How to Stretch for Jazz Funk Dancing

Jazz funk dance is a type of dance that incorporates jazz turns with hip hop dance and is performed to hip hop music. The first thing you want to do before practicing is stretch and warm up your muscles. Stretching enhances your overall physical fitness, reduces muscle tension and soreness and lessons the chances of injury.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Stretching

1. Bend down into a deep second position plie. Rest your elbows on you knees to get a really deep stretch. With your elbows still on the knees push one shoulder forward and one back to stretch out the groin. Switch shoulders to get both sides.

2. Straighten the legs and bend down to the ground. Touch your hands to the ground and hold the position.

3. Stay down and shift your upper body to one foot. Hold it, then shift to the other foot. Roll up slowly to an upright position.

4. Turn your body sideways so that one leg is forward and the other is back. Bend over forward to the front foot and hold.

5. Slide the back leg further back, keep it straight and bend the front leg so that you're now in a lunge position. Hold in the lunge position and then drop the back knee to the floor.

6. Reach back and pull the back foot up to get a deep stretch in the thighs.

7. Repeat Steps 4 through 6 on the other side.

Warm Up

8. Step touch from side to side to get the heart rate pumping and blood flow to the muscles.

9. Practice releve and passe to get your sense of balance for the turning done in jazz funk dance.

10. Increase your heart rate until you feel a light sweat. Once you get a fast heart rate going, you're ready to begin dancing.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember to warm down after practice. Keep moving at a slower rate and stretch your muscles out again until your heart rate decreases.
• Don't bounce when you stretch. If you can't reach the floor or your toes just hold the position until you feel the tension in the muscles loosen up. Keep stretching regularly and eventually your muscles will elongate.
• Take your time when going into a stretching position, as muscles, tendons and ligaments can tear if you go into a stretch too fast.