Get Warm, Not Tired!
Simplify your warm up now so it’s second nature on the big day.
Show days are loooong. You need to be warm and ready all day, so it’s tough to feel fresh by the time you’re actually performing. Here’s how to care for your body early on so you still have some sparkle left by curtain call.
Have a Fast and Flexible Warm Up Plan
You know your body best, including which bits need some extra love. Take care of those bits with a quick warm up that leaves energy to spare for movement snacks when you need them, and most importantly for dancing your heart out.
5-15 minutes can be enough to get you going. Jot down your plan, but know you can adjust along the way.
Warm Up in 3 Chunks:
Circulation – get your heart beating and blood flowing. 30-60 seconds of arm circles and marches on the spot could be all you need. If your body feels cold or stiff after a break, you can do another round without burning yourself out.
Mobilization – a bit of gentle movement through your sticky spots. Some of my favourites are tucks and tilts, gentle massage, or improvising a bendy, twisty port de bras.
Activation – get your brain talking to your muscles. Any muscles you’ve been training for ballet are great to engage in your warm up, but dial down the volume around performance time. If you normally do 20 calf raises as part of your pointe conditioning, 5-10 are plenty leading up to a show. This leaves room to throw in another few repetitions with the same or different muscle group if you’re feeling chilly later in the day.
Practise Your Warm Up BEFORE the Big Day
When performance day rolls around, you want to be familiar and comfortable with your quick warm up routine so you can focus on the exciting stuff. Care for your high performing self this week by trying it out before class and making adjustments as needed!
Happy dancing,
Natasha