How to Do a Simple Warm Up for Tap Dance

Warming up and stretching your body is essential before doing any kind of exercise, including tap dance. Muscles that are not warmed up and stretched properly are more susceptible to strains, twists and injuries.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Stretch out your upper leg muscles. Step with one foot forward. Push your weight onto your front leg. Slide the back leg out into a lunge. Stretch the muscles in the back leg while keeping the opposite foot flat on the ground. This is called a lunge. Do 5 lunges for each leg.

2. Warm up your calf muscles and your lower legs. Bring one foot forward, stretched out. Flex your foot so your heel is on the floor and your toes are pointing toward the sky. Bend the back knee. Rest your hands on the bent, back knee and stretch your calf muscle and foot. Repeat for the other leg.

3. Work your ankles. Lift one leg slightly off the ground. Point your toe and roll your ankle in a circular motion. Do this 10 times in one direction, and then 10 times in the other. Repeat with the other foot.

4. Stretch out the arch of your foot. Stand with one foot flat and with the other foot's heel lifted in the air so you are standing on the ball of your foot. Drop your heel to the floor. This is also called a heel drop. Do 10 heel drops per leg.

Tips & Warnings

• Add different exercises or variations of these exercises to target specific areas of your body.