Blog Archives

Improve Your Extensions for Ballet

So you want to improve your extension – your developes front, side and back – who doesnt!? In this blog I am going to go over the exercises that you should be doing to help your develope height tremendously.

Extension and flexibility are two words that are pretty much synonymous in the ballet world but each has it’s own place in your ballet technique. The two compliment each other, however flexibility is not the sole reason that you cannot get your leg up…and hold it there. Strength (yes, there’s that word again) is usually the limiting factor.

As dancers our hips take a real beating. From doing daily ballerina things like standing turned out, gripping in the thighs and quite frankly, not knowing how to properly engage our core muscles, we are already at a disadvantage. Gripping in the hips is the #1 reason why I see dancers struggle with their extension (also in turns and jumps too). So how can you undo years of damage and unlock your potential to a freely moving hip?

#1 Breathe – Sounds simple, right? Wrong. Chances are, you don’t even realize that you are holding your breath. When we tense our muscles we are usually holding our breath at the same time creating even more tension to the muscles. Instead, try visualizing your hip as a sponge. Take your leg up to passe (think of a sponge full of water). Right before you develope the leg think of the hip relaxing and breathe. Then as you extend the leg, think of the sponge “wringing out” as you develope. Practice this and eventually you will be able to visualize this way in class.

#2 Strengthen & Release – Strengthening various muscles such as the glutes, inner thighs, and core can help release a lot of unnecessary tension from the hips, resulting in better extensions. Try the following exercises taken right from my YouTube Channel:

#3 Rebuild – Rather than showing you a bunch of ballet stretches and exercises that you already know and have tried (like the hike your hip up and hold exercise) I am going to give you an exercise that you can do to strengthen the gluteus medius muscle. First I will show you where the glute medius is located followed two exercises. “Monster Walks” and “Hip Abduction” which can help retrain the muscles around the hip pain and tightness that you feel from gripping.

Monster Walks – Perform 3 sets of 15 repetitions each leg with a resistance band.

monsterwalk

Hip Abduction – Perform 3 sets of 15-20 repetitions being sure to keep the leg parallel.

I am looking forward to hearing how your extension improves just from these 3 quick tips. As always, please feel free to contact me with your questions and don’t forget to check out my great products that you can find exclusively at www.balletstrength.com.

Committed to Your Dancing,

Nikol Klein

Posted on May 30, 2014 | Image

Preventing Ankle Sprains in Dance

The most common injury in dance is a sprained ankle. If you have been dancing long enough, chances are, you have gone through this injury and the long rehabilitation process that comes with it. As a dancer who was prone to ankle sprains early on in my professional career, I looked to strength training for help. I will never forget the first time that I “rolled” my ankle in the studio after a summer of Ballet Strength cross training preparation – my ankle rolled over to the outside of my foot, and immediately corrected itself back to standing due to the strength that I had created in my ankle, knee and hip. No pain, no sprain! I was truly amazed and felt accomplished as all of my hard work over the summer had paid off!

While accidents do happen, there are a few exercises that you can add to your cross training routine to help prevent sprains from happening. Two of the exercises that I will outline in this blog are lunges and squats. These exercises are very common in the gym but not so much in the ballet world. In ballet we tend to work hard on the muscles that hold our “turn-out” while neglecting stabilizing muscles that we use in “parallel” or daily life. This is why us dancers have taken on the reputation of walking like ducks.

Lunges

Start standing with the legs together in parallel. Lunge forward with the right leg, striking with the heel first. Pushing back through the heel (no pointed toes here), return to the start position. Repeat for 10-15 repetitions on each leg.

Squats

Start with both legs in parallel, slightly wider than hip width apart. Send the hips back (breaking in the hips) followed by a bend in the knee. Be sure to keep the knees in line with the heels, NOT letting them go over the toes. Repeat for 10-15 repetitions.

Adding these two exercises to your strength training/cross training routine will help balance out your muscles, keeping you centered and strong. For a full ankle strengthening program, try my Power Pointe Ankle Strengthening Program! As always, be sure to consult with your physical therapist, physician, or Ballet Strength trainer before performing these or any cross training exercises.

Posted on October 7, 2013 | Image

Ballet Strength Goes Beyond the Barre

Are you looking to advance in your current ballet company? If you are like most dancers, your goal is to rise through the ranks of a ballet company and eventually get the opportunity to dance principal roles. Smart dancers know that the tools necessary to excel in the dance world are not all found in your daily ballet technique class. The following are some areas to explore when it comes to having the advantage over your competition.

1.) Use your resources. Does your ballet company offer massage and chiropractic services? If so, these are resources that you should be utilizing on a weekly basis. Keeping your body fine tuned will keep it performing to it’s full potential.

