As dancers, our bodies need to warm up before hitting the intense choreography in rehearsal. In class, we have the luxury of being led through a 15-45 minute warmup. Somehow when we are starting rehearsals, and no one is there to lead the warmup, dancers take a few static stretches and jump right into the choreography. Here is my recommendation for 3 easy steps to a pre-rehearsal warm up.
1. Start Moving. This should feel good and easy on your joints. Think of making fluid movements, engaging all the muscles in your body. Take an inventory as you move, focusing on different parts of your body. For example, take the focus from your head and neck, down through your torso to the ribs and pelvis, then out through your limbs. You can repeat this list several times. Make sure to engage your abs as you move. The core protects your spine and helps you find your center.
2. Pay attention to your body. If some parts of your body are super sore, take extra time to get them moving. For tight hips and leg muscles, try some leg swings front & back as well as side to side. For stiff ankles and feet, try ankle circles. Now that your body is getting warm, it is also safe to do some light stretching.
3. Mimic the Choreography. Next start to partake in movements similar to the style of the choreography. If you will be doing a lot of jumps, warm up your ankles with smaller jumps or simply jog in place. I will often do a slower and smaller version of some of the choreography, exaggerating the contraction of my muscles. This helps my body warm up and get ready to do the movement full out.
Warm-up Secret: This is one of the first things you ever learned in school... The Alphabet! Use any joint (or your whole body) to draw in the air all of the letters of the alphabet and see how warm you get. This tool is especially beneficial for the ankles and hips.