Physicality work is crucial for every dancer in order to be performing at their peak.

It covers aspects such as:

• Mobility and Flexibility
  
• Athleticism (Strength, Speed, Power, Stamina)
  
• Injury Rehab and Pre-hab
  
• Motor Skill Development
  
• Nutrition and Body Composition
  
• Nervous System Activation and Recovery
  

Elements which all contribute to your ability to tap into your full athletic and technical capability.

Physicality essentially ensures that your body is as adept as possible at delivering on all of the athletic requests and demands you ask of it.

Providing your mechanics and technique are correct, it acts as the ceiling to which you are able to progress.

If you want to turn out your feet? Jump high? Be Sharp? Be Powerful? Be Fit? You physical prowess is what will determine how apt you are doing so.

You may already possess a lot of these attributes, you may possess none! Remember we all have different strengths and weaknesses.

Regardless of your natural capabilities however, improvement can always be made. 

If you look after yourself and provide your body with what it needs, I guarantee you 100% you will progress further than if you didn’t.

Without having an optimised body, you won’t be able to fulfil your technical potential. It’s as simple as that.

Whether it should be prioritised over something else though? That’s dependent on where your most prevalent struggles lie.

Aspects such as warming up, cooling down, pre-hab, nutrition; should be implemented across the board!

Aside from that, if you feel as though your body is unable to execute skilful elements because it is not physically capable, as in structure, then yes. You should be dedicating time outside of class also.

A lot of physical adaptations can be achieved through dancing alone, especially if the intent is there.

For a lot of athletic elements however; you will see a greater benefit, in far less time, if you utilise proper conditioning work. 

Dancing with good technique requires you to move in the right way. In order to do that, you need to give the correct instructions to your body; as well as have the connection with it to be able to actually implement them.

Technicality covers the mechanics behind skilful movement; how to instruct and use your body to achieve improvement. Every element of your technique can be traced down to a simple initial movement habit, which impacts how able you are to channel your athleticism, as well as display polished technique. 

Once you learn how to communicate with your brain and develop your mind/ muscle connection; good habits will take hold and you’ll be able to accomplish far more in far less time as a result.

Our basics form the basis of our movement; they define how we naturally go about things. Everything new we learn is based on that foundation. 

For example; say you struggle with turnout. In order to improve that turnout you drill it and drill and drill it in particular points of your steps; and it will improve… But! When you learn a new step, while your turnout may be a bit better than it was, you’ll more than likely have to re-drill those steps to get it to the same standard.

If you had drilled that turnout into your brain however, as a bio-mechanical pattern; changed the way you habitually move; that turnout will automatically be present no matter what step you learn.

It is then that you’ll be able to move on to developing another aspect of your technical prowess, without losing the improvement you made in another.  

Every dancer has something they can improve on. 

The priority shifts, when it comes to a scenario where the necessary physical demands to accomplish a particular technique, are beyond your capability. For example if you lack the hip mobility or rotational strength to actually turn out your feet/ legs; or if your hamstrings don’t physically lengthen enough to allow your leg to extend beyond a certain point.

In these circumstances physicality work is a must.

If you have the capability? Then you need to really focus your time and energy into fixing how you’re going about things.

Everything we do is dictated by our brain. Behaviours, actions, beliefs; they all stem from up top.

• Mindset struggles such as confidence or nerves
• Motivation blocks or failure to switch on your best performance when it matters most
• Obstacles around learning or being able to ingrain good habits

(the list really does go on)

Learning to understand the mechanism of your brain and nervous system will enable you to objectively look at any barrier you are facing, realise why you’re experiencing it, and strategise to overcome it. 

If you want to really see what you’re capable of as an athlete, dancer, and performer?

You must conquer your mindset.

You could be the best dancer in the world, but if you crumble on stage? The judges will never know.

You can want to achieve your goals with all your heart, but if you can’t seem to find it within yourself to take the necessary action? It’s not going to happen.

You can go to as many dance classes as you want, but if you don’t let go and truly give it all you’ve got without fear or apprehension? You’ll never know what you could be capable of.

Our final destination ultimately depends on the actions we take and decision we make en route, which, all boil down to our mindset. 

Mentality work is a never ending game.

Do you ever wake up feeling exactly the same two days in a row? Can you ever really predict how you’re going to feel when you wake up?!

The truth is, we are constantly changing; constantly evolving; our environment is never exactly the same. As a result, our brains will always be on alert to make sure we stay on what it deems to be a safe course. 

There will never be a time when presence of mind and clarity of thought is not a relevant practice!