12:45-1:30 Jazz Warm Up & Dance

We have outlined the warm up using words below, however, learning the warm up via video is far more effective. Video has been removed from sample!  Stretching and warms are more fun when played with awesome dance music.

The Warm Up 

The first sequence begins to warm the body for movement while stretching the hamstrings.

• Begin in a parallel second position turned in.  Arch the back and look up towards the sky.
• Grand plié in second position and at the bottom fold over to hang and stretch the hamstrings.
• Plié roll up through the spine. 

Repeat this sequence four times.

This sequence loosens the body and increases joint mobility while also targeting hamstring flexibility.

Demi- plié one foot and reach the same arm long upwards toward the ceiling.  Repeat other leg and other arm, almost stepping into the plié.  Repeat four times each side.

Two arms reach up towards the sky as you take a slight arch coming back to grand plié in second position and at the bottom fold over to hang and stretch the hamstrings.

• Move the body to one leg, still hanging over, repeat other side.
• Plié roll up through the spine. 

Repeat this sequence.

Jumping jacks increase the heart rate and help warm up the campers.

Perform sixteen jumping jacks facing the front.  Perform eight more facing the right side wall.  Perform another eight facing the back wall.  Perform another eight facing the other side wall.

Do sixteen jumps from side to side (right, left, right, left) in a parallel “sixth” position.

This sequence strenghtens and legthens the body.

Reach one arm laterally over the side of your body, folding sideways with long legs.  The legs turn parallel.

Flip your body so you are performing a flat back with your legs extended, facing forward, feet parallel and your body angled to the corner.

• Release the upper body folding over the foot you were just reaching above.
• Come to the center.
• Plié roll up through the spine. 
• Repeat other side.
• Repeat first side double time.
• Repeat second side double time.
• Repeat first side now at quadruple time.
• Repeat second side now at quadruple time.

This sequence stretches the side body, hamstrings, and works on contrasting slow and fast movements. 

• Reach both hands to the sky.  With straight legs, slowly melt one side of the body downward starting with the hip and arm while the other side still reaches upward.
• Spring back up to the top where both arms reach up in second position.
• Repeat other side.
• Repeat first side, double time.
• Repeat second side, double time. 

• Turn out the feet immediately and begin swaying side to side, lunging the leg to the side in which you swing the arm towards and bending through the body. 
• Repeat four times each side.

 This sequence lengthens the hamstring and stretches the body.

• Arch as the arms reach for the sky and grand plié as you fold over your legs in parallel second position.  Grand plié again and curve the back forward as you roll up.
• Repeat four times, holding at the bottom (body bent over) on the last repeat.
• Walk the feet in to a parallel sixth position (parallel ankles touching).
• Demi-plié twice. 
• Grand plié all the way down forming a tight ball.
• Slowly walk yourself back to sitting on your buttocks with your legs extended forward.
• Reach your arms out and then over your legs past your toes stretching your hamstrings.

 This sequence works to imporve the middle splits and overall flexibility. 

• Roll back up to your seated position.
• Open your legs upon the floor (to a second position).
• Like a cat, walk your hands forward in between your legs so that your body bends front as much as possible. 
• Walk your arms to one leg so that your nose is facing your knee, hovering above. 
• Turn your body so that your ear is now facing your knee, hovering above; you should now see yourself in the mirror.
• Turn back such that your nose is facing your knee, hovering above. 
• Walk your arms back to center. 
• Walk your arms to the other leg so that your nose is facing your knee, hovering above. 
• Turn your body so that your ear is now facing your knee, hovering above.
• Turn back such that your nose is facing your knee, hovering above. 
• Walk your arms back to center. 
• Roll Up.

This sequence improves overall flexibility.

• Using your hands, come to a lunge with one ankle directly below your knee and quad and calf muscle making a 90 degree angle.  The other leg is extended long behind you. 
• Straighten both legs from this lunge position, turning the feet parallel.
• Come back down to your lunge.  Hold the lunge for eight counts.  Straighten up for eight counts.  Back to the lunge for four counts.  Straighten up for four counts.  Lunge for two counts. Straighten for two counts. Lunge for two counts. Straighten for two counts.
• Come back to your lunge and spiral your body so that the arm on the side of your body you are lunging with is reaching for the ceiling (if the right leg is lunging, the right arm reaches towards the ceiling).
• Spiral the back knee to the front foot so that you are performing a pretzel stretch.
• Come back to your lunge. 
• Turn out both legs and lower your pelvis so that your seat bones are nearly touching the floor.  One leg is bent with the full foot on the ground while the other is stretched with only the heel touching the ground (and the toes if the foot has enough range of motion).
• Pass through a turned out grand plié second position as you head to lunge on the other side. 
• Repeat other leg.

 This exercise works on campers' splits and quad flexibility.

• Slide into a split on one side.  If your range does not allow you to go into a full split, perform a jazz split (bend the back leg).  Stretch your body forward towards your front leg. 
• Bring your back heel to your buttocks and point the knee of your back leg in the direction of your extended leg.  Lean your body back to stretch your hamstring.  Come back up and extend the back leg to re enter your splits.
• Transition by rolling through your middle split and repeat other side. 

You now have the option of including exercises for abs and arms or not depending on your campers’/dancers’ needs.

If you would like to include abs, here is an easy yet challenging sequence:

• 16 normal crunches
• 16 crunches with the legs towards the ceiling
• 16 “in out” crunches; this is where as you raise your head in for the crunch your knees come towards your chin to make a tight ball and as you lower your head your legs extend as parallel to the floor as possible.
• 16 slow bicycle crunches
• 16 fast bicycle crunches
• 16 leg lowers; the legs begin directly above the pelvis and with straight legs they lower down to the floor and then rise back towards the ceiling
• 8 “Pilates roll ups” this is where the upper body rolls up while the legs stay on the floor and then rolls back down again.

If you would like to include arms, try doing regular push ups, push ups with the knees on the floor, or arm circles (arm circles are done standing up right; extend the arms directly out to the side and make small circles for thirty seconds to a minute). 

End of Warm Up

The Jazz Warm Up is followed by the Camp Jazz Dance which is included in the full version!

 

Full Camp Version:  $125

Icicle Camp: $75