Safe Dance Practice Question 1

Q1.What is meant by the saying ‘safe dance practice’ and why is it important?

Introduction: Research different definitions of 'Safe Dance Practice' and create your own. Include a statistic identifying the high risk of injury and need for safe dance practice. Acknowledge safe dance principles (i.e. warm up).

Paragraph 1: Warm up. Tell us about what a safe dance warm up consists of; consider goals/aims of a warm up; research the difference between warm up and flexibility training/stretching; you can even create your own warm up! Your warm up booklet will help you with this.

Paragraph 2: Injury prevention - Consider causes of injuries ('harm' factors including environmental; technique; improper training etc.), types of injuries (define acute vs. chronic injuries), and how to treat common injuries.

Conclusion: Summarise your findings. If you want to then acknowledge individual capabilities and limitations - you could reflect on your own body and write a personal response.
• Feel free to elaborate on these principles; it is up to you whether you address all these aspects or whether you choose to look at one particular aspect of interest and do thorough research of that one aspect.
• Remember this assessment task is designed to get you researching so be sure to read widely and reference appropriately.

Safe Dance Practice is the use of correct and safely executed movement that reduces the risk of potential injury. It is also a holistic approach of both art and science that are associated with dance and maintaining the wellbeing of a dancer. This safe approach to Dance practice refers to the preparation of a dancer’s physical and mental state. Many other factors and key fundamentals of safe dance are also important for preparation of the body before and after dance, also approaching a movement in the correct posture by having self-awareness of your alignment, placement and how well you are using your technique. You can also gain injuries due to certain risk factors, so being able to identify potential and harmful risks of a dancer being susceptible to injury are very important if you wish to reduce the risk of sustaining an injury.

An important safe dance principle to acknowledge is that you must warm up too ensure as much injury prevention as possible. Warm ups are important because it prepares the body and wellbeing of the dancer for physical and mental exertion.

The four parts of a successful warm up are: Cardio training, Dynamic stretching, Activation Exercises, and Balance and coordination. As Cardio training is the first part of a successful warm up; it is also the most important, due to the fact that it prepares the body for higher energy demands due to the physical performance a dancer undertakes when dancing.

Cardio training is all about the engagement of the cardiovascular system, it increases the blood flow throughout the body so there’s more energy for the muscles and it also increases muscle endurance. Some basic examples of exercises that can be done are: Springs, Sautés, Gallops, Burpees and Running. The second most important part of a warm up is: Dynamic stretching. It is a very slow and controlled set of movements that progress in momentum, assists in body awareness, and also increases and improves a dancer’s range of motion (ROM). Some basic examples of dynamic stretches that can be incorporated into a warm up are: Lunges, Salute the sun, Body rolls, Leg swings and Alternate toe touches. The third part of a warm up is Activation exercises, this is very important as it is key to activating the right set of muscles we want to use for certain exercises and movements later in the dance lesson. Some basic examples of stretches that can be done are: Isometric chest presses, Superman, Plank, Single leg squats and Fire hydrant. Last of all we have: Balance and coordination. This is another important part of a warm up and helps with dance as well, it is effectively learning how to maintain coordination and balance of multiple body parts when dancing. Some basic examples of stretches that can be done are: Retire, Lunges, Rises and many yoga positions help with this. All of these exercises help from potential injury caused by not warming up.

Injuries can occur from numerous things, but the risk of getting one can be minimised/stopped. The main causes of injury for a dancer are: not warming up which could lead to muscle rips, tears and DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness), exceeding the dancer’s personal limitations by e.g. over rotating or forcing a turn out etc. (Anatomical cause), due to fatigue a dancers technique can becoming lacking (Incorrect technique), the dancers floor and not enough spring can cause injury to the spine- but mainly the metatarsals in your foot (Environmental cause) and also continuously training (Excessive dance). The two most common types of injuries are: Acute and Chronic. An Acute injury is also known as an ‘instant’ injury because it occurs straight away. Whereas a Chronic injury is the worsening of a current injury as it is overused and not treated properly. The most common dance injuries are usually in the ankle, foot and lower back.

