Welcome to Recovery Class 2 directed by the wonderful Emily Seymour. The focus of today’s class is to reset the spine and restore the muscles to optimise recovery following a day of dancing. As this is a recovery class, it is best completed after training, rehearsal or a performance when the dancer’s muscles are still warm.

We will start the class with Spinal Release to help dancers increase mobility in their thoracic and lumbar spine. For this exercise, we will use the ProBall to encourage a deeper awareness of alignment, gently rolling through the spine to release any restrictive tension. 

To increase supporting leg strength and promote posterior chain activation, we will perform the exercise Power in Balance. This exercise is brilliant for helping dancers develop the control and stability required for adage. Here, the ProBall provides live feedback, informing the dancer as to their weight placement and alignment through gentle shifts. The dancer will then need to adjust their movements to maintain their balance.

Tips:

Encourage dancers to lengthen through their entire body — the backs of the legs as well as the spine.

Remind dancers to only use the ProBall for gentle support in Power in Balance — don’t rely on it completely to keep you placed.

Deep, controlled breaths will aid dancers in releasing tension throughout their body — encourage dancers to use their breath as a recovery tool.