Video: Modern Dance Warm-Ups: Parallel Position

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The parallel position is a fundamental move in modern dance. Learn to warm-up for modern dancing with parallel position exercises in this free dance video from a professional dance instructor.

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Video Transcript

Hi! My name is Chell Garcia-Trias, and I am a modern dance instructor in Austin, Texas. I am going to show you how to find parallel position in modern dance. One way to find it, some people will tell you just to take your feet and put them about an inch or two apart and make sure that they are parallel to each other. Which means that your toes are turned in just a little bit more than what you would think. They are not turned out. They are turned in. I like to find parallel by reaching in and finding my sits bones. Those are the two bones that are at the very top of your legs. If you bend your knees, you should be able to find them by reaching in up at the top of your hamstrings. And, once you find those and feel about how far apart they are, you want to drop your heels just below them. And so, here I am in first position or in parallel position. And, what I am going to do is I am just going to gently raise my leg up and then drop it. And, I am going to raise my other leg up while I drop my sits bone and then drop it. And, I am just going to take these a few times. Drop them. And, raise my other foot up and drop them. Thinking about that same connection between the sits bones and heels. I lift it up, I drop it. It sounds really heavy. It should feel really heavy. I am really thinking down, down, down with my body. With the weight of my body. Pushing my hip down. Reaching up with my leg and dropping it. Eventually you will find that your feet are in this very natural, simple, parallel position. It should feel comfortable and relaxed. So, that is a great way to find parallel position in modern dance.

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Modern Dance Warm-Ups: Parallel Position

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