Alignment is a dancer’s placement of bones and how the skeletal system supports the base line of gravity. It plays a crucial role in a maintaining stability, control and it allows movement to be energy efficient. The stacking of the bones in the axial skeleton form the central upright of the body- the spine is the most important as it provides the primary movements of the skeletal system. Not only does the skeletal system provide stability and control, the primary muscles surrounding the spine are vital to providing this support as well. The main muscle groups that assist this are the spinal extensions, the abdominals, the quadratus lumborum (in the lower back), both your internal and external obliques, iliopsoas and the rectus abdominis. All of these support the body, and maintain posture.

The main fundamentals of dance are all focused on technique as it is a very important principle of dance itself and it must be learnt correctly to adhere to safe dance practices. With this you should include core conditioning as an important principle as it will help with a dancer’s body placement. Both alignment and placement are similar and if a dancer has poor alignment that can also be the reason why a dancer has poor placement. Proper alignment/placement: hips at normal level, head poised, a straight spine, knees over toes etc. By constantly checking that the dancer has these it improves their technique because at any time they can self-correct and their body learns the correct placement and alignment, the more times you self-correct. Not only does correcting yourself improve this but the stretching that leads up to dancing and its technique.

The benefits of stretching is it can improve your alignment, increases concentration, releases muscle tension, increases muscle temperature (making the muscle more flexible), it also helps prevent and provides aid recovery of an injury. But the most important purpose is that stretching improves flexibility because it lengthens the muscles (eccentric contraction). Types of stretching: The Static Method, The Ballistic Method, The Dynamic Method and the Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Method (PNF). The Static Method is a very still movement, as it holds a stretch- helping with flexibility training and mainly used for cooling down the body (warm down). The Ballistic Method is a movement of very high range- consists of a lot of bouncy movement which leads a dancer susceptible to muscle tears and injury. The Dynamic Method is a series of controlled movements that explore the dancer’s whole range of flexibility and is mainly used for warm up. The PNF Method is an assisted movement either by partner or tool, this should only be used if advised and very controlled, and as it trains your flexibility but if not done right can harm a dancer.

I personally see the overall importance of Safe Dance Practice as there are so many small but important key steps in achieving maximum wellbeing as a dancer. I know that I have room for improvement- and will strive to do so. I will begin addressing my limitations and capabilities again and work on progressing myself further with those, I have so far learnt that both the Static and Dynamic Method of stretching are most effective on me and by doing these I slowly improve and progress the more they are addressed and focused on.

Written by Chloe Chatto

What is Safe Dance Practice and why is it Important?
(Injury prevention; dance technique; alignment; safe stretching; injury treatment; knowledge of anatomy and personal capabilities and limitations).

Safe dance practise balances the art and science of dance. Safe dance practise is being conscious of maintaining the physical and emotional health of the dancer; it aims to prevent dance related injuries by teaching proper preparation and execution in all areas of dance. To ensure I follow safe dance practices it’s essential that I develop my knowledge of the following areas: warm-up and cool-down; injury prevention strategies; correct alignment; accurate dance technique; and types of stretching.

Warm up is important to a dancer so that the body is prepared for difficult movements and help to decrease tension in the muscles and joints which otherwise can increase the possibility of muscle strains. A safe warm up gradually increases the body temperature to an ideal working level and helps to avoid injuries. The cool down is just as important after dancing as this can help to reduce muscle soreness and speed up the recovery process after the activity.

Injuries are likely in dance due to it requiring strength, flexibility and high physical demands. Therefore, it’s important to take preventative measures to avoid doing so such as; being aware of injuries and limitations and not pushing yourself beyond those limits; completing thorough warm up before dancing including stretches; cooling down after dancing and stretch again; drink plenty of water to replenish the fluids being lost through sweat; be sure to have correct posture, alignment and technique.

