Turning & Vertigo
Dancing Smart Newsletter
September 30, 2005
Announcements
First, I want to clarify an exercise described in last week's newsletter on bent knees. When I described doing a slight demi plié and slowly rising into relevé, you would keep the knees bent, effectively doing a bent leg relevé. This is the same as the relevé exercise where you demi plié, then slowly rise onto the balls of the feet, then straighten the legs into a regular relevé, and reverse by slowly rolling back down into the demi plié. You simply aren't going up into the full relevé, but working the first and last parts, which focus on the soleus muscle. Thanks, Karen, for bringing this to my attention! Hope this clears up any confusion.
Next is a letter from Colette, who makes a wonderful point about how we might view our teaching and past teachers. It is all about perspective, isn't it? If we can empower our dancers through educating them so they can become their own best teachers, we are really giving them a gift. Then they have the potential to take class from a wide variety of teachers, get what they can from the teaching, and discard or translate what they know to be inaccurate anatomical information. (Like don't use your quads to lift your legs – what are you supposed to use?????)
Finding your web site has been a blessing for me. I have been teaching for 40 years and thanks to all my "bad" teachers, I now have a better and more careful approach to teaching and ways of safely aligning my students. Seeking strong alignment issues and injury prevention has always been of extreme importance to me. Long ago at the RAD I was taught about open first and open fifth position. It helped me and I often use it with many of my students. It took the focus off of trying to straighten knees by "jamming" them and started me working through the pelvis for much better alignment and strength.
Most of these students will not be going on with professional work, but they will have to live in their bodies for the rest of their lives, so my choices are based on avoiding ANY injuries and so far, so good!
Thanks for all the great info. Reading all the past newsletters in your archives is one of my favorite things and it keeps me up to date!
Sincerely, Colette
PS I hope you make it toward Seattle for a workshop one day.
Question of the Week
I've been dancing for some time now and I've usually trained a good 8 hours per day. Then I had to put dancing aside for 2 years. Now I'm back and ready to do whatever I can to catch up and get back to the level I want to be at, but I am having a problem: I get really sick and nauseated when I am taking Jazz or turning class. This was never an issue before but now I'm worried that it won't go away. The doctor said that nothing was wrong with me (maybe I have to get other opinions). Have you heard of any dancers with the same problem?
Thank you, Lisa
Deb's Answer
Great question – and a change of pace from the normal questions on technique. You're describing vertigo, which is an abnormal sensation of rotation, or movement of one's self, or the environment. A person's balance is maintained by the interaction of the inner ears, the eyes, the brain and spinal cord and muscles. Each system monitors different aspects of balance.
As the head moves, there is fluid in the balance chambers of the ears, which pushes against nerve endings. There are also crystals that normally reside in the inner ear. When those crystals are displaced into the balance changers they can influence the balance nerves inappropriately. I first learned about this phenomenon when my sister in law slipped on a newly washed floor in a mall, and landed on her pelvis. She was appropriately sore from her fall, but what lingered on was vertigo that got in the way of every day activities, like bending down to pick something up. What finally resolved this problem was going to a neurologist who put her on a special table that repositioned the crystals in her inner ear.
I also know that infections or viruses can influence the inner ear, so you might think back if you have had any bouts with ear infections, or flu, sinus, etc. There can be circulatory issues where the inner ear doesn't receive enough blood flow and other disorders like Menieres syndrome. Bottom line, there are many issues that can be explored with vertigo.
While I have no idea what your specific issue with turning is being caused by, I would recommend that you see a neurologist, or a good ear, nose and throat doctor who are also very experienced in evaluating and managing vertigo.
I don't think that being away from dance has anything to do with your 'dizzy' turning, and while it doesn't sound like it is a large problem, I would encourage you to seek some other opinions. You know that this is unusual for you and that you aren't making it up. Hopefully, you'll find a doctor that takes your concern more seriously.
Best of luck – let me know what happens!
Deborah