For dancers, the demands placed on the body are immense. Maintaining strength, flexibility, and stability requires a mindful, targeted approach to movement that goes beyond traditional fitness. Pilates has long been a staple in dancer conditioning—especially given its roots in New York City’s professional dance world. In the 1920s, Joseph Pilates worked closely with elite dancers, crafting exercises that supported them through injury recovery, conditioning, and performance readiness. This history is embedded in the method’s very design, making Pilates the ideal training partner for dancers at any stage in their careers.
As a former ballerina, and a current dancer-for-fun, my sessions are designed to meet a dancer’s needs, offering focused, individualized work that enhances the grace, endurance, and stability critical to your art. For dancers who understand the nuances of their own anatomy and have high standards for movement, our work together is about precision, refinement, and depth.
How Pilates Targets the Dancer’s Body
Each Pilates exercise is geared towards building balanced strength and agility, focusing on core control, flexibility, and muscular endurance without adding bulk. The work supports a dancer’s need for symmetry, efficient muscle use, and refined control that translates directly to stage performance. In sessions, we get specific: adjusting alignments, engaging stabilizers, and working with an advanced understanding of what your body requires.
My goal is not to simply build strength or flexibility, but to deepen the control and clarity of each movement. I approach each exercise with hands-on adjustments and cues to help you access smaller stabilizers, improve your alignment, and fine-tune movement quality. Here’s how we break down some dancer-focused elements:
Dancer-Focused Exercises: Turnout, Extension, Core Control, and Precision
Turnout: Turnout requires subtle control of the deep hip rotators, something I work closely with dancers to achieve in exercises like the Side-Lying Passe and
Developpé Series. Here, we focus on maintaining external rotation throughout the range of motion without hip flexor strain. I guide each dancer’s alignment and breathing to support stability in the pelvis and low back while moving in turnout. For further support, we work on the Kneeling Side Kick on the Reformer, a dynamic exercise that improves strength, control, and alignment in extended rotation—a foundation for everything from floorwork to arabesques.
Extension: Full, clean extensions are essential in dance, and Pilates helps develop these lines without compromising joint health. Through the Arabesque Series on the Cadillac, dancers can experience controlled, supported leg extension while engaging the entire posterior chain. With hands-on assistance, I help you fine-tune muscle engagement, allowing for greater height and fluidity in movement. The Bicycle on the Reformer adds an additional challenge, creating continuous lengthening through the legs and activating core stability as we work to sustain length and power throughout each extension.
Core Control: For dancers, core control is critical not only for stability but also for
the ability to initiate movement powerfully and precisely. The Double-Leg Stretch with Weighted Straps challenges core engagement and shoulder stability, integrating the breath and emphasizing pelvic alignment. I guide you through incremental adjustments, helping to develop the kind of core strength that supports rapid direction changes and clean landings. The Control Balance on the Mat further refines your body awareness, allowing each movement to start from the core and extend outward with accuracy and flow.
Precision Work: Precision is a cornerstone of dance training, and Pilates helps develop this with exercises that reinforce clean, efficient movement. The Frog and Leg Circles with Turnout on the Cadillac enable focused work on pelvic stability and rotation, building strength in the muscles that stabilize hip movement. Each motion here emphasizes fluid transitions and smooth rotation—skills essential for both rehearsals and performances. Additionally, the Footwork Series on the Wunda Chair is modified for specific foot and ankle precision, reinforcing the exact alignment necessary for floor work, pointe technique, and aerial movements.
Protocols for Returning Dancers and Active Professionals
Returning Dancers: Getting back into dance after a hiatus requires a unique approach to conditioning. Together, we’ll start with foundational exercises like Roll Downs with Arm Spirals to gently increase shoulder flexibility, reconnect breath with
movement, and begin realigning muscle patterns. A common protocol for returning dancers includes Supine Footwork on the Reformer, where I guide you through exercises that reintroduce foundational strength, flexibility, and stability. As your body acclimates, we progress to more intricate work with Leg Springs on the
Cadillac, where we target hip stability and leg strength for confidence in jumps and
extensions. Each step is intentionally supportive, ensuring your body is ready to handle the demands of dance once again.
Professional Dancers: For current professional dancers, Pilates at LDV Pilates is about maintenance, enhancement, and proactive injury prevention. We focus on strengthening specific muscle groups, reinforcing symmetry, and preserving alignment under the demands of performance. In addition to classic Pilates exercises, I often introduce dynamic stretching work to maintain flexibility without sacrificing strength. For instance, the Long Stretch Series on the Reformer provides a continuous, controlled stretch for the posterior chain, relieving tension while reinforcing core engagement. If there’s an area of vulnerability, I tailor exercises to gently stabilize that region, often using props like the Magic Circle to refine alignment during extension work.
Pilates as a Pathway to Freedom and Joy in Dance
Pilates for dancers isn’t just about refining technique; it’s about cultivating freedom, resilience, and joy in movement. Cross-training with Pilates, especially with someone attuned to the unique needs of dancers, enables greater movement quality and prevents injury from overuse. This holistic conditioning allows dancers to focus on expression and confidence in their performances, knowing that their bodies have the strength and alignment to support even the most challenging choreography.
Experience a Dancer-Focused Pilates Session at LDV Pilates
At LDV Pilates, sessions are uniquely tailored to support and enhance the dancer’s body. My Culver City studio offers a safe, supportive environment where you can deepen your technique with advanced feedback, precision cues, and exercises chosen specifically for their alignment with the demands of dance. Each session is crafted around your personal needs and goals, whether you’re performing on stage or returning to dance after time away.
Our work together is about creating a true synergy between your art and conditioning, taking every session beyond repetition or basic strengthening. With over 15 years of experience working with dancers, I provide a highly tuned approach to help you access subtle muscle groups, expand your range, and feel supported in every movement. Whether you’re focusing on maintenance, enhancing your lines, or rebuilding strength, your Pilates session at LDV Pilates will help you find new levels of freedom and joy in dance.
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