Stretching is Fundamental

Stretching improves your flexibility and ease of moving and also prevents injuries. Here are some helpful tips and stretches to try before you begin dancing.

Posture: Proper alignment improves stretches and prevents injuries. A good stretch to practice posture is to keep your neck long with your head facing forward, roll your shoulders back and down, lengthen your torso, keep your hips even and energize your legs.

Breathing: Proper breathing during stretching can maximize your stretch and relaxation. While stretching, inhale to prepare and exhale when you stretch or go deeper into the stretch. Try inhaling through the nose, pulling air into your diaphragm, not your chest and exhale through your mouth.

Head to Toe: Neglecting any muscles during stretching will increase strain to those muscles. To prevent strain on muscles, use a head to toe approach when stretching to ensure that you don't miss any muscles.

Stretching should last for 5-10 minutes before and after dancing. Stretching is essential if you wan to be a better dancer!

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