2.) Eat for fuel. It you are dancing professionally you should be on a performance nutrition plan. Dancers must eat to fuel their bodies to get through intense days of rehearsals, performances and most importantly recovery. If your body is not adequately recovered from the previous day of training, it will not magically reset the next day.

3.) Look beyond the barre. Ballet cross training is a huge part of a dancers performance plan today. It will help you stay injury free, strengthen weaknesses, and improve overall physical conditioning. The old thinking that dancers can’t lift weights is no longer a valid statement as dancers in the top ballet companies like New York City Ballet and San Francisco Ballet are doing it. Oh, and to answer the question “Will I get bulky?” No, you may actually lean out!

4.) Rehab injuries- Be smart about your injuries. If a prescribed physical therapy plan is not working, look elsewhere. Different rehabilitation techniques work for different injuries and with the many options available these days, there is no excuse to live in pain. Find a treatment plan that works best for you.

5.) Hire a coach. Sometimes you need an outside perspective. You can’t always lean on your friends in the company for help and advice since in essence they are your competition. Professional dancers hire me, for example, to keep them motivated and on track with their goals and to create a performance plan. Without a long-term plan, you will be lost in the corp de ballet.

6.) Rest. Probably the most important part of a dancer’s recovery is rest. This means respecting your body by getting to bed early each night and keeping outside drama to a minimum. It may sound like a good idea to go out with friends on weeknights, but you are only further fatiguing your body.

By exploring these six areas you will put yourself ahead of the game as a dancer. These are just a few of the things that I currently work on with my professional dancer clients. If you are interested in learning more about my coaching services for dancers email me at nikol@balletaudition.com.

Posted on May 21, 2012 | Image

Common Ballet Injuries – Prevention Tips

Feb 19

Posted by Nikol Klein

When it comes to ballet there aren’t a whole lot of dancers out there who can honestly say that they have never had an injury. Whether it’s an injury as major or career ending as an Achilles tendon rupture or an injury as minor as a shin splint, it is imperative that the root of the problem be discovered.

Luckily today there are preventative measures being taken by ballet companies and schools lead by younger artistic staffs to keep dancers fine tuned. In the past there were ballet teachers and company artistic directors who were not educated on injury prevention for dancers, thus indirectly encouraging dancers to continue through injuries shortening the life of their career.

Common injuries for dancing include (but are not limited to);
Achilles Tendonitis
Ankle Sprains
Patellar Tendonitis
Piriformis Syndrome
Lower back pain
Rotator Cuff
Broken Toes/Feet
Check out a complete list on the Harkness Center for Dance Injuries website. It’s very helpful.

Of course there are ways to prevent some of these injuries through core conditioning, pilates, strength training, and ballet cross training. Most ballet companies have on site physical therapists who work with dancers daily aches and pains and can prescribe a correct physical therapy routine. There is also the Ballet Strength DVD which has a library of exercises that you can do to prevent injury and improve strength.

As dancers today, there is no excuse to allow the body to be plagued by injury and pain. With all of the helpful resources available dancers are extending their careers well into their 30’s. Don’t wait to address your injury prone areas…you don’t want to wait until it’s too late!

Posted in Ballet, Ballet Strength, Injury Prevention, Strength Training for Dancers, Technique Tips

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Tags: achilles tendonitis, ankle pain, ballet cross training, ballet injuries, ballet injury, ballet injury prevention, ballet pain, ballet strength, ballet strength training, common ballet injuries, dance injuries, dance injury, dance injury prevention, dance recovery, dancer rehabilitation, harkness center for dance injuries, pilates for dancers

Ballet Strength DVD Secrets

Jan 22

Posted by Nikol Klein

I am pleased to announce the launch of my new Ballet Strength DVD. I have been working hard over the past few months to carefully choose and design exercises that will help dancers improve their jumps, turns, core stability, and most importantly help with injury prevention.

You can learn more and get your very own copy by clicking here >> I want a copy of the Ballet Strength DVD

Here is a video preview of some of what the Ballet Strength DVD has to offer!

Posted in Ballet, Ballet News, Ballet Strength, Strength Training for Dancers, Technique Tips

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Tags: american ballet theatre, ankle strength, ballet, ballet advice, ballet dancer, ballet dvd, ballet help, ballet injuries, ballet injury, ballet jumps, ballet strength, ballet strength dvd, ballet stretches, ballet tips, ballet turns, ballet video, cross training for dancers, dance, dance dvd, dance injuries, dance injury prevention, dance video, injury prevention for dancers, new york city ballet, nikol klein, pirouettes

How to be Nutcracker Ready

Nov 12

Posted by Nikol Klein

It’s our favorite time of the year…Nutcracker time! Young dancers all over the world are jumping with joy and bragging about the roles they have been cast in. Professional Dancers are sharpening their pencils in roles they have been dancing for years. What can you do to make sure you are prepared or in the pro’s cases avoid Nutcracker burnout?