Alignment is crucial to a dancer to maintain stability and body control. The more body bases are on the ground the more stable the body. The centre of weight is where the body’s weight accumulates. Factors of alignment are;
• The hip should always be in equal rotation.
• The spine should be lengthened but maintain its natural curve.
• Weight evenly spread through your feet (2/3rd’s on ball of the foot and 1/3rd on the heel) for stability.
• Relaxed patella
Without correct alignment, more stress is put on the wrong parts of the body such as if the knee isn’t over the middle toe in a plie, this puts unnecessary pressure and stress on the knee and may cause pain and future injury.
Precise technique is an essential element of the aesthetics of dance performance. Technique is also crucial during warm-up, cool-down and rehearsing to prevent injuries. Some aspects are keeping the head, shoulders and hips vertically aligned, turnout, and pointed feet. Technical exercises such as tendus make dancers become conscious of guiding and eventually expelling energy through a flexed or pointed foot. It is also where strength in the foot id developed for taking off and landing in jumps.

Rules of stretching;• DO NOT stretch cold muscles.
• DO stretch before and after physical activity.
• DO stretch gently and slowly.
• DO NOT bounce during stretching.
• DO stretch to the point of mild discomfort, never to when it hurts.
• DO NOT hold your breath.


BIBLIOGARPHY
HSC DANCE SAFE DANCE PRACTICE, Definitions of safe dance practise;
accessed 19-05-2017
<http://hscdance.weebly.com/safe-dance-practice.html
HSC DANCE ALIGNMENT, Alignment;
Accessed 24/05/2017
<http://hscdance.weebly.com/alignment.html
Dancing - preventing injury, Reducing the risk of dance injuries;
created June 2015, accessed 24/05/17
<https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/dancing-preventing-injury
WARM UP AND COOL DOWN FOR DANCERS, Why should you warm up and cool down?
Created 04/02/14 by tlhealth, accessed 22/0510/2017 <https://trinitylaban.wordpress.com/2014/04/02/warm-up-and-cool-down-for-dancers/
Ballet Technique, Training;
Created 17/11/2016, accessed 24/05/2017
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballet_technique
Stretching Rules for Dancers, Rules for stretching

Written by Molly Seaman

“What is safe dance practice and why is it important?”

There are five main parts to safe dance practice: warm up/cool down, stretching, alignment, injury prevention and body maintenance.

Safe dance practice is knowing your body and its limitations. Often during puberty, your bones more often grow faster than your muscles, resulting in less flexibility. Skills we were once able to do might put strain on our muscles resulting in injury.

Warm up is the use and movement of warming up your body temperature, muscles, mobilising and lubricating the joints, mentally preparing yourself, stretching and flexing your muscles, muscle activation and then cooling down.

It is extremely important that we warm up our bodies first before we stretch. Failure to do this increases and makes you more vulnerable to acute injury or soreness after dancing. The warm-up should consist of cardio-vascular exercises (aerobic exercises) gradually increasing in effort, rhythmic exercise which begins to raise the heartrate and raise muscle temperature, and dynamic stretches or range of movement (ROM) stretches should be performed to move all of the joints through their full range of motion.

After warming up it is crucial that we stretch. It improves our flexibility, releases muscle tension, prevents and aids injury and helps safe recovery from exercise. For flexibility, a stretch to be effective it should be held for 30 seconds to a minute.
The safest stretches include:
Active – when the dancer holds their body weight while stretched. I.e. plank, push up, rises, sit ups.
Dynamic – stretches that continually move through the muscles and joints range of motion. I.e. solute to the sun, body rolls, leg swings and hip movement.
Static – the most common type of stretch, still and holding stretch.
PNF – when the muscle begins fully contracted and then moves through the joints full range of motion, usually done with a partner or some form of resistance from a device.

