toes and forefoot remain straight and strong to dance on Pointe. The strength of the ankle goes hand-in-hand with this. Located between the metatarsal bones, the intrinsic muscles of the forefoot (Lumbricals) must be developed to hold the toes straight and long, whether you are standing on two feet or one foot, or pointing the foot. When teaching, we ask the student to feel the foot through the floor when standing with emphasis on weight slightly forward over the front half of the foot. This emphasis is continued and strengthened in Allegro work, as you push off and alight moving through the foot off into the air and back onto the floor. These exercises finally lead to a greater stability for dancing on Pointe. The ankle s ability to extend and flex is dependant on the strength and flexibility of the calf muscles and Achilles tendons. 4

5 When the dancer is on Pointe, the foot and ankle are in a planter flexion position for most of the time, requiring strength and support from the calves.the ankle joint connects the lower leg to the foot which in dance allows plantar flexion, dorsi flexion, inversion and eversion producing turn-in and turnout, respectively. The 26 bones in the foot work in concert with ligamentous support and muscular force to create three separate arches, critical for shock absorption during jumps..structurally the ideal foot for ballet is considered to be a flexible square foot, which has equal length first and second toes. In addition, the development of the longitudinal arch evenly across the inner and outer edges of the foot is imperative. This importance is evident in the Classical dance syllabi as the first exercise in Pre-Primary is Exercise for Feet where we teach the student to Pointe, in effect showing them what their feet will eventually look like when dancing on Pointe! 5

6 THE MUSCLES OF THE FOOT 6

7 BREATHING In Pilates, breathing can be used to provide assistance to a movement or to provide challenge. Various muscle groups are recruited during the breathing cycle to assist in respiration. When explaining a breathing pattern for an exercise, this fact should be taken in to consideration to maximise correct muscle recruitment. Pilates breathing is based on lateral breathing. This form of breathing requires maximising the action of the external intercostals during the inhalation phase of the breath cycle, assisted by the latissimus dorsi (Lats). At the same time, the action of the diaphragm is minimized. This is sometimes also known as intercostal breathing. Pilates utilises this form of breathing in order to maintain stability of your centre. It allows for activation and maintenance of abdominal contraction whilst performing physically. In addition, this form of breathing utilises the most neglected expansion of the lungs and ribcage. Often it can be preferable to employ diaphragmatic breathing to assist clients in locating the core and/or to enhance breath as a method of waking up muscle groups of the core and expanding the ability to breathe. 7

8 The diaphragm and lungs are the major organs involved in respiration, along with external intercostals (used for inspiration) and internal intercostals (used for expiration). The diaphragm is a large muscle that seals the inferior thoracic aperture airtight. The aorta, inferior vena cava and the esophagus pass through individual openings in the diaphragm. In regular diaphragmatic respiration the act of breathing is a somewhat passive phenomenon based on the principle that volume and pressure are inversely proportional; that is, as one goes up, the other comes down. In the case of the thorax, by increasing the size or volume of the thoracic cavity, the pressure within that cavity decreases. The diaphragm is responsible for 75% of the respiratory effort. When it contracts it flattens, increasing the vertical dimensions of the thorax. When it relaxes, it is pushed up by the underlying abdominal organs into a slight dome shape, decreasing the vertical dimensions of the thorax. Many runner s, athlete s and dancer s think about training their heart, legs and feet but rarely think about training their lungs. A strong respiratory system can make a huge difference to the level of performance. It s a simple equation: better breathing equals more oxygen for your muscles, and that equals greater endurance. 8

9 THE RESPIRATORY MUSCLES BREATH IN MOVEMENT 9

10 INTRODUCTION I have worked with Saskia now for several years, training her in classical dance as well as competition solos. We were recently however presented with a new challenge. Saskia began full-time professional dance training, she grew rather tall at a rapid pace, and received an increasing pressure from her teachers to swiftly improve her level of technique. We therefore needed to embark on some new and individual training targets, these being: an increase in muscular strength, breath control and development,physical stamina and technical ability and precision. For me as her coach this was a new development and I decided that this was the perfect time to begin teaching her Pilates and to create a new and unique program specific to her needs and age by combining the Basi Principles of Pilates with the pure techniques of Classical and Contemporary dance. I wanted to give her more knowledge and understanding of her body and her special talents, as well as to simultaneously combine these techniques of Pilates, Classical Ballet and Contemporary Dance and to focus on putting these tools into play. 10