Whether you are dancing a new role this year or repeating last years, you can use the same techniques to look beautiful and dance technically sound.

Music is a huge part of the equation. We all know the Nutcracker music all too well, but if you listen closely enough you may hear something new. Explore your musicality. If you are performing with an Orchestra, dance with the music. Listen to the music, don’t just dance on auto-pilot.

Nutcracker is a great time to work on your performance skills and stage presence. If you’ve performed this role before, approach this year with more confidence! Show the audience that you are comfortable in this role.

Improve your technique on these roles. Last year you did a double pirouette in Waltz of the Flowers…why not throw in a triple this year? This of course does not apply for the corp de ballet, but is a great way for a soloist to show off their stuff. Careful though…some artistic directors get angry if you do too much!

Stand out in the Corps de Ballet! As a kid, I always watched the corps member who smiled the most and looked like she was having the most fun. While you are dancing imagine that all eyes are on you! There are subtle ways that you can keep from blending in.

Enjoy yourself this Nutcracker season! Remember, Summer School and Company auditions are right around the corner and with auditions comes added stress.Learn more about how you can get rid of nerves with The Ballet Audition Preparation Guide.

Happy Dancing!

Nikol Klein, Professional Ballet Dancer / Certified Personal Trainer & Nutritionist

Posted in Ballet, Dance, Strength Training for Dancers

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Tags: ankle injury, audition, audition preparation, ballet, ballet audition, ballet injuries, ballet injury, dancer, new york city ballet, nikol klein, nutcracker, nutcracker part, nutcracker preparation, sugarplum fairy

How to Prevent Ballet Injuries

Oct 12

Posted by Nikol Klein

Ballet injuries are common career ending catastrophes for dancers of all ages. What may seem like a small ache or pain could turn into a serious injury if you are not making the proper adjustments to your technique. There are a lot of solutions offered that just mask the pain. If you do not get to the bottom of the issue that is causing the injury, it could be a life long struggle.

The following are a list of steps you can take to ensure you are doing the right things to prevent career ending injuries.

1.) See a Doctor- I know this may seem like a no brainer, but going to a doctor is one of the most important things you can do if you are experiencing abnormal pain. If you are attending a good ballet school, they should be affiliated with a Sports Medicine department or physical therapist in your city.

2.) Rest- You’ve heard this one before too. If you are experiencing abnormal pain, you need to stop dancing until you have the issue identified by a physical therapist. I know, you’re afraid that you will lose your part to your understudy, but how would if feel if you kept dancing and tore or broke something? Do your career a favor and take a much needed rest.

3.) Therapy- Once you have seen a physical therapist and they have diagnosed the problem, you need to follow through with your treatments. Your physical therapist may have you doing some strange exercises, but if you don’t follow through with them the injury will come back.

4.) Investigate- After you are finished with physical therapy and your injury seems to have healed, start investigating your ballet technique. Are you rolling in on your ankles? Are you gripping your hips? You might even want to see a Ballet Strength & Conditioning Coach like myself to help you work on technical weaknesses based on your anatomy and body mechanics. (Keep in mind that these are things that most ballet teachers are not qualified to recommend)

Sometimes your Ballet instructors, though they have your best interest in mind, will continue to tell you to force your turnout, etc. so that your body looks aesthetically correct for ballet. While this may look good, it may be doing disastrous things for your body and your career.

Take these simple precautions to prevent long lasting injuries and never be afraid to ask questions. You can try out one of my Ballet Strength programs HERE.

Nikol Klein, Certified Personal Trainer/ Professional Ballet Dancer/ Certified Nutritionist

Posted in ballet nutrition, Ballet Strength, Injury Prevention, Life Management, Strength Training for Dancers, Technique Tips

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Tags: ballet, ballet ankle, ballet blog, ballet company, ballet dancer, ballet diet, ballet health, ballet injuries, ballet injury, ballet injury prevention, ballet strength, ballet technique, dance injury, dance therapy, dancer, dancers, dancers diet, diet for dancers, nikol klein, principal dancer, professional ballet dancer, professional dancer, Strength Training for Dancers

5 Healthy Tips for Dancers

Sep 30

Posted by Nikol Klein

You may not realize this, but Ballet Dancers have some of the most unhealthy dietary and lifestyle habits. These bad habits effect dancers from daily class all the way to auditions. We’ve all read the famous Ballerina’s books like Gelsey Kirkland’s Dancing on my Grave and hopefully have learned a lot from their mistakes.

