Can Yoga Help Me Improve in Dance Class?

Yoga has many incredible benefits for dancers! Not only does it improve flexibility, but it also increases stability, strength, and balance. It even can help relax our mind and improve our breathing throughout movements. Many dancers like to consider yoga its own type of dance class with slower (yet still challenging) sequence of positions.

Yoga and dance share many of the same principles. The list is long, but we will go over two of the main focuses. The first is the lengthening and elongation of the whole body. Think of a dancer with long legs. In order for a dancer to create beautiful long lines with his or her long legs, he or she needs to learn how to always lengthen through the hips, knees, ankles, and all the way to the toes. This action is constant and the dancer should always be trying to lengthen more and more every second. The same principle is in yoga! Asanas (poses) are held for longer periods of time, both contracting and lengthening the muscles the entire time the pose is held. The body is always active through the asana even though the yogi might look like they are standing still.

Both yoga and dance require an immense amount of body control, and more importantly control of the core. Thisincludes the abdominal muscles and wraps all the way around our body to the back. In yoga practice and dance, the core is constantly engaged and tightened. This is our second focus. For yoga, core strength means the yogi can balance in many different positions and hold their poses steady and strong. It’s hard to express how incredibly important having a solid core is for a dancer. Movements involving kicks, leaps, turns, and balances all stem from the core.Here are a few yoga poses that you can start trying at home to improve your core strength and help elongate your body!

Crescent Lunge

This pose is great to hold in order to stretch the hip flexors as well as strengthen the legs.  Be sure to be bending low in the front knee while at the same time stretching your back leg straight and firm. Lift through your head and arms while pushing your shoulders down to create a long spine and neck.

Dancer’s Pose

Improve your back flexibility and balance, as well as your core and ankle strength with Dancer’s Pose. Be sure that your knee stays facing down and that you keep your chest as high as possible. Press through your entire foot on the ground and lengthen your body to the ceiling.

Warrior 3

This is another pose that will help with balance and posture, and allow you to recognize the connection between your abdominal and back muscles. Push down into the floor and keep your supporting leg strong. Lengthen all the way through your spine to create a neutral back, then through your toes towards the back wall.

Side Plank Pose

Dancers also need strong shoulders to support the port de bras and for any floor work. Push down into the supporting arm and pull the shoulders back. Reach the top arm and top hip toward the sky, engaging the core the entire time.  Lift the top leg up and out for added work.

Boat Pose

This pose is great for strengthening the core as well as the hamstring and thigh muscles. Be sure to pull in your navel back to your spine and lengthen through the neck and toes. Try to hold for 30-60 seconds at a time for a challenge!

Half-Pigeon Pose

A dancer favorite, this pose helps release the hips and create more space for improving turnout. It’s a very relaxing pose after a tough class or workout. Sink down and try to keep both hips facing the floor while extending the back leg towards the back wall. 

The authors：

Dancing has always been the big love of Amy’s life. Born in Houston, TX, Amy began training in dance at a young age. She grew up in studios dancing competitively across the country. She trained and competed in ballet, jazz, tap, pom, and hip-hop.  Amy went to high school in Lafayette, LA where she was a member of the 19 time national champion St. Thomas More Sparklers and served as Co-Captain her senior year. She attended college at the University of Oklahoma where she received a B.A. in Material Dynamics and Computer Systems, and was a member and Captain of the University of Oklahoma Pom Squad.

After university, she continued her career in dance choreographing competition routines for several schools including NDA pom national champions Norman North High School, and receiving the Best Choreography Award twice over the past 4 years at NDA nationals. She is excited to share her love of dance with those at the Varsity Cheerleading Academy!