• Contributors
    • Catherine L. Tully, Owner/Editor
    • Dance Writers
      • Rachel Hellwig, Assistant Editor — Dance
      • Jessika Anspach McEliece, Contributor — Dance
      • Janice Barringer, Contributor – Dance
      • José Pablo Castro Cuevas, Contributor — Dance
      • Katie C. Sopoci Drake, Contributor – Dance
      • Ashley Ellis, Contributor — Dance
      • Samantha Hope Galler, Contributor – Dance
      • Cara Marie Gary, Contributor – Dance
      • Luis Eduardo Gonzalez, Contributor — Dance
      • Karen Musey, Contributor – Dance
      • Janet Rothwell (Neidhardt), Contributor — Dance
      • Matt de la Peña, Contributor – Dance
      • Lucy Vurusic Riner, Contributor – Dance
      • Alessa Rogers, Contributor — Dance
      • Emma Love Suddarth, Contributor — Dance
      • Andrea Thompson, Contributor – Dance
      • Sally Turkel, Contributor — Dance
      • Lauren Warnecke, Contributor – Dance
      • Sharon Wehner, Contributor – Dance
      • Ashley Werhun, Contributor — Dance
      • Dr. Frank Sinkoe, Contributor – Podiatry
      • Jessica Wilson, Assistant Editor – Dance
    • Dance Wellness Panel
      • Jan Dunn, MS, Editor
      • Gigi Berardi, PhD
      • James Garrick, MD
      • Robin Kish, MS, MFA
      • Moira McCormack, MS
      • Janice G. Plastino, PhD
      • Emma Redding, PhD
      • Erin Sanchez, MS
      • Selina Shah, MD, FACP
      • Nancy Wozny
      • Matthew Wyon, PhD
    • Music & Dance Writers
      • Scott Speck, Contributor – Music
    • Interns
      • Intern Wanted For 4dancers
    • Contact
  • About
    • About 4dancers
    • Advertise With 4dancers
    • Product Reviews on 4dancers
    • Disclosure
  • Contact

4dancers.org

A website for dancers, dance teachers and others interested in dance

Follow Us on Social!

Visit Us On YoutubeVisit Us On TwitterVisit Us On PinterestVisit Us On FacebookVisit Us On Instagram
  • 4dancers
    • Adult Ballet
    • Career
    • Auditions
    • Competition
    • Summer Intensives
    • Pointe Shoes & Footwear
      • Breaking In Shoes
      • Freed
      • Pointe Shoe Products
      • Vegan Ballet Slippers
      • Other Footwear
  • 4teachers
    • Teaching Tips
    • Dance History
    • Dance In The US
    • Studios
  • Choreography
  • Dance Wellness
    • Conditioning And Training
    • Foot Care
    • Injuries
    • Nutrition
      • Recipes/Snacks
  • Dance Resources
    • Dance Conferences
    • Dance Products
      • Books & Magazines
      • DVDs
      • Dance Clothing & Shoes
      • Dance Gifts
      • Flamenco & Spanish Dance
      • Product Reviews
    • Social Media
  • Editorial
    • Interviews
      • 10 Questions With…
      • Dance Blog Spotlight
      • Post Curtain Chat
      • Student Spotlight
    • Dance in the UK
    • Finding Balance
    • Musings
    • One Dancer’s Journey
    • Pas de Trois
    • SYTYCD
    • The Business Of Dance
    • Finis
  • Music & Dance
    • CD/Music Reviews

Keeping Dancers Dancing: Outside Conditioning – The Franklin Method Part II

June 15, 2012 by 4dancers

by Jan Dunn, MS

Today we continue our focus on the Franklin Method, with part II of thist series by Jan Dunn…

In the dance world, there is a long list of institutions / companies where the FM has been used and acclaimed– below are only a few of them:

-The Julliard School (NYC)

-Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance (London)

-The Royal Ballet School (London)

-The Royal Danish Ballet

-“A Chorus Line” national touring company

-Cirque de Soleil

-Paris Opera Ballet

-Frankfort Ballet

-Hong Kong Modern Dance Academy

-The American Dance Festival

Articles about the FM have been in several dance publications over the years, such as Dance Teacher, Pointe, and Dance Magazine. These can all be found on the Franklin website www.franklinmethod.com, along with articles in other areas such as fitness and Pilates.

The FM is based on practical applications of neuroplasticity, and uses imagery as the primary tool to achieve positive changes in our bodies.  There is much research to validate the use of imagery in teaching movement, especially in the sports world (there is research in dance as well, but only recently – whereas in sports, studies involving imagery go back many years).  Experiential anatomy is also a major part of learning the FM.  That means not only learning anatomy from a book perspective, but taking the knowledge into your body with movement – “embodying” it is a term often used for this, in Franklin as well as other movement education systems.  Embodiment gives you direct physical awareness of the body’s function and design.

If you have never experienced working with the Franklin Method, the best way to start is by taking a workshop with a certified instructor.  The FM is relatively new to the US – while the teacher training has been in Europe for over 20 years, here in the States it only started 8 years ago.  There are still less than 200 instructors in the US, and as yet only a small percentage are also professionals in the dance world.  You can find the list of certified teachers / their locations on the Franklin website, and also on the website www.franklin-method.us.   I encourage you to take a workshop with whomever you find in your area, regardless of whether or not they are a dance person.  Dancers usually relate instantly to FM, as it incorporates many concepts they have already had exposure to in their dance lives (Eric Franklin was, after all, first and foremost a dancer and choreographer J).  Franklin himself gives several workshops a year in the US, so if you can locate one that works geographically for you, do it!  You will most likely love it, and it will open your eyes to a whole new way of thinking about your body and movement.