What can you do to improve your health so that you can reach peak performance? Follow a few of these simple guidelines to boost your energy in everyday class all the way to performance time.

1.) Don’t skip out on Breakfast– After 8 or more hours of fasting overnight, your body desperately needs food fuel in the morning. Make sure you are eating a balanced breakfast before heading out to class in the morning.

2.) Stay Hydrated– I cannot stress this enough. If you are not drinking water or an electrolyte enriched beverage before and during class, your strength will suffer.

3.) Eat– The skinny, emaciated look is so 1970. Artistic Directors are looking for strong bodies these days.

4.) Soak and Stroke– A hot bath at the end of a long day of rehearsing is just what your body needs to relax and prepare for tomorrow.

5.) Take a day off– Sometimes you need a mental day of rest. On your days off, participate in functions or activites that do not involve dancing. You will feel a lot fresher when the work week begins again.

I hope you have enjoyed these 5 healthy tips for Ballet Dancers! If you’re feeling a little low on energy, chances are you are missing one of the above components.

Happy Dancing!

Nikol Klein, Professional Ballet Dancer, Author of The Ballet Audition Preparation Guide

Posted in Ballet, ballet nutrition, Dance, Diet, Injury Prevention, Life Management, Strength Training for Dancers, Technique Tips

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Tags: ankle injuries, ballet, ballet audition, ballet audition guide, ballet diet, ballet health, ballet injury, ballet legs, ballet nutrition, ballet strength, dance, dance injury, dancer diet, nikol klein, strength training for dancer, tendonitis

3 Secrets to Becoming a Better Dancer

Aug 26

Posted by Nikol Klein

We’re all looking to become the very best dancers that we can be. The truth is, there is no magic trick to improving your technique. Progress takes time, and with your dedication and hard work you will improve. Here are a 3 tips to helping you become a better dancer!

1. Focus on yourself. It is so easy to get distracted by the strengths of others. No two dancers are the same so don’t compare yourself to anyone else. Focusing on others is negative. Take that energy and put it towards working on something positive to help improve You!

2. Write down your corrections. I know this may sound silly, but it works. You should be writing down the corrections your teachers give you after class or rehearsal. That way you can think about it and work on improving. As a successful professional dancer, I even did this when I was a Principal Dancer! Writing down your corrections ensures that you are going into class the next day prepared and smart.

3. Every day is an Audition. If you walk into class with an attitude or a tired demeanor, your teacher will notice. Everyone has bad days, sure, but you need to approach each new day as an audition. If you put 100% into class, you will improve very quickly. Keep an open mind and a positive attitude! You never know who may be watching.

I hope these three tips enable you to approach your daily class routine in a more positive manner. For more secrets and tips visit balletaudition.com.

Posted in Audition Advice, Ballet, Ballet Strength, Dance, Injury Prevention, Strength Training for Dancers, Summer Intensives, Technique Tips

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Diet for Dancers

Aug 21

Posted by Nikol Klein

I have received a lot of inquiries lately about Diet particularly for Ballet Dancers. The trend these days is not to look super thin, rather to be muscularly lean. Here are a few tips to get you in tip top shape before the 2009/2010 season begins!

Don’t use the word Diet. A better term that I use with my clients is “Meal Plan.” When we hear the word diet we automatically think of deprivation. Really, you shouldn’t have to deprive yourself of anything you like. You should, however, plan your meals out thoroughly so that you can have that favorite snack you crave once or twice per week. In moderation, of course.
Do not cut out Carbohydrates. The worst thing that a dancer can do is get on a low-carb/hi-protein diet. If you are eating primarily protein to lose weight as a dancer, you will have absolutely no energy. Stick with a nice carb to protein ratio.
Stay Hydrated. You should be drinking an electrolyte enhanced beverage during and after Ballet class or rehearsal. This will ensure you have enough glucose in the system and the energy supply to keep pushing in rehearsal.
Low on Iron? For female dancers, during that time of the month, we sometimes get low on Iron. This is from the blood loss during menstruation. Feeling lethargic, numb, and a bit queezy? Low Iron levels may be the case.
Don’t skip out on lunch. I know a lot of dancers who skip lunch in between rehearsals. This is the wrong thing to do! You need to refuel your body on your lunch break to get ready for the afternoon’s vigorous rehearsal schedule!

I hope these tips will you out during the 2009/2010 Season. Of course always consult with a physician or nutritionist before starting any type of diet plan.

Still trying to get a job in the professional dance world? Check out my Audition preparation website!

Posted in Diet, Strength Training for Dancers

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Tags: ballet, ballet audition, ballet diet, ballet injury, ballet nutrition, ballet strength, dance diet, injury prevention, nikol klein, Strength Training for Dancers