What You'll Learn
- Execute a full-body stretching sequence without needing any floor space or specialized equipment.
- Master pelvic alignment techniques to effectively isolate hamstrings and hip flexors while standing.
- Relieve spinal compression through standing cat-cow and neck mobility exercises designed for travel recovery.
- Utilize common furniture as props to enhance upper back flexibility and shoulder range of motion.
- Perform a standing figure-four stretch to release tight glutes by focusing on weight distribution and pelvic tilt.
About This Video
Maintaining your flexibility and alignment while traveling is a challenge every dancer faces. Whether you are stuck in a hotel room with questionable floor cleanliness or have limited space in a dressing room, the need for a comprehensive stretching routine remains. This 14-minute standing stretch follow-along, led by Allie Christensen, is specifically designed to keep your body healthy and "Dancer Strong" without ever needing to touch the floor.
The session begins with a focus on spinal mobility and decompression. Travel often leads to feelings of compression in the neck and lower back due to long periods of sitting in cars or planes. By incorporating standing cat-cow variations and mindful neck rolls in opposition, you can find immediate relief and restore length to your spine.
Allie emphasizes the importance of moving through each vertebra to counteract the stiffness of travel. One of the most critical aspects of this practice is the focus on pelvic positioning. Understanding how to manipulate the pelvis—whether tucking or arching—allows you to isolate specific muscle groups effectively.
For example, by keeping a proud chest and tipping the pelvis, you can transform a simple standing movement into a deep hamstring or hip flexor stretch. This level of anatomical precision ensures that you are targeting the right areas without putting unnecessary strain on your lower back. Throughout the routine, you will utilize common household or hotel items like a chair, bed, or dresser as a modified barre for support.
You will work through essential stretches for the quads, glutes, and hamstrings, using gentle pliés and weight shifts in parallel to find the sweet spot in your muscles. The session concludes with a standing figure-four stretch to release the glutes, a must-have for any dancer on the move. Join Broche Ballet for this adaptable routine and keep your dance training on track, no matter where your travels take you.