Cooling-down gradually slows circulation to safely return to a resting heart rate, the bloody circulation removes waste products from the muscles and prevents soreness. This should be followed by gentle stretching and breathing. During cool down stretches, such as static or PNF can be used.

Written By Maddy F.

What is safe dance practice and why is it important?

Safe dance practice is the practice of selecting and performing safe movement. A few main parts of safe dance practice are: warm up and cool down, alignment, injury prevention and stretching. Safe dance practice focuses on providing dance movements and exercise which allow dancers to participate without risk of injury. A dancer needs to be aware of the needs and capabilities within their own body so that they don’t push their body further then it can handle, Strength, joint flexibility, muscular strength, as well as coordination are all elements that can be improved with training and practice not by pushing yourself to do a skill that your body may not be ready for. Warming up and stretching before dancing, and cooling down after dancing are very important elements of safe dance practice.

Warming up your body is important, to keep your heart rate up and your blood pumping through your body. The first thing to do when you warm up is to get your heart racing, you can do things such as: star jumps, running, high knees and grape vines, this will make your muscles more loose and warm so that you don’t hurt yourself when you stretch or do a dance movement. Next is to stretch so that you don’t pull a muscle when you dance, the stretches that you do vary to the things you are doing in your dance class that day but some common stretches are: Reaching and bending up, over, forward, and sideways, leg swings and lunges. Remember that when doing these stretches you should not be in pain you should only feel small discomfort. It is important to stretch before you start dancing so that you don’t pull any muscles when you dance and so that your muscles are not tight when you are doing things such as grand jetes.

Written by Hollie Denney

Safe Dance practice Q1.What is safe dance practice?

Safe dance practice is the terminology given to the practice of selecting and executing safe movement when dancing. Safe dance practices should focus on providing dance activities and exercise which allows a dancer to participate without the risk of harm or injury and ensure the physical and emotional wellbeing of a dancer.

Safe dance practises should include:

As the body is the instrument of dance it crucial to always warm up this is important for dancers to warm up in order to prepare the body for longer and active movements and help to decrease tension in the muscles and joints. A safe warm up gradually increases the body temperature to an optimal working level and helps to avoid injuries. Cooling down is just as important after dancing as this can help to reduce sore muscles and speed up the recovery process after dance activities if dance activity stops suddenly, blood can pool within a dancers muscles rather then return the blood to the brain which can cause dizziness.

Stretching before dance is beneficial as it helps increase a range of motions while dancing, it reduces muscle tension and helps decrease injury. Stretching after dance is also beneficial as it can decrease muscles soreness. Ballistic stretching should be avoided and you should always make sure your body is warm before you stretch. Always know your limits and know that when you are in a stretch that you shouldn’t be in pain only in discomfort (discomfort vs pain).

Alignment is key while dancing, proper body alignment allows a dancer to move more freely and lessen the risk of injury. It is important to align your spine so that your back is lengthened, still with the natural curve at the base of the spine. Your shoulders, hip bones and knees should be in line. It is helpful to check your alignment in a full length mirror and can also be easily checked through a plie.

Body maintenance is another key step of safe dance practice this is the preparation and maintenance of a dancer’s body so they can perform at optimum level. These include training (taking classes such as yoga or Pilates), Strength, Flexibility and stamina conditioning (All round strength reduces the risk of injury. Flexibility training ensures that the muscles are strong and lengthened to reach the extensive flexibility demands that are needed in dance. Flexibility, muscle can be developed and lengthened through stretching, the ability of a dancer to have heart and lungs work efficiently will help maintain a high quality performance). Coordination helps to improve the overall execution of a dance performance.

In dance it is extremely important to have a Healthy diet having a balanced diet provides the body with essential nutrients and supports energy needs. It also helps improve general health. It is very important to keep your body hydrated to replenish our bodily fluids that are lost through sweat.

Know your limits Personal limitations are a very important subject in safe dance practice. Don’t push your body excessively past its limitations as this can lead to injury. In terms of flexibility and endurance.

