By Cat “Gold” Manturuk
still from new FAME 2009
Get your jazz diva on and keep those sculpted legs and arms with these wonderful jazz dance conditioning exercises. As summer simmers down and Fall welcomes us with sunshine and a cool breeze, maintain that hard-earned summer figure with these fierce and fabulous Fame dance fitness recipe.
ROUTINE FOR YOUR LEGS…Best with bare feet.
1.) ROND DE JAMBE DEVELOPPE’. In english “circle the leg.” Laying on your side in a {L} Shaped position of the body. Practice going front side back for 10 and back side front 10. Try it with a pointed foot and flexed foot. Make sure your ribcage tries to stay as quiet as possible! 2.) GRANDE PLIE’. In english, large bend of the knees. Practice this exercise with legs approxiamately 2 lengths of your foot length apart. Rotate heels in to the body from the top of the hips. Knees track over the toes at all times and pelvis rides straight up and down. Think of wrapping your thigh muscles each time you come up Do 20 REPS.
3.) STRADDLE STRETCH INNER THIGH. This is done on your back side. Legs are extending up directly in line with your pelvis. If you don’t have that much flexibility, place your hands slightly underneath your bottom for added low back support. Once you arrived in the position, rotate your hips out. Reach your toes pointed to a large straddle stretch and close with the heels flexed coming back to starting position. Repeat pointing feet to lower and flexing feet to close the legs! Do 20 reps!! (Repeat if time permits.)
FINDING THOSE JAZZ HANDS AND ARMS… For those Off the Shoulder Tops
1.) ARMS CIRCLES CLOCKWISE AND COUNTER. FInd your jazz hands by spreading your fingers including your thumb as far out as possible, almost like your palming a basketball. Extend your arms directly from the shoulder to a T shape. With your jazz hands and arms out…circle your full arm 20 clockwise and 20 counterclockwise.
2.) JAZZ PALMS FACING DOWN PULSE. Immediately following the above exercise turn jazz palms down and pulse full arm pretending to press thick air. You should feel your postural back muscles kick in at this point. Pulse 20 times.
3.) JAZZ HANDS BEHIND THE BACK. Again arms are straight. Turn palms facing each other behind the back. You imagery is that your are squeezing a basketball behind the back. Pulse this position 20 times. (Repeat if time permits.)
CHALLENGE: IF YOU ARE UP TO A COORDINATION CHALLENGE…. TRY TO DO THIS ARM SERIES NON-STOP AND TO A FUNKY BEAT WHILE PERFORMING A DANCE STEP TOUCH.
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CAT “Gold” MANTURUK is a movement specialist. She works as a personal trainer, wellness consultant, professional dancer, artistic director and choreographer. She thrives on movement. Her workouts are thorough yet time flies! Cat holds a BS in exercise science, BFA in dance, and American College of Sports Medicine health and fitness specialist certification. She has worked in medically-based fitness centers to top notch gyms in Los Angeles and New York City. Her fitness expertise has been in SHAPE magazine and New York City’s CW 11.
Email CatManCan@gmail.com or call 323-804-1061 to set up a live-changing appointment.