Thread: Weight/balance Issues and Shoes

While practicing for a change, I noticed that I am totally weighted back and throwing myself off balance. (This was a big issue for me while learning to ski as well!) I guess I'm subconsciously afraid .w.: so I lean backward rather than pushing ahead into the big bad world.

So, question - I think wearing shoes will fix that to a degree. I definitely shimmy better if I'm in heels...

What say you bhuzzlanders?

Shoes might be helpful. So might dancing with one foot slightly in front of the other.

But I'd also venture a guess that your ribcage isn't far enough forward?

Oh definitely not. It's not, that is. It's scary out there in forward land where audiences sit...g.:

I jest, but there must be some goofy subconscious reason I pull back and stand back.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Shoes might be helpful. So might dancing with one foot slightly in front of the toher.

But I'd also venture a guess that your ribcage isn't far enough forward?

LOL! Actually, I think your instincts are right on that. In Yoga, we would call pressing the ribcage forward & drawing the shoulders in line 'opening your heart center.' Pretty scary, huh?

I had a talk with Samira (the Dahlal model) about posture once, and about the fact that an 'open heart' onstage = emotional vulnerability.

She said she's noticed that women in Latin countries, where people are more open with their feelings in general, tend to carry themselves with their chests more open.

Of course, a good yogini would tell you that you can help heal your emotional issues by correcting the posture. It doesn't always have to happen the other way around!

Good Point!

"It doesn't always have to happen the other way around!"

You mean, the right shoes won't fix it?

It's interesting that you pull your weight back, Dani. Most dancers have the opposite problem -- carrying the weight more forward on the ball. This comes from needing to be on toe and needing to move gracefully (weight on ball = quicker steps). Heels might help you correct the problem, but you might just pull your weight to the back of the heel instead of the ball. I would suggest also practicing dancing on toe more often, which will force you to pull your weight forward.

(Incidently, the best way to carry your weight on a day to day basis is equally over your feet. Think of your foot as a square and your weight distributed over all four corners.)

I have the same problem and shoes don't really help me. I find that my weight is still very much over my heels, and even shoes with a low heel make me feel wobbly. I didn't realize how much I was leaning back until last year when I took a ballet class for the first time in, oh, 30 years... So, I've been trying really hard to stay up on my toes, like Aazura suggests, and after nine or ten months of that I feel a bit more 'forward'. But my ribcage is still an issue. When I'm in front of a mirror I can correct it, but when I watch myself on video - I relax back instead of opening forward. It's frustrating. I'm going to try what Lauren suggests.

Originally Posted by haleemachandani

my ribcage is still an issue. When I'm in front of a mirror I can correct it, but when I watch myself on video - I relax back instead of opening forward.

Yup, me too! I'm aware that I have this issue, and I strive to practice always in 'correct' posture, but it gets lost the instant I'm performing. (mine is more of a dropped ribcage, though it's still not forward). I can tell instantly when I see one photo from a performance that I'm not gonna want to see the video!

Interesting thought, that it could be emotional. There is a LOT of vulnerability in projecting that open chest to the audience. Also a lot of power, though.

Hmmmm....

"...an 'open heart' onstage = emotional vulnerability."

"It's scary out there in forward land where audiences sit."

Yes, it is interesting. So it's not just a matter of posture then. Is this where we picture the audience members in their undergarments? I've heard that helps performers who are nervous, though, to be honest, I don't know if that would make me any more willing to feel vulnerable. ..l;,

..l;, Some audiences are scarier in their underwear .w.:

Maybe if you picture the music streaming out from your heart to the audience, like a fabulous gift you're offering them. (is that terribly hokey? )

Ugh, I have a huge problem with keeping my ribcage forward.

I have found a number of contributing factors:
- My natural "everyday" posture is tilted backwards a little bit. I'm fairly top-heavy, and have a generous behind, so I think the center of gravity of my upper torso is more forward than the center of gravity of my hips. I usually stand with those centers of gravity lined up, so that puts my ribcage in a slightly pushed back position.
- when I dance, I tend to think a lot about what my hips are doing, which then leads to a subconscious instinct to present them more prominently, and pushing my hips slightly forward compared to my chest.
- I'm not great about remembering to pull my shoulders back. When I pull them back, that seems to naturally put my rib cage forward.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

..l
Maybe if you picture the music streaming out from your heart to the audience, like a fabulous gift you're offering them. (is that terribly hokey? )

Hokey or not, if I think of that next time I'm performing and it helps me remember to pull my shoulders back and push the ribs forward then it's a keeper.

Dani,

You might want to refer to Shareen el Safy's videos or Shareen herself if you have the opportunity to work with her in person (and I greatly envy anyone who has that opportunity). She puts great emphasis on the forward posture vs the weight back posture (more folkloric). She demonstrates the same movements with the two postures showing the differences in look and feel. Takes everything to a different level.

