New Guest Post on NDEO’s Behind the Curtain Blog
Why You Should Be Using Anatomy in Your Dance Teaching
By Kendall Baab, MSc., Personal Dance Trainer and Dance Scientist
“Often the obstacles that you find a dancer experiencing in class are related to structural limitations in their body. Their turnout cannot be increased further because the head of the femur is anteriorly rotated in the hip socket. They struggle to lift the leg higher because they lack the necessary strength in the quadriceps. And they are having trouble going to their highest relevé because their ankle/foot dorsiflexors are tight and they have little movement happening at the talus bone. … if you understand the structure and movement patterns of the human body, you are better able to analyze movement and assess your dancer through a scientific lens.”
In this guest blog post, Kendall Baab shares how teachers can benefit from studying dance anatomy and using it in the dance classroom to help students progress efficiently in their technique. Read more here.
About the Author:
Kendall Baab is a Personal Dance Trainer and Dance Scientist located in Los Angeles, CA. She earned her BA in Dance Science from California State University Long Beach where she trained in ballet and modern dance , and a MSc in Dance Science from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London, UK where she completed dance science research involving perfectionism and self efficacy in online dance classes and trained in contemporary dance. Kendall is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer and a BASI Certified Pilates Instructor with a dance specialization. She is also a Certified Health Coach through Dr. Sears' Wellness Institute. Kendall works with dancers all over the United States on strength, conditioning, and flexibility to enhance performance and prevent injury.