SUPPLENESS OF FORM

NZ Truth, Issue 1240, 5 September 1929, Page 20

SUPPLENESS OF FORM

Exercise The' Limps In .The Correct Way (By Miss Phyllis: Bates— Member of Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, Ballroom Branch, London.) Nowadays, when everyone is almost obliged to dance, there are some people who are' either too much inclined to corpulency, or either too stiff to> make much of this most pleasant obligations

WITH good dancing ' lessons they have, of course, a fair chance of 'making more of ay success of, it than the people who do not make any constructive effort, but merely "pick up" their dancing. However, there is really no need for anyone to be past the stage to enjoy dancing. Exercise will do a lot. In this article I shall 'describe, some very sirriple exercises which, if regularly practised, will bring about the desired results. Obviously if we dance only with our feet and knees the result would not be pleasing, so an easy effortless leg swing from the hip is absolutely necessary to grace as it brings the body into counter-play. y Exercise 1. — Walk with long strides backwards and forwards .on a- chalk line on the floor or on one plank of the flooring. - Tip toe . backwards and forwards on the one plank, arms extended . and stretched high above the head 'with fingers interlocked. ' Exercise 2.— Hold a firm -object or rail with the right hand, stand erect with tiie feet together, raise the left arm to the side. Keep . both knees straight and high kick forward, with the left leg, keeping it stiff, arching the instep and pointing the toe. Lower to original position and repeat ten times, Change, the hold and repeat, /kicking with the right I'eg. • ■.-.'»• Exercise 3— Hold with the righi hand, stand erect, feet together) raise left arm" to side; keep both knees straight and kick to the. side' with the left leg, keeping the knee stiff, arching ithe instep arid pointing the toe. Incline the body towards the . kicking leg. Return to the original position and A repeat ten A times. Change the hold arid repeat with the right leg; A'' Ay,'. ''\.''- ■■'''.'.,-.. Exerciser.— Hold the hips with both hands, stand erect, feet together, keeping both' knees straight. Kick backwards- with thei stiff.; left... leg as higl las possible,; arching" the, instep anc pointing the toe arid' bending.; the bod j

r backwards so that the effect of the kiel ; is felt m the centre of the back. Re ; peat ten times with each leg. r Exercise 5. The Swing ■ Through.— : Hold with the right hand and, keep ing both knees straight, swing the lef • leg forward and backward as high a ' possible, l-epeat ten times and change Keep the body erect throughout tin s forward kick and bend backwards witl . the backward kick. ' ; Exorcise 6 (Waist and Hip Exercise) —Place the backs of the hands on th< ■ hips, elbows forward and bend th< . body forward, sideways and backward: ; with a rotary movement. Rotate :t< the right ten times, stand erect an( i then rotate to the left ten times. Exercise 7 (For limbering the spine) i —Sit on the floor, both legs stretchec :• wide apart. Raise and extend botl ! arms to the, side and bend body for ward, trying to touch the floor w.itl I the head. Get a little nearer ever: L tinie you perform the exercise, an< i keep the ba,cks of the knees presse< on the floor so that the knees do no • bend. .' : Exercise 8 .(For reducing the hips : waist and shoulders.)— Put on i i heavy pair of men's shoes, securely l .tied.. Lie prone on the floor on tin . back', stretch both, arms sideways \ palms downward, and lift both leg; slowly upward and over, .till the fee ] touch the floor over the ; head, ;•' the] lower, slp-yvly to original position. \ Keep the knees absolutely, stiff 3 throughout the exercise and do not 5 > allow the head to leave the floory ' . until the- feet have returned to their original position. y ' '■ \ Then extend the arms above th< head'and, keeping the feet on the floor raise the body and bend forward ti touch the toes, keeping the knees ari< feet on the floor. Repeat ten times i Then relax and rest.;: v . , These exercises practised assiduous ..'■ ly will certainly iniprove, the figure an < i the movement, and be very berieflcla 1 to the dancer or the non-dancer wh< r Is energetic enough to undertake their