5 Tips to Improve Your Jumps

Performing a jump in any dance is always exciting. A jump or a leap can emphasize a part of a song that you never knew was there. Jumps come naturally to some people, while others have to work harder for them. Either way, practice does make perfect! Here are some tips that can help improve your jumps for all of the dances in your future!

• Stretch thoroughly
  • Warm up your entire body! A short barre exercise can get all of your joints warm and ready to jump. Stretch out your splits and especially your feet! You’re feet are a crucial part on improving your jumps.
• Deep plié
  • Getting a nice, good plié can help you get height in any jump. Not many think that a plié is involved in a jump. So, I encourage you to not only think about jumping off the floor, but what goes into getting you off the floor. Also, if you have a good plié then your Achilles will not become short!
• High passé
  • One would think that in a Grand Jeté you wouldn’t “pass through” passé. But that’s the definition of passé right? The higher your passé is in the beginning of your grand jeté the better your split and height in your jump!
• Controlled landing
  • Control is Key! In order to have that nice graceful landing, you need to squeeze and land toe, ball, and then your heel! Quiet landings can go a long way to having an impressive jump. So, try to soften your landing by using your plié and rolling through your entire foot!
• Look up and out!
  • Try to never look down (unless it’s part of the choreography)! The ground will always be there no matter where your dancing, or in this case, jumping. So, keep your focus straight and your head high. This will in turn look like you’re very lifted and floating off the floor while you’re jumping!

Using these techniques in every aspect of your jump or leap can help you. So, keep in mind that before you start jumping, stretch it out! Give your body time to warm up and get acclimated. Also, never forget your feet in the stretch process. Secondly, always use your plié. A deep plié will lengthen your Achilles so you will not get hurt. Next, when doing a leap, think about your passé. A high passé means a higher leap! Afterwards, use your plié to control your landing. And finally, keep your head up! Show confidence in the skill you’re performing!

 

By Micaela Robinson