Ever find yourself lusting after that six o’clock penché, or a développé that will reach your nose? You’re not alone. The eye is naturally drawn to the end points of a movement, and, in dance, that often translates to the highest extension. But what if you’re born without extreme, Instagram-worthy lines? It’s a matter of […]

I’ve noticed that my flexibility, which is pretty good, varies throughout the company’s season. Why does this happen, and what can I do about it? —Jillian, Brooklyn, NY Several factors affect flexibility. A busy dance season can lead to tighter muscles due to fatigue. In this case, restorative therapies like weekly massages, sufficient sleep and […]

We always figured that stretching made us more flexible by loosening up our muscles and joints. Some of us, ahem, might have even tried to fall asleep in our middle splits to get our stubbornly stiff inner thighs to let go. But it turns out that might not actually be how stretching works. A new […]

Dancers looking to increase their flexibility rarely think about their upper backs. But this common place of tension could limit your neural mobility. “The mobility of your back, especially your upper back, is very important when thinking about the mobility of the nervous system, fascial system and flexibility in general,” says leading dance physiotherapist Lisa […]