Conditioning for Dance Training for Whole Body Coordination and Efficiency, Second Edition
"Conditioning the dancer both as an athlete and as an artist is a mind body challenge" (1) As a professional dancer Franklin observed his peers condition their bodies in ways that seemed harmful and inefficient. After years of experimentation and research, he developed exercises grounded in dance science and medicine to develop strength and flexibility while reducing muscular tension. Franklin states that the exercises in Conditioning for Dance Training are adaptable to any age, training level, or style of dance, and can be used by nondancers as well to increase their fitness, health, and well being (v) The first half of the book focuses on concepts that underpin the exercises presented in the second half of the book. Beginning with an explanation of the basic principles of resistance training and dance conditioning, Chapters 2 through 5 discuss (1) imagery and the mind body connection; (2) developing proprioception through touch and play; (3) fascia and its role in flexibility, strength, and balance; and (4) dynamic alignment. Chapters 6 through 9 target specific areas of the body. Chapter 6 looks at the "core," explaining that it is not an area of the body but a construct that has a different meaning depending on the somatic or movement philosophy. Chapters 7 and 8 focus on the lower body and feet. Chapter 9 concentrates on the shoulders and arms, an area traditionally overlooked in ballet training. Chapter 10 addresses jumps, turns, and turnout three areas dancers continually work to improve and explains how conditioning will improve these areas for dancers. Chapter 11 integrates all the information from the previous chapters into two 20 minute conditioning routines. The book is technical and the chapters themselves have a repeated structure. Each chapter begins with a focus on developing physical attunement by identifying a part of the body and its functions. This is followed by enhancing mental preparedness by replacing habitual thought patterns with positive images and reinforcement. Then conditioning exercises are introduced. The updated edition includes several new features, reflecting the increasing sophistication of dancers' needs in their ability to seamlessly switch from one genre or style of dance to another. There are 100 new exercises with photographs to show proper alignment, sequencing, and the placement of the exercise bands and balls. Illustrations provide (1) anatomical detail of the body inmotion or (2) imagery to encourage whole body movement. The web resources provide video clips to demonstrate selected exercises and the proper use of the Franklin balls and bands. The Appendix details the different types of balls and bands used, andwhere to find them. The videos for Chapter 11 are of the two 20 minute conditioning routines. There are also two new chapters in the book containing information on (1) the muscles and fascia in dance and (2) dancers' feet. Much of the imagery and self touch suggested can be easily integrated into a movement or teaching practice. With students in my intermediate ballet class I (1) incorporated self touch to release tension, (2) invited students to share imagery, and (3) explored some of the simpler exercises from the book. My students reported back that their leg extensions felt lighter, their pirouettes more effortless, and in general their ballet technique less fraught; they are eager to incorporate more of this work into their technique class. However, I wonder about the efficacy of Franklin's work outside of non European forms. All of the body images and models are slender, wearing leotards and tights. The use of ballet terminology throughout the text suggests that the reader should have a working knowledge of ballet vocabulary and movement concepts. Franklin's description of the first and fifth positions as standard dance positions unintentionally devalues non European forms of dance. "The aim of dance training is to [move] efficiently with a minimum of distortion, tension, and energy use" (132) while developing the dancer's artistry. Dance is tactile, metaphoric, visual, and kinesthetic, so training is more than simply strengthening specific muscles; it involves (re) educating the nervous system as a whole (32) Dance is also a personal experience. Conditioning for Dance gives dancers the tools to discover their inner teacher to sense how to integrate their body and mind to go beyond replicating movement.
Journal of Dance Education