Posture for Irish Dance | part 1

For Irish dance, a weak center or core (arms moving, body bending, shoulders twisting, etc) will make you less efficient while dancing. This means you have to put forth more energy to execute the same movements as someone with a strong and stable core. And without that strong foundation, you’ll be “fighting” to keep your shoulders in place and your arms in and down. When we start working on posture, turning our focus to core stability is the first step.

As athletes, we hear a lot about our core - that we should be engaging it, strengthening it, etc. - but what muscles make up the ‘core?’ And why should we worry about making sure they’re strong?

Your core’s function is to stabilize your entire body by supporting your joints. This means that while it’s true your core includes your ‘abs,’ it also includes the muscles on your back, pelvis, hip and shoulder girdle. Strength in these muscles is critical to the stabilization of your spine, pelvis, and legs, especially for dancers.