There is no getting around the fact that dancers get injured injury rates are high in the dancing profession. 80% of dancer’s experience a disabling injury during their dance career and 90% of these injuries occur when a dancer is fatigued. The more we use safe dance practices and the more we know about how the body works will ultimately promote enjoyment, satisfaction a longevity in dance.

Written by Ashleigh B

"what Safe Dance Practice is and why is it important?” Injury prevention (i.e. warm up and cool down); dance technique; alignment; safe stretching; injury treatment; knowledge of anatomy and personal capabilities/limitations. 350 - 500 Words

The aim of Safe Dance Practice is to provide students with the ability to participate in dance training without the risk of injury. There are many aspects a dancer can address to ensure they are adhering to Safe Dance Practice principle. They include warm up, types of injuries, stretching, correct alignment and technique.

The risk of injury from improper warm up is very high. Therefore it is essential to understand how to warm up and cool down safely. We need to warm up our muscles, increase our heart rate, mentally prepare for the activity we are about to execute and also cool down after dancing so our muscles are not tense the next day. The aim of safe dance warm up is to make sure your muscles and body is prepared for the movement you’re about to perform. Safe dance warm up consists of increasing your body temperature and heart rate by running and doing cardio exercises such as jumps/sautés and gallops, lengthen our muscles and mobilise the joints by doing dynamic stretches such as lunges, leg swings, body swings and rolls. We have to mentally prepare ourselves so that we are prepared for the movement and are in control of our body. We also have to activate our muscles by doing roll ups, planks, plies and tendus.

Injuries can be prevented by warming up properly. Causes of injuries are not warming up or not cooling down which can lead to you pulling muscles or being sore the next day. There are two types of injuries, acute and chronic. Acute injuries are injuries that happen instantly in one specific area of the body, such as a muscle, bone or joint. Chronic injuries are injuries that are caused over a period of time and eventually get worse and are harder to recover from.

Stretching is an essential component to the dance class. The purpose of stretching is to improve your flexibility, alignment and prevent you from injury. However, if you do the wrong stretches at the wrong time, you can cause a dancer to become more susceptible to injury. Therefore it is important to understand the four types of stretching. The Static Method is holding stretches for 30 seconds and used to get more flexible. Static stretching is best used for cool down stretching. The Ballistic Method is a bouncing/pulsing method while stretching. This is an unsafe way to stretch and isn’t used very often. The Dynamic Method is more controlled then the ballistic method but still rotates through the range of your flexibility. Dynamic stretching is used for warming up. The last method is The PNF Method, which is partner assistance stretching. It can also involve using straps to hold your leg etc. The PNF Method is used for flexibility training.

Correct technique and alignment is important to understand before executing movements, because if you are dancing while not using the right muscles or having your leg, feet or hips in correct alignment you can injure yourself severely. With your feet, if the sole of your foot rotates to the midline of your body, it is called a sickle. If your foot rotates away from the midline of your body, that is called eversion. Your foot should be in line with the rest of your leg and pointed.

Safe Dance Practice is very important for our bodies and mind and we need to make sure we warm up properly before dancing and cool down after dancing.

Written by Caitlyn V

The google definition for safe dance practice is the holistic approach to the art and science of dance which assists me in maintaining optimum physical and emotional wellbeing as a dancer. Warming up is important in preventing injuries from occurring. Different types of warm up include, running on the spot, star jumps, etc. when warming up to make sure that you are ready to Dance your muscle should feel loose and your feeling warm. Stretching is also great for flexibility training, these stretches can include, straddle sit, dag ward dog, holding your splits with 2 blocks etc. but you should know your limitations and what are capable to achieve. There are also different types of stretching methods, these include

· The static method- holding stretches for 30 seconds, flexibility, cool down.

