- Before you can attempt any of the activities you must warm up your body. The warm-up reduces the risk of injury and will make the dances easier to do. It will be easier and more fun if you do the warm-up with music. Choose music that is not too fast.
Preparation - stand with feet hip-width apart, feet facing forward, arms down. Remember:
- It is important to keep your body alignment in order to isolate the specific muscles that are being warmed up.
- Correct body alignment will prevent injuries.
- Only move the body parts and muscles prescribed.
Breathing exercise
- Inhale through your nose for four counts and raise your arms gradually sideways.
- Stretch your spine.
- Exhale through your mouth for four counts, and gradually lower your arms.
- Repeat the breathing exercise.
- Stand with your feet a hip-width apart, knees bent slightly, arms at your sides.
Side Stretching
- Lift right arm slowly sideways to straight above the head.
- Bend upper body to the left.
- Circle right arm down as left arm circles up.
- Repeat with left arm and bend to the right.
- Bend again to the left.
- Circle left arm – stretch right into a V position.
- Lower both arms to an A position.
- Repeat four times.
- keep the movements strong and smooth in time to the music;
- execute full range of motion;
- keep your head in line with your spine at all times.
Walking
- Walk eight steps forward – letting arms swing freely.
- Close feet – relax whole body.
- Bend upper body forward – knees bent and hold for a beat.
- Stretch up arching spine – arms up in an A.
- Hold for a beat.
- Repeat bending and arching of spine section.
- Walk backwards for eight counts.
- Repeat bending an arching of spine section twice.
- Repeat whole exercise four times.
- the stretching up should not be strained; just leading up to a fuller relaxation on the forward position;
- the whole movement should be continuous;
- do not relax your neck and head;
- do not lock your knees.
Walking with Arm-warm-up
- Walk forward for four beats.
- Walk backward for four beats.
- Walk to the right for four beats.
- Turn around and walk to the left for four beats.
- Repeat four times.
- Repeat walking exercise and raise arms to shoulder height forward.
- Make fists and push arms forward and back on every beat when walking forward.
- Walk backward and push arms above your head and back on every beat.
- Repeat eight times.
Combination
- Repeat the first walking exercise and add the second walking exercise in a combination.
- Repeat eight times.
- You are welcome to change the arm movements.
Quadriceps warm-up
- Walk forward – leading with your right leg - for three counts – lift your left leg forward and up on the fourth beat.
- Walk to the right for three counts – lift your leg on the fourth beat.
- Turn to the back – walk to the back (not backwards) – for three counts – lift your leg on the fourth beat.
- Turn to the right and walk for three counts – lift your leg on the fourth beat.
- Turn to face the front (you should have made a ‘square’ formation).
- Lift your legs – alternating right and left for eight counts.
- Start the exercise again, this time leading with the left leg.
- After the square have been completed, lift your legs alternating left and right for eight counts.
- Repeat the whole exercise four times.
Calf warm-up (heel digs)
- Stay on the spot and bring your right leg forward – put your heel to the floor – foot flexed.
- Bring the foot back to the starting position.
- Change legs and put left heel forward on the floor.
- Repeat the ‘heel digs’ eight times.
Walking
- Walk forward for four counts (leading right).
- Execute four heel digs.
- Walk backwards for four counts.
- Execute four heel digs.
Repeat four times.
Combination
- Combine all the exercises, starting with the side stretching and ending with the walking and heel dig combination.
- Repeat combination four times.
Inner thigh warm-up
- March on the spot for eight counts.
- Open your legs and march on the spot with open legs for eight counts.
- March on the spot for four counts.
- Open legs and march for four counts.
- March for two counts.
- Open legs and march for two counts.
- March with closed and open legs alternatively for eight counts.
Lunges
- March with open legs for eight counts.
- Keep legs open and lunge from side to side for eight counts.
- Keep your body upright and your hands on your hips.
- After eight counts keep the lunge stable to the right side and hold the position for eight counts.
- Turn to the right side with your body and put your hands on the bent knee – the other knee stretched out straight to the back.
- Straighten your bent knee – bring upper body downwards – hold for eight counts.
- Bend and straighten your knee eight times.
- Repeat on other side.
Recovery
- With legs still open face the front with bent knees (plié).
- Bend and straighten knees eight times.
- March with open legs and bent knees eight times.
- Keep marching and bring feet together.
- March for eight counts.
You are free to combine any or all of these exercises.
The warm up should not be less than three minutes and not more than ten minutes.
