Warm Up

It is important for dancers to warm up before any dance activity in order to prepare the body for longer and global movements and help to decrease tension in the muscles and joints. Through this preparation you can ensure you are able to move without stress and strain during activity. A safe warm up gradually increases the body temperature to a optimal working level and helps to avoid injuries.

You should never feel tired after the warm up, it should always contain simple or low impact movements with no fast changes of direction. The movements should be controlled, continuous with the correct alignment to reduce the risk of injury. A warm up should include exercises for ankles, knees, hips, spine, shoulders, elbows and wrists with 6-8 repetitions of each exercise. By the end of the warm up you should feel warm, relaxed and ready to start dancing Professional Performers should conduct a warm which lasts for a minimum of 30-40 minutes each time.