Iliopsoas

Dancing Smart Newsletter
December 8, 2006

Hello all!

I'd like to start with 3 responses I received from last week's newsletter. They are in reference to the question from Alexandra on how to handle not getting corrected in class. Here are some additional thoughts on that question.

First from Driana…

I think your ideas for visualization are wonderful and powerful.

I would also suggest that she approach her teachers and tell them what she is looking for in terms of feed back and why. As a teacher of bellydance, I strive to give each student the dance experience they are looking for without ever sacrificing safety/technique but that leaves a wide range to work with. I have students ranging in all ages and with a myriad of different reasons for being in class. Some just want to have fun and get some movement exercise and are not ever looking to perform -- this student sometimes does not want hard-core correcting. I always correct bad technique that can lead to injury, of course, but this student may just want to flow and move with the dance and are not worried about every truly isolating the movements or being able to speed up the movement. I have other students who want to be on stage and need a higher level of feedback but may not really be interested in ever progressing beyond, say an advanced beginner performance. And I have those students who is super serious about dance and wants to work on earning a living from the art form or are just driven to be the best dancer that they can. It only helps me be a better teacher if a student tells me what their goals are.

Also, when a class is particularly big, I cannot necessarily give every student individual feedback. I try to let everyone know that when I am correcting one student, it is not to single that person out as the only one doing something that needs improvement, and it does not mean that because I have not addressed someone else specifically, that I am saying they are doing a move correctly by not addressing them. I want every student to listen to what I am saying and look at their own body in the mirror and learn to see themselves with an objective eye so they can learn the valuable and completely necessary dance skill of self-correction. In a big class, I wouldn't get beyond teaching one hip lift in class if I went to every student in class to correct or encourage, as is sometimes possible in a really small class. And even in a small class usually only works for maybe one move a class. If not sure if they are doing it right, the student needs to ask me either right then or after class. I try to never rush out of class so that I can be available to students for this.

As a teacher, I strive to eventually, make sure everyone gets some attention at some point while they are studying with me but if a class is particularly big, can I honestly say that there has never been someone I missed over say an 8-week course. I hope not, but it is possible.

Next from Kandi..

I just read your answer tot he girl who is not receiving corrections in class and although I really enjoy your newsletter and think you have a wonderful perspective, as a parent, I think you missed the boat on this one.

What this girl is asking for is feedback from her teachers. She is taking classes, which means her parents are paying money - usually a lot of money - for her to learn ballet. How is she supposed to learn if the teachers are not giving her any feedback? She is not a professional and she probably is not an advanced dancer so she is going to make mistakes and she needs to know - not just so she can be a beautiful dancer but because if she is not aware that her body is moving incorrectly she can get hurt.

As a parent I also feel that if I am paying for classes, my child should get feedback and I have been very disheartened by something I see as epidemic in the dance world. Teachers are only correcting students they think have "potential" which is something different to every teacher. That's fine if you hold auditions and only take students with "potential" but most studios on America take any body and if they do then those students have a right to feedback by virtue of the fact that they are paying for classes. If this same student was taking a college class and the teacher never gave a lecture wouldn't you as her parents feel gypped? I would.

This young dancer should talk to her parents and the parents should talk to the teacher. I have seen many, many inexperienced teachers turn excellent dancers into horrible dancers with multiple injuries because they weren't knowledgeable or not confident enough to give feedback to a student. The teacher may not be aware of what is going on in the class in which case she may make an extra effort to supply feedback or she may have her reasons which the young dancer should be aware of, If the answers aren't satisfactory than the young dancer should find a different teacher or a studio where can get what she needs.

Visualizing can be a great tool but just doing that is not going to get the teacher to give this child feedback if that is not what the teacher feels comfortable doing.

I would hate to see this dancer, who clearly loves to dance become emotionally or physically injured because she is not getting the feedback she needs to prevent that from happening.

I know a lot of dance teachers read these newsletters and I am sure they are all wonderful because they are taking the time to learn which is what good teachers do but be aware that there are many dance teachers out there that don't know much and have no interest in learning more. They think because they dance, they can teach and parents often don't know any better.

And last but not least, Jennifer!

I'm a long-time teacher & faithful fan of your newsletter & other products, & I was moved to respond to Alexandra's frustration with not getting corrected. The nutshell version of my personal history is very serious classical ballet training until I was 18, when I quit dancing for 4 years. Eventually I returned to dancing, majoring in it in college & graduating w/a degree in dance education, which serves me daily now as I own/teach in a studio. When I was in college, I was like Alexandra in my approach to dance & my desire to learn & improve, but like her, I was not getting corrected in ballet class. It really, really bothered me, because I was paying the same amount as my classmates to learn from the teacher, plus I was brought up to believe that if you weren't getting corrected, you weren't worth correcting--a sick attitude that I do NOT pass on to my own students! Finally, feeling invisible drove me to approach the teacher after class one day, and I just asked her point-blank why she never corrected me. I asked what I was doing wrong, or if I was really doing so badly that she had no idea where to start to straighten out my technique. I will never forget the utterly shocked look on her face! She was truly taken aback, and when she found her voice, she replied with a grin, "I'm so sorry I've given you the impression that I don't notice you or that you're dancing poorly. I didn't even realize I wasn't paying attention to you. On the contrary, it's that you're dancing so very well applying everyone else's corrections that I never felt the need to single you out. In fact, I get distracted from my job correcting the other dancers when I watch you, because you make my combinations look like I wish the rest of the class did!" I left that conversation elated, but very surprised--I'd never thought of that! It's not that I was dancing perfectly, but I was dancing independently, which it sounds like Alexandra does too. After that, I took extra-special, secret pleasure in catching that teacher looking at me in class, because she'd shared with me what she was thinking when she did.

