Pilates for Dancers
All dancers—modern dancers, river dancers, hip-hop dancers, ballet dancers, flamenco dancers—must have the core strength of ten thousand humans. They must stay balanced, move with fluidity, isolate and engage specific muscle groups, spin (without becoming lost in space), leap (and maintain poise in the air), while making it all look smooth as glass. The truth is, it takes an incredible amount of effort to make dance look effortless.
One way dancers stay in shape, maintain their form and gain the strength required to perform their specialized movements is through Pilates. As a young dancer, I was fortunate enough to be introduced to Pilates, and it ended up helping me strengthen my core and work through a difficult injury.
There are a few key reasons that dance and Pilates go hand-in-hand. Joseph Pilates developed Contrology (which became known as Pilates) with dancers in mind. He worked closely with dancers in the early part of his career, devising exercises that would help them refine their movements, strengthen their bodies and prevent injuries. A number of famous 19th century dancers and choreographers who revolutionized modern dance, including Martha Graham and George Balanchine, referred their dancers to Joseph Pilates to help them maintain strength and alignment. Balenchine once referred to Joseph Pilates as “the genius of the body.”
Here are a few reasons why Pilates and dance work together:
Pilates emphasizes the development of a strong core, which is essential for nearly every movement in dance. A strong core provides the stability needed for balance, control and coordination, allowing dancers to move with precision and fluidity.
Pilates teaches awareness of body alignment, which is vital for dancers to achieve graceful, efficient and injury-free movements. Pilates focuses on maintaining a neutral spine and proper posture, which helps dancers perform with better technique and minimizes the risk of strain.
Many Pilates exercises incorporate lengthening movements, which increase flexibility and joint mobility. Flexibility is important for dancers to achieve a full range of motion, especially in movements like extensions and jumps.
Pilates strengthens muscles that support the joints, especially the hips, knees, and ankles—common areas for injury in dancers. By focusing on controlled, low-impact movements, Pilates helps improve muscular balance, reduce tension and address muscle imbalances, all of which reduce the risk of overuse injuries.
Pilates emphasizes controlled, intentional movements with deep concentration on breath and body awareness. This enhances the dancer's mind-body connection, improving their ability to move fluidly and intuitively, and helps them develop a heightened sense of body control, which is important for technical execution in dance.
Pilates promotes muscle control by encouraging small, precise movements, which is ideal for dancers who need to master subtle nuances in their performances. It helps refine muscle control, even in smaller, less noticeable muscle groups, which is important for achieving clean and deliberate movement.
Dancers often develop strong muscles in certain areas (i.e. the legs!), but Pilates helps to create more balanced strength throughout the entire body, including often-neglected muscles like the deep stabilizers of the core and back. This reduces the risk of muscular imbalances that can lead to injury or compromised performance.
Pilates incorporates breathwork that can improve a dancer's stamina and endurance. The focus on deep, controlled breathing also helps dancers maintain energy throughout long rehearsals and performances while enhancing focus and relaxation.
Pilates supports the technical, physical and mental demands of dance by enhancing strength, flexibility, alignment and overall body awareness—all of which are crucial for dancers to perform at their best and stay injury-free.
At The Pilates Room NYC, we partner with Pilates for Performers, a non-profit Pilates teacher training program that helps professional dancers and performers—at any stage of their career—learn a practical skill that will allow them earn a living wage while they pursue performance. We strongly believe that Pilates is an excellent way for dancers to deepen their practice and learn techniques that will keep them healthy and performing at the highest level throughout their careers.
If you’re a dancer or performer interested in becoming certified to teach Pilates, review our prerequisites to see if you are eligible for the Pilates for Performers teacher training program. We welcome participants who believe that movement can be life-changing for people of any age.