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SPINAL FLEXIBILITY IS MOST IMPORTANT FOR BALLROOM DANCERS
Posture is the initial thing every judge notices at competition. But this also holds true for the social dancer.
What separates good dancers from great dancers is their spinal flexibility. Great posture and spinal flexibility combined really make a couple stand out.
The first area to lose flexibility is in the upper thoracic spine. The area between where the neck meets the shoulders and runs to the bottom of the shoulder blades (scapulae).
The primary reason for lost elasticity here is due to the amount of bone in the area. The spine, the ribs, and the scapula.
This area is overlaid with muscles holding everything in place. It is therefore prone to tightness and fatigue.
Poor motion in the upper back can create real problems in the shoulder including tears and arthritis.
With less elasticity, the head comes a wee be farther forward and the upper back begins to round.
The muscles must respond to the unbalanced weight creating a cascade effect in the upper back and it becomes even more inflexible.
Sometimes, when doing an under arm turn, the entire shoulder raises up, rather than just the arm. This is because of a decrease in the movement of the scapula.
For latin and rhythm dancers where hip rotation and side to side motion is most noticed, you need very flexible hips.
For smooth and standard dancers, the ability to extend back while keeping the shoulders down AND maintain spinal flexibility shows immediately.
The spine, scapula, and ribs are meant to move like a symphony, each area assisting in full movement.
The first place to lose spinal flexibility is the upper back.
When the upper back becomes less flexible, you also lose muscle mass. It becomes more difficult to roll your shoulders back and squeeze your shoulder blades down and together. This affects how well you move your arms and your neck!
For women, the area where the arm connects to the body can become 'fleshy'. Underneath is the teres muscle whose responsibility, along with the lats (latissimus dorsi), are important muscles of the back. Without good muscle tone, scapular and arm motion decreases, offering a great place for fat to accumulate.
Loss of flexibility to not necessarily an age related issue.
I recently saw Joel Grey do a quick performance on Broadway. Not only is he an amazing performer, no one would ever guess his age was 83! His posture was impeccable, his movement was wonderful and fluid, and his voice as good as ever.
If Joel Grey can do it, so can you.
Stand tall. Move smooth, strong, and flexible. Put it out there!
For increase spinal flexibility, try PurePosture. This one-of-a-kind device will align your spine, increase flexibility and help solve neck and back pain. It's easy to use, safe and fast. Most important, its effective. Check it out today!