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Bourne	
   1	
  
Katie	
  Bourne	
  
Cathy	
  Black	
  
Dance	
  History	
  
20	
  March	
  2012	
  
	
  
Adding	
  Yoga	
  Postures	
  to	
  Dance	
  Technique	
  in	
  the	
  Schools	
  
	
  
In	
  recent	
  years,	
  dance	
  has	
  seen	
  an	
  increase	
  in	
  popularity	
  due	
  to	
  television	
  shows	
  like	
  
Dancing	
  with	
  the	
  Stars,	
  So	
  You	
  Think	
  You	
  Can	
  Dance	
  and	
  America’s	
  Best	
  Dance	
  Crew.	
  Because	
  of	
  
the	
  caliber	
  of	
  dance	
  on	
  these	
  shows,	
  young	
  dancers	
  are	
  pressured	
  to	
  push	
  their	
  physical	
  limits,	
  
oftentimes	
  resulting	
  in	
  physical	
  and	
  mental	
  damage.	
  The	
  physical	
  damage	
  comes	
  from	
  pushing	
  
their	
  bodies	
  further	
  than	
  they	
  have	
  the	
  energy,	
  strength,	
  or	
  flexibility	
  for.	
  The	
  mental	
  damage	
  
comes	
  from	
  the	
  pressures	
  of	
  the	
  media	
  to	
  be	
  thin,	
  and	
  ultimately,	
  the	
  best	
  dancer.	
  Dance	
  
teachers	
  can	
  also	
  push	
  students	
  to	
  unsafe	
  limits	
  in	
  technique	
  class	
  before	
  the	
  student	
  is	
  
physically	
  and	
  mentally	
  ready.	
  Because	
  dancers	
  often	
  wear	
  their	
  bodies	
  down	
  by	
  doing	
  
repetitive,	
  one-­‐sided,	
  and	
  high	
  stress	
  techniques,	
  they	
  can	
  be	
  at	
  risk	
  for	
  long-­‐term	
  damage.	
  
Dancers	
  need	
  something	
  to	
  help	
  build	
  strength,	
  flexibility,	
  and	
  emotional	
  stability	
  in	
  their	
  
technique	
  classes.	
  Secondary	
  education	
  dance	
  teachers	
  should	
  incorporate	
  concepts	
  of	
  Bikram	
  
yoga	
  into	
  their	
  dance	
  technique	
  classes	
  to	
  produce	
  healthier,	
  more	
  technical,	
  focused,	
  and	
  
protected	
  dancers.	
  	
  
The	
  history	
  of	
  yoga	
  has	
  led	
  to	
  the	
  development	
  of	
  specific	
  poses	
  that,	
  if	
  used	
  correctly,	
  
can	
  benefit	
  dancers	
  both	
  physically	
  and	
  mentally.	
  4,	
  700	
  years	
  ago,	
  Patanjali,	
  the	
  father	
  of	
  yoga,	
  
Bourne	
   2	
  
researched	
  yogis	
  who	
  came	
  before	
  him	
  and	
  created	
  84	
  original	
  poses,	
  also	
  known	
  as	
  asanas.	
  
These	
  asanas	
  were	
  created	
  to	
  prepare	
  the	
  body	
  to	
  sit	
  in	
  meditation	
  for	
  a	
  significant	
  amount	
  of	
  
time.	
  Through	
  meditation,	
  one	
  is	
  able	
  to	
  journey	
  toward	
  self-­‐actualization	
  because	
  of	
  the	
  deep	
  
concentration	
  required	
  for	
  the	
  process.	
  One	
  of	
  the	
  first	
  asanas,	
  the	
  lotus	
  pose,	
  was	
  created	
  to	
  
stop	
  blood	
  from	
  reaching	
  below	
  the	
  waistline	
  acting	
  as	
  an	
  anesthetic	
  by	
  dulling	
  the	
  pain	
  
receptors	
  and	
  creating	
  a	
  calm	
  body,	
  allowing	
  for	
  the	
  one	
  meditating	
  to	
  have	
  a	
  clear	
  and	
  focused	
  
mind.	
  When	
  you	
  have	
  a	
  “calm	
  body,	
  you	
  have	
  a	
  calm	
  mind”	
  (Choudhury,	
  33).	
  The	
  other	
  83	
  
postures	
  were	
  developed	
  to	
  better	
  prepare	
  the	
  rest	
  of	
  the	
  body	
  to	
  be	
  still	
  and	
  calm	
  during	
  
meditation.	
  This	
  physical	
  yoga	
  is	
  also	
  known	
  as	
  Hatha	
  yoga.	
  The	
  purpose	
  of	
  Hatha	
  yoga	
  is	
  to	
  