Souzan

here is a very simple thing I use with my students to help them get their weight forward: with your weight on the balls of your feet, bounce very lightly so your heels go up and down on the floor. slowly stop the bouncing, and freeze where you are: this is where you want to be when you are dancing. your ribs will be slightly over your pelvis (or, as I've heard that nourhan says, t*ts over toes!) and your weight securely on the balls of your feet. you'll also want to be sure that your ribs are lifted well up out of your hips and your back is nice and long. keep your neck long and your throat open, like your head is a happy daisy floating at the top of a long slender stalk. :)

it helps to pause every now and then while you're practicing and bounce bounce bounce to get your weight back where it needs to be. you'll find that keeping your internal muscles, pelvic floor, glutes and lower abs engaged will help you keep it there.

Repeat after me: "tits over toes".

Opening the heart is a challenge, but it's not like anybody's asking you to do hardass chakra exercises. It's just another muscle. Think of a wide, open chest as balancing your hips, if you like! Another handy way to get round it is to think about the spot between your shoulder blades instead.

I can also recommend, heartily (lol), taking up tango, particularly from any teacher who focuses on Argentinian-style close hold. Tango leads from the heart. It's fearless, and so should you be.

hmmmmm. a cure for opening up the heart that sounds most interesting, particularly if there's a handsome Argentinian involved.

Originally Posted by haleemachandani

"...an 'open heart' onstage = emotional vulnerability."

"It's scary out there in forward land where audiences sit."

Yes, it is interesting. So it's not just a matter of posture then. Is this where we picture the audience members in their undergarments? I've heard that helps performers who are nervous, though, to be honest, I don't know if that would make me any more willing to feel vulnerable. ..l;,

Ohmigod! I just flashed back to my "extreme stage fright" early days and people would tell me to picture audience in underwear and that made me feel positively queasy! And forget "vulnerable" open chest, that's waaay too scary for me!.w.: I thought of it as "opening up chest to share dance with audience" - not me, just my dance, hello, you don't get me for the price of dinner, let alone a drink or tip in my cossie! .w.:

The only other tip I have on posture is that when you dance with "open chest and LIFTED" - it makes your entire torso look instantly slimmer, and you have more room for those torso moves than when you are "back". I danced in heels all the 10 years of my club work and other than giving my feet and ankles support and protecting from icky *things* on stage, it didn't do anything else for posture - I just felt better and stronger in heels, in fact I still prefer it to barefoot or even flat dance sandals.


--Nisima, the Tenderfoot

ooh, this can be a big one, especially for stuff like turning. i like to picture a puppet-type string lifting the sternum (and another one lifting from the crown of the head). maybe the thought of up is less out-there than out? if you're shortish-waisted like me, being sure your pelvis is neutral will help achieve this, too, again without feeling that you're pushing your chest forward. i have to think about drawing my pelvis down and my ribs up to really get the look of sharp isolations, such as stomach pops and flutters, in my waist/diaphragm area - and that's even though i naturally hold my shoulders back and chest forward (ballet as a kid? secretly an exhibitionist? i dunno!)

all that said - i like the idea of the open heart (hokey music pouring out and all) i'm gonna think about that in the future.

Originally Posted by danidance

While practicing for a change, I noticed that I am totally weighted back and throwing myself off balance. (This was a big issue for me while learning to ski as well!) I guess I'm subconsciously afraid .w.: so I lean backward rather than pushing ahead into the big bad world.

So, question - I think wearing shoes will fix that to a degree. I definitely shimmy better if I'm in heels...

What say you bhuzzlanders?

I don't think heels are the answer here. Just wearing heels actually weekens your ankles and wears on your knees. Wouldn't dance in anything over a 1" heel. If you're a foot-pointer dancer, Sansha makes a great teacher's shoe that looks like a ballerina flat shoe. That style's really popular now. It also adds a pretty line to the foot.

Also, throw yourself in a Russian classical / Balanchine method ballet class. These methods of teaching ballet pitch the weight forward. You'll be forced to learn it. It will improve balance and suspension as well.

Zobeide
(zah-beed)
www.zobeide.com

I think some kind of shoe will help but we'll see.

I definitely agree on other dance classes - that will probably be the cure for my bellydance malaise as well!

The posture - lifted chest forward with shoulders down and back - is a posture of extreame confidence as well as being open, vulnerable and receptive. Watch people walking down the street. People who exude self confidence have this posture.

I am going to agree with ballet or tango classes also. Besides helping you to find a differnet balance, they will open up awareness of different ways to move.

{{{HUGS}}}

Personally, I think that kind of posture is training rather than confidence.

The upside being that posture training can come more strongly from certain dance classes or at least reinforced by them. Flamenco is good for it...so I'll continue with that for the time being.

I've seen what flamenco training can do for a dancer's form, Dani, I think it'll be great.