· The ballistic method – bouncing, stretches the muscles at the highest range

· The dynamic method- more controlled, goes through all levels of flexibility

· And the PNF method- partner assisted, stretching device assisted, flexibility class

In groups you can make up warms ups to show the class, doing this shows teamwork and skills.



Preventing injuries- injuries in dance are most commonly in the foot or ankle, when this happens it’s most likely to be stress fractures, tendon injuries, or sprains. Preventing these from happening again you should straps the ankles or foot to prevent from rolling and keeps it strained, also make sure that you stretch your ankles feet for example sit down and point your toes forward and flex them back.

Acute injuries are the impact or traumatic result on a specific area on the body.

Chronic injuries are physical injuries that occur and develop slowly that last for a period of time.

Body placement and Alignment in dance is specifically how your body is aligned with the stretch your doing for example upward facing dog, your hands are firmly on a flat surface, feet and toes are pointed or flexed, maintaining length in spine, stack elbows wrist and shoulders, head balanced on top of spine.

Dynamics- dynamics in dance include

· Weight

· Energy

· Force

· Movement qualities





For my own experience I stretch every day and after I am so sore so when I come to stretch at dance if I don’t warm up I know I will hurt myself so I make sure I warm up properly and know my limitations to see how far I can go.

Written by Josephine

Q1 - What is safe dance practise and why is it important

Every dancer of every age, ability, and style should be able to engage fully in the performance or entertainment of dancing and be encouraged to achieve their potential without risk of harm to the body, that’s where safe dance practice comes in. Safe dance practice can be defined as the practice of selecting and executing safe movement, it focuses on providing dance activities and exercise which allow students to participate without risk of injury. But safe dance practice is not only about minimising risk of injury, it is also about extending participation in dance through healthful practice. Safe dance practice is made up of many components including: warm up, cool down, injury prevention and body alignment.

Safe dance practice is made up of principles like warm up and cool down. Warm up and cool down are the most important parts of any dance training, the warm up gradually increases the body temperature so that it is at an ideal working level and helps to avoid injuries. A good warm up should consist of exercises that Increase coordination and proprioception, increase heart rate and blood circulation gradually, reduce the risk of injury, improves the transmission of nerve impulses and should mobilise all the joints that are going to be used during the dance class or performance. The cool down is just as important after dancing as it can help to reduce muscle soreness and help to speed up the recovery process after the activity.

It is important for all dancers to know about injuries and how to prevent them, Safe dance practice helps to reduce risk of injury by giving dancers a guideline to follow. The physical strains that are placed on the bodies of dancers have been shown to make them just as vulnerable to injury as football players. The Lead author of the study, published by Sports Medicine Australia in The Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, Christina Ekegren said “Previous research has confirmed that dance, and in particular, ballet, is one of the most demanding physical activities undertaken by young people.” The most frequent types of injuries that are caused by dance are: spasms, muscle or ligament strain/tear, sprains, dislocation or fracture. There are usually two different phases of the injury, the first phase is the acute phase where the swelling must be handled and healing up measures have to be taken. During the acute phase the R. I. C. E. (rest, ice, compression, elevation) principles apply for almost all cases. If a dancer continues to dance on an injury no matter how minor it may be, they are at the risk of making their injury become a chronic injury. In the US a total of 184 dancers completed an anonymous 17-page questionnaire on their injuries that had occurred in the previous 12 months, a total of 82% of the dancers had suffered between one and seven injuries.

Another main aspect of safe dance practice is body alignment. Proper body alignment allows a dancer to move more freely and puts the dancer at a lesser risk of injury. When a dancer has poor body alignment they put more pressure and strain on muscles and joints and they are more susceptible to injury. A proper body alignment also strengthens the dancers muscles, learning what proper body alignment is, is usually the first step to learning dance.

Without safe dance practice there would be so many more injuries and not as much interest in dance. Safe dance practice aims to provide dancers with excellence in dance performance and a healthy and an effective dance training throughout their life.



