By Silvia Durán
How is it possible to move, turn, jump, fall, recover, keep the leg extended with a heart rate accelerated by the lack of oxygen, and with muscles, tendons and ligaments at full speed? All this is possible thanks to an adequate physical preparation that allows the dancer to deploy his technique to the maximum, supported by a solid athletic ability.
Today, dance demands a high level of physical demand from the dancer to meet increasingly high technical and artistic performances, which involve pushing the body to its limits. In fact, it is worrying to note the frequency with which dancers are injured, after which they must interrupt their training, to the detriment of their progress, to safeguard their recovery, and, in some cases, are even forced to abandon dance for good due to the impossibility of a complete rehabilitation of their injuries.
Faced with this situation, it is important to highlight the importance of physical preparation for dancers, as a basis on which to build the learning and improvement of the different and complex dance techniques, which demand continuous repetitions in long training sessions, and require the mastery of a strong body, determination and concentration.
Physical preparation is nothing more than the adaptation of the body through specific exercise routines that seek to maximize the physical and mental capacities of the individual, in order to achieve an effective performance in the technical training of a specific discipline, be it sports or artistic.
At this time, when dance has reached higher levels of performance, combining not only techniques from different dance branches, but also acrobatic elements, it is not possible to think that only through technique classes and rehearsals the professional dancer can reach a high level of competitiveness and maintain a long career. To be fit for new challenges, the body requires constant physical conditioning to ensure adequate performance for their stay on stage.
Through physical training, the bones, muscles, ligaments and tendons that protect the joints are strengthened, thus allowing a greater range of motion in technical executions. Likewise, strength, muscular endurance, power, flexibility, control of body movements and balance through different positions, coordination and better cardiovascular endurance are acquired; all this contributes to improve posture and body alignment.
Physical conditioning should be designed on a scientific basis so that it is harmonious and proportional, allowing, in a planned manner, the participation of the different muscle groups involved in each movement or technical execution. Also, physical conditioning should be adapted to the particularities of each dancer, since different variables should be taken into account, such as age, technical level, somatotype or morphology of the dancer, the type of dance practiced, previous injuries, among others.
Taking into account all these aspects mentioned above, exercise routines should be designed from the most basic to reach higher levels of difficulty. Similarly, it is important to dose the routines, as this allows to measure the physical effort by cycles, which are planned to avoid overtraining and injuries, and to allow the physical recovery of the dancer.
Therefore, given its complexity and importance, physical preparation should not be subject to improvisation or in charge of people not trained in the subject. Professionals in this field should rely on knowledge of anatomy and kinesiology of dance, yoga, conventional pilates, tensor pilates, physical training planning systems, among other related disciplines. However, it should always be kept in mind that the greatest concentration of activities of this type should revolve around the reproduction of models with exercises specific to dance.
