Rather than thinking of long lines as an aesthetic ideal, aim for finding stretch and elasticity in your line—as yet another tool in your toolbox.

A dancer’s spine has its own expressive power. Use these tips to unlock your spine for both movement and expression.

There’s much more to stillness than simply the absence of movement. For dancers used to near-constant motion, being still can be a physical, mental and emotional challenge.

Weight-sharing is the foundation of any kind of partnering in dance—from ballet lifts to contact improvisation balances to ballroom sequences.

High jumps are a combination of functional strength, smart mechanics and a strategic mindset. Give your jumps a boost with these expert recommendations.

A deep, juicy plié isn’t just delicious to watch. “It’s how we absorb shock,” says Elisa LaBelle, a physical therapist who works with dancers at NYU Langone’s Harkness Center for Dance Injuries. “It’s our spring, our power.” And it forms the basis for everything from dynamic jumps to smooth transitions to safe floorwork. But achieving […]

“Being upside down is important to me,” says Pavan Thimmaiah. After all, an image of an upside-down dancer in a freeze is the logo for his New York City–based PMT House of Dance studio. And yet, when Thimmaiah was younger, he was so unsure about being upside down that his mother, attempting to help, would […]

Dancers often strive to stand out from the ensemble. But dancing together—matching other dancers in movement style, timing and energy—is an equally important and equally challenging skill, and one that, after months of training at home, might need a tune-up. “Group work is very human,” says Denise Vale, senior artistic associate at the Martha Graham […]