Pull up! Straighten your knees! Turn your legs out! Rotate your thighs! Tail down! Relax your neck! Stretch your arms! Point your toes! Push harder! Dancers hear all of these things every class, and they tell themselves all these things every time they begin dancing, whether at the barre or in center. While growing up, the children in class do not understand how the things the teacher asks of them will ultimately help them advance their dancing ability. With progression, they start to feel new muscles and figure out for themselves that engaging these parts of the body does, in fact, help to maintain control and create a better dancer. Understanding the science behind how contraction of muscles and placement of the body influences dance will