As an instructor, I've noticed the same tendency in myself--failing to compliment or correct the better, more independent dancers and spending much more time on those who are not so self-motivated or aware of incorrect technique. I think it's human nature, to some degree, to help where the need is the greatest. However, since I am sensitive to the receiving end of this issue, I try hard to use every student's name at least once in every segment of class, barre, center, and traveling. I also try to use students to demonstrate proper technique, rather than demonstrating everything myself--this boosts the confidence of the kids who don't need to be babysat, and encourages them that they're on the right track, as well as showing their classmates that it is possible for students in the class/level to perform the technique. I could write a book on how to make students feel important, but really I replied because the situation might be something very different from what Alexandra thinks is going on, something much more encouraging! I'd urge her to do what I did, to just ask the teacher what's up, in a humble, non-accusing way--she might be pleasantly surprised by the answer!

I will use the visualization techniques with my kids that you suggested to Alexandra, as well. Your heart to lift her spirit & help her grow as a person is just lovely to behold!

Thank you all for taking the time to respond. I acknowledge I did not give a well-rounded enough answer to her question.

Now onto the 2 questions of the week on the iliopsoas muscle …

First Question

Let's start with a small lecture on some of the important aspects of the iliopsoas muscle. The iliopsoas muscle is comprised of 2 different muscles, the psoas and the iliacus muscles. The psoas muscle attaches along the lumbar (lower back) spine and then passes through the pelvic bowl to attach high on the inner thigh, on the lesser trochanter of the femur. The iliacus muscle, the 'ilio' portion of the iliopsoas muscle attaches on the inside rim of the pelvis and joins with the psoas tendon to the lesser trochanter. The iliopsoas is the major postural muscle. Both muscles flex the hip, but if the legs are stabilized the psoas will pull on the lower back to create a swayback, and the iliacus muscle will tip the pelvis forward.

Chronic flexion, such as sitting for long periods of time, squatting and bending over to get down on the level of young children, and pregnancy all will tighten the iliopsoas muscle. When the hip flexors tighten, then the height of the développé and battement to the front decreases.

Try this – stand in an artificially held swayback, which is putting the pelvis into an anterior tilt, and shortening the hip flexors. Keeping the pelvis tipped forward bring one knee up slowly and easily. Notice the amount of hip flexion you create before being stopped by the contact of the thigh against the pelvis. Now up tip your pelvis, and try that same movement again. Were you able to bring your knee higher up? Of course you could.

Most of us don't stand with an obvious pelvic tilt. It is much more subtle. I would encourage you to increase the amount of psoas stretching you do with seated and standing psoas stretches. Most people stretch their psoas muscles on the floor in the runner's lunge stretch, but you can do the same thing while sitting in a chair, or a modified standing lunge stretch. I find the seated stretch especially good for the times I'm at the computer.

As you release the pull from the iliopsoas the abdominals, especially the deepest layer, have a better chance to do their job of keeping the front of the pelvis up. (Let's read the next iliopsoas question, and then I'll give some more suggestions)

Next Question

Clearly there is an imbalance between strength and flexibility. I think you have hit the nail on the head with not enough stretching. So, first off, you couldencourage your daughter to stretch her iliopsoas often during rehearsal and class.

The iliopsoas muscle is considered a fight or flight muscle because when needed it will give a powerful force to the legs for kicking. Definitely necessary ifyou need to sprint to get away from danger, but we don't want the iliopsoas tobe constantly engaged in a pattern of holding. I imagine your daughter and herclassmates doing leg lifts and kicks over and over again, using every ounce offocus and energy to get them up as high as they can. I'm not against nice highleg kicks, quite the contrary. But I do think many dancers focus on height overalignment promoting a pattern of hip flexor over use.

Try this exercise. Start by standing on a wooden block or a very thick book with your left leg. With your right leg easily swing your leg forward and backwards,keeping your pelvis upright, even when your leg is swinging backwards. Imagineyour leg lengthening as you create this movement arc. Even though you are notallowing your leg to go back very far, because you are keeping your pelvis upright,in your mind's eye imagine it reaching far behind you as if going into a beautifularabesque. Continue easily swinging the right leg for around 30 seconds to aminute while you are visualizing. Then step off the book. Do your legs feel different?If your right leg feels longer and looser it is because you released the iliopsoasmuscle.

I'm concerned your daughter says stretching makes her hips feel tighter because she is stretching too aggressively. Slow and gentle are key to getting musclesto release – no matter whether you are trying to stretch your hip flexorsor any other muscle group. If you are stretching with too much force or weight,the muscle will contract to try and protect itself.

While I don't know the style your daughter's studio is based in – whatI do know is if many of the dancers have extremely tight iliopsoas muscles, somethingis out of balance with how they are moving. If the teachers are unwilling to build in time during rehearsals and class to address this, then your daughter will haveto become much more aware of her own patterns of movements. Sometimes this iseasier to do in a totally different style. I might encourage her to take a yogaclass to see if she could become more aware of her breathing and any overusepatterns she has developed.

Good luck to you both! I know I will be psoas stretching until the very end ofmy life – it isn't something that one does just during your 'active' dancingyears.

Warm regards,

Deborah

"Education is the key to injury prevention"

Copyright ©2003-2006 The Body Series. All Rights Reserved.

Deborah Vogel is a dancer, author, and master teacher who conducts workshops across the U.S. for both student and professional dancers. Her numerous articles on dance technique and injury prevention have appeared in Dance Spirit and Dance Teacher magazines. She is the Director of the Institute for Performance Studies and a faculty member at Oberlin College and the OC Conservatory of Music. During her years in NYC she co- founded the Center for Dance Medicine. Deborah makes her home in Oberlin, Ohio.