Bibliography

http://www.humankinetics.com/products/all-products/safe-dance-practice

http://ausdance.org.au/articles/details/safe-dance-practice

http://www.therealretreat.co.uk/uploads/Health%20Safety%20and%20Safe%20Dance%20Practice.pdf

Written By Hannah P

What is Safe Dance Practice and Why Is It Important?

Safe Dance Practice is the way dancers maintain their physical and emotional wellbeing. It prepares them to perform and ensure that the dancer can avoid injury from executing physical demanding movement and there are five main components which contribute to Safe Dance Practice that are warm up/cool down, safe stretching, alignment, injury treatment and dance technique. By understanding the importance of each components, it will allow us as dancers to have the knowledge on how to be a safer and healthier dancer overall.

A great warm up should allow your muscles to become warm without losing to much energy and for this to happen the warm up should focus on increasing circulation and blood flow. The key to an effective warm up contain five essential elements which are circulation, joints, muscles, nerves and relaxation/concentration. After an effective warm up, the next best thing to do is to execute safe stretching. There are three common types of stretches that dancers use which are Static (still), PNF (Partner or Device Assisted) and Dynamic (controlled, goes through the whole-body range). Another type of stretch that many dancers use called Ballistic (bouncing) but this type of stretching should not be performed because this stretch is not very controlled which can lead exceed the extensibility limit of the soft tissue quite easily. It is important for dancers to understand safe stretching because although there may be benefits, there are negatives such as overstretching but if you are aware of the risks and how to safely execute stretching, you’ll be able to avoid injury.

Alignment is correct body placement which is also involved in better technique and can reduce injury. Correct alignment can also help with balances, falls, jumps and weight placement. The best and ideal alignment is when a dancer’s weight is evenly distributed and helps the body move comfortably and efficiency when performing the required dance movement. When thinking about alignment, you should remember the planes of movement: frontal, sagittal and transverse planes and be aware of the imaginary line that passes through the middle of the body. Although you may dance safely, you may not be able to avoid injury some time so it is critical that dancers are aware of how to treat and avoid injury in the best way possible. Whether the acute and chronic injury, a dancer should follow the RICED method for the safest and best results possible but what does RICED stand for. It means Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation and lastly Doctor. Dance Technique is the skills that are required to execute movement safely for dancers. For each style of dance there is a technique they use for example ballet is my preferred technique to use which the one of the main focus is technique includes pointed feet, turnout and posture just to name a few components. If we as dancers understand the style that we are dancing and the technique, you will be able to perform your dance safely which is why a dancer should focus heavily on technique. Plus if you dance if nice technique personally it looks better.

In conclusion, Safe Dance Practice is crucial to a dancer’s wellbeing and if they are aware of the many components, they will be able to avoid potential risks or injury. If a dancer understands what is required to execute movement correctly and has knowledge of Safe Dance Practice, the better the dancer will be.

Written by Jess D

Q1.What is meant by the saying ‘safe dance practice’ and why is it important?
it focuses on providing dance activities and exercises which allow students to participate without risk of injury. In order to prepare for safe dance practises, you need to gain an understanding of the body and its limitations.

•
Introduction: Research different definitions of 'Safe Dance Practice' and create your own. Include a statistic identifying the high risk of injury and need for safe dance practice. Acknowledge safe dance principles (i.e. warm up).

For a dancer to reach a goal or perform a safe dance practises, dancers must know the limitation and properly warmup and cool down and complete the performance correctly.

•
Paragraph 1: Warm up. Tell us about what a safe dance warm up consists of; consider goals/aims of a warm up; research the difference between warm up and flexibility training/stretching; you can even create your own warm up! Your warm up booklet will help you with this.
A warm up repairs the body for the activity; in this case a dance performance.
Warming up also prevents injuries to the body’s muscles which can be more effective when cold or lack of energy.
•
Paragraph 2: Injury prevention - Consider causes of injuries ('harm' factors including environmental; technique; improper training etc.), types of injuries (define acute vs. chronic injuries), and how to treat common injuries.

