How to ‘lengthen’ your spine in ballet
Have you ever been told during a ballet class ‘Don’t lean back’ ? How do we correct this?
Let’s think of our intervertebral discs (the cushiony pads in between the bones that make up our spine) as ‘sugar puffs’ - little puffs of breakfast cereal.
If our weight is slightly too far back (i.e the shoulder line is behind that of the hips) we have the look of ‘crushing’ the discs lower down the spine.
Now imagine that by pushing the top of the head to the ceiling, you can stretch out the spine and increase the ‘gap’ between each vertebra, allowing those ‘sugar puffs’ between each bone to inflate with air and become soft and springy.
(I’m asking you to develop your ability to visualise, I know!!)
At the same time, pull your tummy button in towards your spine, and drop the tail bone slightly towards the floor (i.e pull the pelvis into a straight line - see previous posts).
You should now feel that your shoulders are vertically in line with your hips, your spine is longer, your body is lifted off your hips, and you are standing taller (sound familiar?)
And that those ‘sugar puffs’ separating your vertebra - your intervertebral discs - are, well, puffy…..
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