hi, in dancing, i've been told that you should have your shoulders back, but this makes my shoulder blades stick out! My dance teacher at the royal ballet has given me some exercises to help this, but i was wondering if anyone could give me anymore, especially using a theraband. Also are there any exercises to increase the strength in my legs? I'm 14 and have a lot of questions, so any help would be appreciated.

Hi...I think you should think more of your shoulders being "dropped" but not forced back. This would certainly cause your scapula (I like to call them "angel wings") to stick out. Just feel your chest "open" (but not ribcage sticking out) and your shoulders dropped...

Don't worry about the wings sticking out (for now). I got obsessive about this and ended up with a pretty stiff looking upper body for a while. GN's advice is perfect. Make sure to feel the length of your spine all the way through the back of your neck too. Your head should be able to move freely. "forcing" the shoulders back might make your neck stick forward. Be careful not to do this.

To feel my shoulders "drop" as GN describes, my teacher's been making me think about the muscles under my armpit. This helps keep that side of the body in one piece, which is important for your extensions and pirouettes. You'll start to feel the muscles all the way down to your waist!

<small>[ 06 April 2005, 04:29 PM: Message edited by: lampwick ]</small>