Dancers must be cautious of when dancing in a partner composition. Dancers have to be aware of the other dancers using safe techniques that will not haem any of the dancer’s body’s.

When using object in your dance such as; chairs, mats, walls, shoes, hand objects [fans].
Acute injury is a sudden injury that is usually associated with a traumatic event such as running or clashing into another dancer. These sudden events can easily damage a dancer’s body, eg; causing bones to break, ligaments to tear or snap, or muscles to drastically pull.


Conclusion: Summarise your findings. If you want to then acknowledge individual capabilities and limitations - you could reflect on your own body and write a personal response.
• Feel free to elaborate on these principles; it is up to you whether you address all these aspects or whether you choose to look at one particular aspect of interest and do thorough research of that one aspect.
• Remember this assessment task is designed to get you researching so be sure to read widely and reference appropriately.

Written by Natalya Nelson

Warm up:
A detailed warm-up begins with exercises and stretches followed by more precise steps and movement combinations that gradually build up to cause sweat without becoming out of breath. As muscles get warmer, they also become more flexible. The best muscle warmer is your own circulation, so that you can increase your blood flow by gradually exercising. when doing this it also cuts down on muscle soreness after exercise.
Injuries prevention:
• The most common and affective injury preventions are:
• Go see a doctor for a check-up if you have a medical condition, are overweight, are over 40 years of age or haven’t exercised regularly for a long time.
• If you have had a pre-existing problem in your body somewhere or injury particularly to the foot, ankle or lower back, refer to your doctor before starting.
• Try to choose a dance style that is suitable for you. Have a basic awareness of your own body and of your own personal limits and boundaries. For example, high impact dance styles that involve jumping and energetic actions are not appropriate for a person with arthritis.
• Warm up carefully before you start dancing and contain stretches. This is important in preparing the body for dancing.
• Cool down after a dance session and stretch again.
• Drink plenty of water before, during and after dancing.
• Wear layers of clothing that you can take off as your body warms up.
• Wear professionally fitted shoes appropriate to your style of dance. Proper dance shoes distribute load, absorb impact, and support your foot.
• Don’t push yourself too far or too fast, especially if you are a beginner.
• Concentrate on correct posture and your dance technique. The way a dancer connects one movement to another must be technically correct so as not to twist the body incorrectly, or strain a muscle.
• Talk with your dance coach if you have a problem or injury. They may be able to adjust the move and teach you a variation to reduce the risk factors.
• Sit down and watch sometimes and that can help you learn more from watching than actually doing something for the first time.
• Make sure you take enough rest between dance sessions, especially if you are new to dancing or are not very fit. This will help minimise muscle soreness or stiffness.

Find a definition of safe dance:
Safe dance can be defined as the practice of selecting and executing safe movement. Safe dance practice focuses on providing dance activities and exercises which allow students to participate without risk of injury. In order to teach dance, you need to gain an understanding of the body and its limitations. Safe dance principles that aid this understanding include:• an awareness of how the body moves
• a knowledge of common dance injuries, their cause, prevention and treatment
• a knowledge of the nature and function of warm-up and technique exercises in preparing the body to dance. An understanding of the muscular-skeletal system and its function in movement aids in the application of safe dance practice.
• Observing and correcting basic technical faults in students allows them to move more safely and efficiently.
• Correct alignment of the body, and in particular, the feet and ankles, knees, hips and spine is critical.
• Alignment should be observed, whether the student is standing or in motion. Each student brings to the class differences in terms of musculo-skeletal structure, level of fitness, experience and skill. Each student needs to be assessed and managed with regards to his or her alignment, strength, flexibility, endurance (stamina) and level of training. From Early Stage 1, students should be encouraged to pay attention to how their body feels when moving and to maintain correct alignment. As students increase their knowledge and skills in dance, they can be more active in managing safe dance practices.


Written by Bonnie Johnson