Pilates for Dancers Keeping Fit While Traveling
Traveling is a big part of a dancer's life. Whether it is the four-hour car ride to the local dance competition or a fourteen-hour plane ride to start a tour, traveling is probably a dancer's worst enemy. How are we expected to maintain our perfect extension and flawless arabesque if we can't even straighten our legs in a cramped airplane seat - or worse - the back seat of the minivan with four other dancers crammed together and not including countless dance bags and costumes! The following set of exercises can be done by anyone (not just dancers!), whether you are on a train, bus, plane or car. The goal of these exercises is to work and stretch the major muscle groups. You are not going to exit the plane ready to do "Swan Lake" or your big number in "Movin' Out," but the important thing is to keep the muscles moving and working.
Let's start with the feet: Every time you remember to do so, keep your feet moving. Not only will it prevent cramps when you do dance for the first time after traveling, but it will keep the blood flowing and prevent clots from forming. Ankle Circles are a must, as well as Pointing and Flexing and Toe Scrunches. Toe scrunches are just basically curling your toes downward like you are holding a pencil with your toes. I would do eight sets of everything - starting with circles (eight in one direction and eight in the other) then progress to flexing and pointing eight times - then end with eight toe scrunches. Working your feet will also work you calves as well. If you can stand, then doing some eleves or calf presses will be beneficial. Don't try and do a full out tendu combination as the other guests will think you have gone bananas (trust me, I know), but keep the feet moving as much as you can.
On to Hip Flexors: This is the area that causes the most tension and stress for a dancer. After sitting in one position for hours standing up seems like a feat in itself. Stretching your hip flexors and quads will do miracles for your body. For this stretch I recommend finding an area where people won't stare at you. I usually go to the back of the plane near a bathroom or where the flight attendants set up food service so I can have some room and privacy. Basically the thigh stretch includes standing straight, grabbing the toe and bringing your heel to your butt. This will stretch the front of the thigh. The hip flexor stretch involves a lunge position. Hold onto something for balance and while bending the front knee bring the other foot behind you with just your toes on the ground (half-point or forced arch position.) In this position, imagining that your right leg is behind you, let your right hip tilt towards the ground so you are trying to press the front of your hip to the floor. If you do have room then you can go into a deeper lunge position where you can actually try and bring your right hip closer to the floor. Hip flexors are an important muscle for a dancer as they are the muscles responsible for extension, so make sure to stretch them while traveling.
Upper Body and Back: This series of stretches can be done sitting and standing. First sitting: let your head drop down keeping your shoulders open, i.e., don't slouch forward yet. This will stretch your neck. From there slowly let your body roll down until your chest is on or near your thighs. Reverse the process rolling up slowly. If you roll down for a slow set of eight counts and up for eight counts three or four times your back will feel better. You can do the same thing standing. Just roll all the way down trying to touch your fingertips to your toes and roll back up slowly. Do this with straight knees a few times and with knees slightly bent a few times as well. Another important area to work is the rotation of your spine. While sitting, twist your body in one direction and grab the armrest with both hands. Hold that position for four counts and slowly return to center. Do that three or four times in each direction. If you have room and you are standing just do the same thing but speed up the tempo so you are twisting from the waist quickly from side to side. Another good stretch is to gently arch back and grab both hands behind your back. Keeping your chest open towards the ceiling, try to squeeze your shoulder blades together. Hold this position for four slow counts and repeat three or four times.
On long flights I try and get an aisle seat so I can get up and down easily without bothering the two or three people next to me. This allows me the freedom to come and go as I please. I also like that seat because I can stretch my legs out in the aisle. If you do get the aisle seat, just bend and straighten each leg four times to get the muscles working. Just be careful to not developpe into a neighbors face! Happy traveling!