02/11/2013

Warm-up before a dance class. How to "wake up" your body in the morning before a dance class or any time when your body feels stiff

I often get question how to start a dance class in the morning when all the muscles are stiff and the body is not responding in the same way as usual. First of all I would recommend to be gentle with your body and have a thorough warm-up, this warm-up requires about 30 min. I am going to talk about this in one of my next posts. If you don't have half an hour before your class but fill stiff and disconnected, I would recommend an efficient exercise that will help you to reconnect with your back and spine.


Please do not perform any of these movements if you have any unhealed injuries.
Be kind to yourself, be conscious!

1 Stand straight, relax towards the floor by "collapsing" the entire body towards the floor, standing straight, your spine's "intention" is to reach the ceiling.

2 Put your attention on first vertebra of the cervical vertebrae, in the  neck.

3 Starting from there roll your spine as you would roll a piece of paper (for example) or any soft flexible material which comes to your mind, imagine its color, consistence, maybe taste, anything that will make you feel inspired, rejuvenated, relaxed, good in all possible ways.
Roll slowly vertebra by vertebra forward so the head is moving towards the floor, release your neck, keep your image in mind, keep your attention in the spine all the time, don't forget the "intention" of the spine is upwards, which will protect you from collapsing of the spine down.

4 Slowly roll up keeping your mind on the image of your spine as before.

5 When you are standing up, sense the difference.

6 Repeat the exercise if you feel you need to, do it with a different image in mind this time.

Don't push your body, collaborate with it to achieve anything and above your limits, remember your body is a living and complex organism.


Good luck! and let me know here about your progress or any further questions.

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