If you do not have access to any workshops or certified teachers, there are still ways to experience the FM.  All of Franklin’s books and videos are available through OPTP, a physical therapy supply house – www.optp.com.  Two of his many books are especially useful for a dancer new to the FM, and are ones I recommended immediately:

-“Dynamic Alignment Through Imagery”

-“Dance Conditioning”

The second book has many actual conditioning exercises that dancers usually find very useful, and that will help give you that overall balance and strength that you need to avoid injury –something we’ve talked about before in this column!

If you are interested in becoming a Franklin-certified teacher, that information can also be found on the www.franklinmethod.com website.  There are 3 levels of training, but you do not have to do all 3 in order to teach. You are allowed to teach whatever material is contained in each level that you complete, even if you do not go on to the next one.  There are usually at least one or two Level One courses taught in the US each year.

Our next posting will continue with our topic of “conditioning”, only this time it will all about the importance of aerobic conditioning for dancers.  Our guest author will be Emma Redding, PhD, who is head of Dance Science at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, and current President of IADMS (International Association of Dance Medicine and Science).

Jan Dunn, MS

Editor Jan Dunn is a dance medicine specialist currently based on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, where she is affiliated with Pilates Kauai. She is also a Pilates rehabilitation specialist and Franklin Educator.

Originally a dancer / choreographer, she became university dance faculty, most recently as Adjunct Faculty, University of Colorado Dept. of Theatre and Dance.  Her  28 year background in dance medicine includes 23 years with the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS) – as Board member / President / Executive Director – founding Denver Dance Medicine Associates, and establishing two university Dance Wellness Programs.

Jan served as organizer and Co-Chair, International Dance Medicine Conference, Taiwan 2004, and was founding chair of the National Dance Association’s (USA) Committee on Dance Science and Medicine, 1989-1993. She originated The Dance Medicine/Science Resource Guide; and was co-founder of the Journal of Dance Medicine & Science.  She has taught dance medicine, Pilates, and Franklin workshops for medical / dance and academic institutions in the USA / Europe / Middle East / and Asia, authored numerous articles in the field, and presented at many national and international conferences.

Ms. Dunn will be writing a new column, “Dance Wellness” for 4dancers in 2012 and will also be bringing in voices from the dance wellness/dance medicine field to share their expertise with readers.

Filed Under: 4dancers, conditioning, Dance Wellness Tagged With: a chorus line, cirqui de soleil, conditioning, dance, dance wellness, dancers, dr. emma redding, frankfort ballet, hong kong modern dance academy, iadms, jan dunn, paris opera ballet, the american dance festival, the franklin method, the julliard school, the royal ballet school, the royal danish ballet, trinity laban

Keeping Dancers Dancing: Outside Conditioning – GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS®

May 30, 2012 by 4dancers

by Jan Dunn, MS

Jan Dunn, MS

Summer is almost here, and if you’re still a student, you’ll be out soon for summer break — and if you’re a professional dancer, you might have at least some time off over the coming months (hopefully!).  In recent articles, we’ve been talking about the value of outside-of-class conditioning for dancers of all ages, to help your body stay in great shape for a long, healthy career. Summer is a good time to investigate different forms of outside conditioning that are beneficial for dancers (if you aren’t already doing some!).

The last article I posted on this topic was about Pilates –this time we’ll talk about GYROTONIC® and  GYROKINESIS® (G & G, we will call them, when talked about together), exercise forms which are not as well known / widespread as Pilates, but one which many dancers enjoy.

Juliu Horvath, the creator / founder of the system, is a Hungarian “man for all seasons” – a former professional ballet dancer, yogi, and wood sculptor, now in his 60’s.  Like many people who went on to develop unique methods to address concerns about the body, Horvath suffered career-ending injuries while performing as a principal dancer with the Houston Ballet.  He moved to the Virgin Islands to recover, and began an extensive study and practice of yoga.  His experience and research led to developing the G & G system,  He states:

“I discovered Kundalini energy through my pain and agony, and somehow that awakened me.  Being awakened energetically means that you can read the movement when it is not a movement yet.  You are like a little child who is totally unconscious and not prepared to make movement happen. Children move because something moves them from within.”

The G & G movement system gently works the joints and muscles of the body, using key principles which are found in many forms of movement, such as yoga, tai-chi, gymnastics, swimming – and dance. It is an undulating, rhythmic, circular movement form, which is one of the appeals to dancers.

Horvath’s aim is to take the body “beyond its current limitations”.  The exercises strengthen, lengthen, and stretch muscles, stimulating the connective tissue around the joints – improving balance, flexibility, coordination, and strength.

The system has two components, mentioned earlier: [Read more…]

Filed Under: 4dancers, conditioning, Dance Wellness Tagged With: ballet dancer, dance medicine, dance wellness, dr. emma redding, Franklin Method, gyrokinesis, gyrotoner, gyrotonic, houston ballet, iadms, jan dunn, juliu horvath, pilates

Dance Artwork

Get Your Dance Career Info Here!

Dance ebook cover

Podcast

Disclosure – Affiliate & Ad Info

This site sometimes features advertising, affiliate marketing, or affiliate links, such as Amazon Associate links and others. When you click on these links, we get a small sum that helps to support the website operations. Thank you! There’s more detailed information on ads and our disclosure policy under the About tab in our navigation at the top of the site. We clearly mark any and all posts that contain these features.

Copyright Notice

Please note that all of the content on 4dancers.org is copyrighted. Do not copy, utilize, or distribute without express permission. We take cases of infringement seriously. All rights reserved ©2022.

Copyright © 2025 · Metro Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in