A good warm up is the cornerstone of any dance class. It is important to prepare for class by easing your muscles into things, starting with warming up, followed by center work, across the floor, and a combination (or recital dance this time of year!)
It is really important to start off with some cardiovascular exercises to get the muscles warm and pliable for stretching. We recommend something involving jumping jacks, running in place, skipping, hops and jumps, and burpies. This can be made fun for the kids by playing some up beat music, making a game out of it, switching up the moves, and doing it along with the kids.
Once the muscles are made warm, it is time to stretch. Stretching warm muscles allows for increased flexibility. You still want to ease into harder stretches, like splits and lunges, by starting with pikes and butterflies.
In certain cases, it may be appropriate to add some conditioning into the stretching, depending on the child’s age. You can add a few sit ups, crunches, push ups, or tricep dips into the stretching for variety and for additional strength training.
Stay tuned for our next segment on crafting the perfect center floor technique work!
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