11 CASE STUDY My client Saskia is a fifteen year old girl who is training to become a professional ballet dancer. She is an extremely talented student. Movement comes very naturally to her, which is a wonderful asset. Part of my program will involve Matwork, which we will then relate to Graham and Cunningham modern dance techniques and their own system of Floor work. The wonderful floor work exercises of the Basi Pilates system will help to increase muscular core strength, as well as encourage development of Breath control, which we don t tend to use often enough within our dance training. The Second part of my program involves the Reformer,where I intend to focus on arm and leg muscle definition and strength. The third part of my program will be the very special Springboard-a perfect piece of Apparatus for the training and growing dancer. The springboard will be a unique building stone for Saskia s Allegro ie: capacity to jump higher. Part of my work with Saskia, involves developing a memory awareness with her so that she is able to better analyze and improve her abilities. The principle part of my work, my goal however, is to create a Pilates Program,which draws on the influences and similarities of both Classical and Contemporary dance techniques and in doing so, creates this Perfect Balance. 11

12 PROGRAM WARM UP MATWORK PELVIC CURL SPINE TWIST SUPINE CHEST LIFT CHEST LIFT WITH ROTATION Here our focus is on abdominal strength. Then with the added difficulty of rotation and maintaining pelvic stabilization and isolating the awareness of activating the Transversus Abdominis, whilst simultaneously learning how and when to breathe. The parallels in dance movement, which we then practiced are: Martha Graham s floor work- IN SITTING CONTRACTION AND UPPER BACK EXTENSION CONTRACTION S IN 2 ND POSITION WITH ROTATION CUNNINGHAM S STANDING TILT SERIES TILTS WITH GRANDE BATTEMENT FOOTWORK REFORMER PARALLEL HEELS PARALLEL TOES V POSITION TOES OPEN V HEELS OPEN V TOES CALF RAISES PRANCES SINGLE LEG HEEL SINGLE LEG TOES Our focus here is on the muscular strength, activation and balance of the Hamstrings and Quadriceps. Here we are doing the footwork exercises in both parallel and external rotation positions, which aid in the dance students technique as well as injury prevention. 12

13 The single leg work here focuses particularly on strength for the classical ballet exercises of fondu, rises, releve and extending into jetes in the center work.. Calf raises and prances on the Reformer are also wonderful strengthening exercises for the student dancers feet and legs for Pointe work and elevation. ABDOMINAL WORK REFORMER DOUBLE LEG DOUBLE LEG WITH ROTATION LONG BOX GROUP TEASER PREP TEASER These exercises relate beautifully as the student begins to move in space and Incorporates Martha Graham s floor work, as well as center practice. HIP WORK REFORMER FROG CIRCLES DOWN CIRCLES UP OPENINGS SPINAL ARTICULATION SHORT SPINE LONG SPINE STRETCHES REFORMER FULL LUNGE Dancers always need to stretch and this is a great exercise for both hip flexors and hamstrings. LADDER BARREL STRETCHES GLUTEALS ADDUCTORS 13

14 FULL BODY INTERGRATION 1 REFORMER SCOOTER UP STRETCH 2 ARM WORK REFORMER ARMS SITTING SERIES CHEST EXPANSION BICEPS RHOMBOIDS HUG-A-TREE SALUTE FULL BODY INTERGRATION 2 CADDILAC SAW SITTING BACK LEG WORK REFORMER SINGLE LEG SKATING SPRING BOARD REFORMER JUMPING SERIES PARALLEL POSITION V POSITION SINGLE LEG PARALLEL LEG CHANGES IN STANDING Allegro: vertical classical ballet jumps, in order for Saskia to feel and understand the immediate benefit.` STANDING JUMPS PARALLAL 1 ST POSITION EXTERNAL ROTATION SPRINGS IN 1 ST POSITION JETES CONTINUOS-SINGLE LEG JETES TEMPS LEVE 14

15 LATERAL FLEXION /ROTATION LADDER BARREL SIDE OVER PREP BACK EXTENSION SWAN BASIC ROLLDOWN TO FINISH 15

16 CONCLUSION The process involved in researching, developing, questioning, creating and finally concluding this paper has been very rewarding. Both Saskia and I are very happy with the outcome of our training together and her continuing progression. With the conclusion of our three month training program, Saskia entered and performed an extremely difficult classical ballet solo. As we began our work together on this solo, Saskia was struggling with footwork speed and strength, a lack of endurance and an understanding of the use of breath in her work. In confirmation of our plan,saskia won a terrific second place with her solo and was able to dance with technical ease, strength, precision and a newly learned sense of breath control. As we commenced our coaching, Saskia was struggling to dance her way through the first half of her solo.now, with our training, she is able to perform the solo with total command of her body twice through. This has been and will continue to be an encouraging and also successful way for me to further, explore and increase my knowledge of teaching. 16

17 BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Breaking Pointe: foot and ankle injuries- extremity review.com - Jeffrey Russell Jan The Dancer s Foot- For Life Anatomy and Ballet-Celia Sparger Lung Power- Demillo Wagner Dec Coastal Pilates and fitness Breathing Exercises for Athletes- Ray Breathing and the Use of Breath for dancers and athleteswww.active.com/endurance-gale Bernhardt Ways to Build Ankle Strength for Top Performerswww.betaactive.com-Stana Landon