Dance and Pilates, they seem to be intertwined and a few years ago, it seemed like the only people who were doing Pilates were dancers. Having been posed the question about why Pilates is so popular amongst dancers, we think we have finally figured out why.

When one mentions Pilates, the first thing that pops into mind is a person with a long and lean physique who can do a wide variety of detailed movements. This is primarily because the core principles of Pilates are to develop flexibility and toning of the muscles, including those that are not as often used in other physical activities.

Pilates was also invented to promote the health and wellbeing of people who are utilizing their muscle flexibility in various activities, such as dancing. Joseph Pilates was a gymnast and worked as a circus performer for a time, and he conceptualized this kind of exercise method to help him recover from injuries sustained from such activities Over the years, different variants of Pilates have also been developed to suit the needs of persons who are into dancing, both as a form of rehabilitation and as a preventive measure against injury.

But what exactly are the Pilates benefits for dancers? Here are five points:

1. Pilates reduces stress on the muscles.

Dancers are often exposed to stressful routines in order to master the moves that they are going to showcase in an upcoming performance. Indeed, there are warm-up exercises before the rehearsals, but the rigorous movements end up with their muscles feeling sore and exhausted.

Pilates then complements these routines by providing exercises that help relax the muscles, even if they are trained to improve their flexibility during workouts. Through these routines, dancers are able to boost their endurance and not easily feel tired and stressed during and after dancing.

2. Pilates strengthens attention to detail.

Dancing is a meticulous physical activity-every movement has to be perfect in terms of direction, flow, and timing, otherwise the whole performance will be ruined. This requires dancers to develop a keen eye for detail, and this is what Pilates does during workouts.

Pilates exercises may not be fast compared to dancing or aerobics, but their slow pace gives enough room for dancers to pay close attention to their every move. Through this practice, dancers are able to boost their attention span, which they can utilize during dance routines.

3. Pilates is a good aftercare treatment to dancers who are recovering from injury.

Injuries sustained from dancing may take time to heal completely. Some persons recover within a few weeks, while others take months before they return to normal. During the recovery period, the muscles that were used to dancing become stagnant and reduce their flexibility due to lack of adequate exercise.

Pilates helps prevent these situations from taking place. This gives dancers the room to maintain their flexibility even while recovering from injury, since Pilates works not only the muscles that were strained during injury, but also those that were left unused because of the subsequent treatment.

4. Pilates improves breathing controls of dancers.

Dancing can be pretty exhausting, especially for those who are into modern and street dance. Panting and catching breaths are common even among experienced dancers, and these can be a concern especially when pursuing more complicated routines. Through Pilates, breathing even during fast-paced dance workouts can be controlled in accordance to the dancer’s needs.

5. Pilates reminds you that discipline gets the routines right.

Perhaps one of the most underrated Pilates benefits for dancers is that it works on mind-body coordination and discipline. Pilates exercises can be excruciatingly painful when not performed properly, or when shortcuts are attempted to master the moves. Just like dancing, Pilates requires discipline, and through its routines you are able to perform not only properly, but also accurately.

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