What Are the Best Exercises for Dancers?

Competitive ballroom dancing is called dancesport for a reason: it requires a high degree of athleticism and endurance. Whether you're dancing for enjoyment or achievement, many people find that a regular exercise program and pre-dance warm-ups help them perform better on the dance floor. Here are some ideas for staying in shape and maintaining flexibility in between dancing events:

Jogging/Running/Biking
Any endurance-based exercise like jogging, biking or running can help you stay cool during marathon dances or physically demanding routines. Of course, there are many other benefits, such as improved cardiovascular health, a reduced body fat index, stronger leg muscles and the extra daily energy that comes from regular exercise, which can come in handy later at night.

Yoga/Stretching
Yoga not only brings peace to the mind, but flexibility to the body. Athletes and non-athletes alike often find that even 30 minutes of yoga can center the mind and improve the mind-body connection that plays a pivotal role in dance. As a pre-dance warm-up exercise, many dancers perform isolated muscle exercises from head to toe, which could be as seen as a type of yoga. These exercises may start with rolling the head from one side to another, then working down to the shoulders, chest, hips, etc. down to the tips of the feet.

Ballet Exercises
Arguably the most physically demanding of all dance forms, ballet offers dancers of every style a solid foundation on which to build. Ballet exercises are used by ballroom dancers, for example, to develop better body control. There are many ballet exercises to choose from, including relevés (raising the body from any position to the tops of your toes), battements (leg kicks) and pliés (knee bends).

Slow Motion Exercises
Knowing that practice makes perfect, many dancers perform complex dance moves in slow motion as a way of stretching their muscles and building muscle memory. A note of caution here: muscles may have memory but they aren't intelligent and will learn bad habits just as quickly as good ones. Be sure that you don't spend more time practicing in slow motion than regular motion, or your muscles may become confused when it's time to execute on the dance floor.

When planning your extracurricular exercise routine, remember that flexibility and endurance should be your goals. Weightlifting is good where it increases muscle tone and strength, but muscle mass can limit mobility, so try to strike a balance when approaching the exercise room. And don't forget that, just as other exercises benefit dancers, dance can be a great way to stay fit and have fun for athletes of all sorts and sizes.