Dancers need to be flexible and responsive to perform effectively and avoid pain and injury. This is true for both classical ballet and more contemporary forms of dance.
In all forms of dance our bodies are prone to tension, pain and injury to the soft tissues and joints. Through working directly with the injured tissues as well as with the proprioception*, Ortho-Bionomy is ideally suited to addressing all aspects of healing and bringing back a coherency of movement. Not only does this reduce the likelihood of re-injury but it also increases the dancer’s somatic awareness, thereby increasing the ability for effective expression and communication through our movement.
“This allows us to move more freely, with greater balance, ease and increased awareness.”
Most dancers are all too familiar with the pain and tension that develops due to the repetitive nature of the training and which makes the body susceptible to a whole range of injuries. This is especially true given the range of positions the body is moved into combined with the strong forces that are placed upon them during training and performing.
Through facilitating the body’s inherent tendency for self-correction, Ortho-Bionomy assists with the release of the tension, helps settle any inflammation and allows our tissues to move through and disrupt the tension patterns that we have become so familiar with.
In this way, Ortho-Bionomy frees up our body’s natural responsiveness, which is then able to re-assert itself. This allows us to move more freely, with greater balance, ease and increased awareness. In turn, this enhances the understanding we have with our fellow dancers, increasing our kinaesthetic awareness, and allowing us to interact with more coherency and more embodied intent.
If you would like to talk to Hugh or make an appointment, he is available in Thirroul and Bondi and can be contacted on 0430 436 605. Alternatively, phone either clinic directly.
*Proprioception is the ability to be aware of where oneself is in space. The proprioceptive nerves are clustered around the joints but are also present in the muscles and tendons. It is these nerves that let us know our body position and the speed of our movement.