Welcome to Move and Groove 1 guided by Ella Roper. This is the first in a series of warm-up classes designed to prepare your mind and body for class, rehearsal or performance. This particular class addresses the essential components of dancing: strength, control and artistry. 

We begin with Fusion Heartbeat:, a dynamic exercise that strengthens the obliques and deep abdominals while training coordination and stamina. To improve fast twitch muscle fibre recruitment, we will perform Dynamic Jetés, focusing on activating the gluteus medius to drive the front leg forward in the jeté. In addition to developing power and precision, this is also a great exercise for developing stability and control in the supporting leg.

To finish the class, we will work on weight placement, enhancing dancers’ proprioception through targeted stability exercises. In Bounce and Balance, dancers will focus on improving their alignment, ensuring the knees track over the toes and the hips stay level. The slow rises in this exercise will also help develop essential ankle stability and calf strength.

Tips:

Remind dancers to keep the ribs soft when engaging their core. 

Promote activation of the gluteus medius to drive the jete.

Encourage dancers to check their alignment — knees over toes.