Hi again!<BR>okay, I am naturally extremely flexible. (I'm not bragging) But the stretches in class are too eay. I don't feel much anymore when I stretch. I do every stretch I can think of, but nothin works. does anyone have any stretches that I can do? Is anyone in the same situation as me?<BR>Thanks <P>------------------<BR>Crystal

Yes i am! Well i found something. For example, with the splits (do you have them all?) you could place your front foot on something to make it a bit higher, than the split will be harder to do. Or, be happy with your perfect split, and work on your alignment, I mean, if your flexibility is perfect, you don't have to work on it more than others, you could do other things while doing the stretches, for example look if your back is nice and straight, smile, make your arms and hands graceful, etc.<P><BR>------------------<BR>The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything...<p>[This message has been edited by Anastasia (edited May 28, 2001).]

In my opinion, there is no reason to do an oversplit. It does not occur anywhere in the ballet vocabulary. Even though you may be very flexible doesn't mean that you need to overly stress your joints, ligaments, tendons and muscles.<P>I would advise you to just do your regular stretches. Then if there is still time, work on other things that need work - like perhaps pirouettes, or balance - or keeping your weight forward.<P>That's another thing to check - are you keeping your weight where it should be in stretches? Barre stretches for instance?<P>You don't need to stretch until it hurts. If you are flexible, just accept that and enjoy it.

Basheva, you are right, now i think of it, there *is* no reason for an oversplit...<P>------------------<BR>The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything...<BR>

Here is another thread we have on this:<P><A HREF=../../../ubb/Forum7/HTML/000612.html><B>Splits</B></A>

I know it's not exactly on the subject, but I thought of this because of the talk on natural flexibility. I've had a somewhat flexible back all my life, and since I started dancing it's getting back to where it used to be, like I can touch my feet to my head. When I do that, I notice a stretch in the front of my body, like a little lower than the chest. What are those muscles, how do they function as far as ballet, and what more can I do to stretch them if that will help with my back flexibility?

Bebounce, if you can touch your feet to the back of your head, it sounds to me like you have a great deal of flexibility in your back and your front. One doesn't happen without the other.<P>More is not always better. You have to learn to use what you have, to not only bend it but to control it. I know that in ballet and dance in general we are always taught to strive to be better, but being "better" doesn't always mean bending more or getting the leg higher.<P>Being "better" can mean learning to use your back expressively. Have you ever seen the prima ballerina Natalia Makarova dance? Try to get a tape of her. She has a wonderful flexible back, and she uses it so very expressively. <P>There isn't anywhere in the classical ballet vocabulary where you are asked to touch your feet to the back of your head. But, you will be asked to control that back, and make it say different things - express the feeling of the music and what it means to you.