Conditioning for Dance

by Eric Franklin

Book Overview

Even the best sense of rhythm, the most careful technical training, and the most astute dance intuition aren't enough to make a dancer truly excel; you also need focused strength, balance, and flexibility to execute the movements with power and grace. Conditioning for Dance improves your technique and performance in all dance forms by strengthening the body's core (abdominal and back muscles) while improving coordination, balance, and alignment and...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0736041567
• ISBN13: 9780736041560
• Release Date: September 2003
• Publisher: Human Kinetics Publishers
• Length: 248 Pages
• Weight: 1.57 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 8.5" x 11.0"
• Age Range: 18 years and up

Customer Reviews

Excellent tool for any dancer!

This book has been very helpful to me as I returned to ballet at 27 after a two year hiatus. I purchased the Franklin Method balls and found them very useful in implementing some of the exercises. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to increase their abilities and lenghten the life of their physical abilities.

For all who dance

This book should be a mandatory textbook for all dance students and trainees alike.An awesome tool for teachers who really want to focus on improving their students alignment without the normal bustle with a standard class. Mr. Franklin takes you on a journey that allows you to discover your body and know its limitations and how to get better. The information in this book is priceless. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in a full-time career in dance. Your body will never be the same again.

Conditioning for Dance

I am inspired by Eric Franklin's style of imagery and toning for dance and life. I practice and study belly dance of all types (cabaret, fusiobm tribal, etc.) and felt a need for additional understanding of toning and timing of various stretches in the warm up and cool down. The author has thought, practiced, and taught his techniques to thousands of dancers and has extensive knowledge of successes. His practical wisdom makes tremendous sense to me in my experience with Feldenkrais, Functional Anatomy, and yoga. I highly recommend this book to 'humans with bodies', and in particular, those that enjoy moving with grace and ease. Happy living!

The best dance conditioning book out there!

As a pre-professional ballet student, I had been looking for exercises to improve my alignment and technique. When I found this book, I absolutely knew that this was the key. Franklin is the great pioneer with the idea that releasing tension enhances your technique and decreases injury potential. His conditioning exercises deal a lot with imagery, something that helps you so much that you have no idea until you try it. I highly recommend this book to all students and teachers of dance, particularly ballet. Franklin's exercises mostly deal with using therabands and rolling balls which is very effective. I adore Eric Franklin; he is absolutely brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!

Superb insights into body function, relaxation, imagery

I'm a professional who utilizes applied biomechanics for aliving. I also study Tai Chi and other internal martial arts.I am no dancer. I've been exposed through my profession toFeldenkrais, Pilates, and yoga. Guess what? They're allvirtually the same!I was turned on to this book by a martial arts colleague. It has changed the way we look at our martial arts practice. Franklin does a really nice job of describing the pertinentfunctional anatomy in many key areas of your body (pelvis andpelvic floor, including iliopsoas, back, legs, internal organs,etc.)-- specifically the importance of key biomechanicalproperties. He describes very enriching visualization and touch/feel exercises to induce greater awareness and relaxation,thereby promoting function. Higher kicks and jumps, deepersquats (plie's), all with less effort. It's clear, and theexercises work!There are exercises for awareness, relaxation, alignment,stretching, and strengthening. They are simple, easily donewith small Pilates-type balls and Thera-band, but someare quite hard and take some work!My only complaint is that some of his diagrams lack detail, or there aren't enough diagrams or pictures to fully elucidate the anatomy or the exercises. He does provide excellent descriptive text, however.I've recommended this text to other martial artists, to my colleagues, to physical therapists, and to medical students.Well done, and I will certainly add some of his other books to \my wish list!