heal	
  the	
  body.	
  A	
  man	
  by	
  the	
  name	
  of	
  Bikram	
  Choudhury,	
  who	
  studied	
  Hatha	
  yoga	
  at	
  a	
  young	
  
age,	
  helped	
  many	
  people	
  heal	
  mentally	
  and	
  physically	
  through	
  yoga.	
  After	
  shattering	
  his	
  knee,	
  
he	
  experienced	
  the	
  healing	
  of	
  yoga	
  and	
  soon	
  developed	
  a	
  sequence	
  of	
  26	
  asanas	
  and	
  two	
  
breathing	
  exercises,	
  which	
  he	
  pulled	
  from	
  the	
  84	
  asanas	
  he	
  had	
  studied	
  with	
  his	
  Guru.	
  These	
  26	
  
postures	
  “systematically	
  work	
  every	
  part	
  of	
  the	
  body	
  giving	
  all	
  the	
  internal	
  organs,	
  veins,	
  
ligaments,	
  and	
  muscles	
  all	
  they	
  need	
  to	
  maintain	
  optimum	
  health	
  and	
  maximum	
  function”	
  	
  
(72).	
  	
  
Most	
  of	
  Bikram’s	
  poses	
  are	
  compression	
  poses.	
  Compression	
  poses	
  extend	
  or	
  stretch	
  
one	
  half	
  of	
  the	
  body	
  while	
  the	
  other	
  half	
  is	
  compressed.	
  Bikram	
  yoga	
  takes	
  place	
  in	
  a	
  room	
  of	
  
105	
  degrees	
  to	
  warm	
  up	
  the	
  body,	
  lasts	
  90	
  minutes,	
  and	
  practices	
  each	
  pose	
  twice.	
  This	
  type	
  of	
  
Hatha,	
  or	
  physical	
  yoga,	
  is	
  meant	
  to	
  revitalize,	
  reenergize,	
  and	
  strengthen	
  the	
  body,	
  which	
  are	
  
all	
  things	
  that	
  will	
  benefit	
  the	
  young	
  dancers	
  who	
  constantly	
  push	
  themselves	
  past	
  their	
  
physical	
  and	
  mental	
  limits.	
  I	
  do	
  not	
  think	
  that	
  teachers	
  should	
  require	
  students	
  to	
  become	
  yogis	
  
Bourne	
   3	
  
who	
  master	
  in	
  Bikram	
  yoga.	
  However,	
  I	
  do	
  think	
  that	
  teachers	
  should	
  recognize	
  the	
  positive	
  
benefits	
  of	
  Bikram	
  yoga	
  and	
  implement	
  the	
  concepts	
  in	
  their	
  classes.	
  	
  
By	
  incorporating	
  developed	
  concepts	
  of	
  Bikram	
  yoga,	
  such	
  as	
  full-­‐lung	
  breathing	
  and	
  
compression	
  asanas,	
  dancers	
  will	
  have	
  more	
  energy	
  and	
  increase	
  their	
  strength	
  and	
  flexibility.	
  
Improving	
  the	
  function	
  of	
  the	
  lungs	
  is	
  usually	
  the	
  first	
  repair	
  on	
  the	
  body	
  since	
  most	
  people	
  
rarely	
  use	
  more	
  than	
  50	
  percent	
  of	
  their	
  total	
  lung	
  capacity.	
  Bikram	
  compares	
  lungs	
  to	
  balloons,	
  
saying	
  that	
  we	
  need	
  to	
  properly	
  inflate	
  and	
  stretch	
  our	
  lungs	
  to	
  become	
  “more	
  flexible	
  and	
  
capable	
  of	
  holding	
  and	
  processing	
  more	
  oxygen	
  with	
  greater	
  efficiency”	
  (80).	
  Bikram	
  believes	
  
that	
  through	
  breath	
  you	
  control	
  prana,	
  or	
  vital	
  life	
  energy	
  (34).	
  By	
  controlling	
  and	
  taking	
  in	
  
more	
  prana	
  you	
  will,	
  in	
  a	
  sense,	
  have	
  more	
  energy.	
  Yoga	
  breathing	
  (also	
  known	
  as	
  pranayama)	
  
is	
  designed	
  to	
  bring	
  more	
  oxygen	
  to	
  the	
  blood	
  and	
  to	
  the	
  brain.	
  Dancers	
  need	
  as	
  much	
  oxygen	
  
as	
  they	
  can	
  get	
  because	
  they	
  work	
  their	
  bodies	
  hard	
  for	
  hours	
  holding	
  their	
  legs	
  in	
  the	
  air,	
  
jumping	
  high,	
  spinning,	
  and	
  balancing	
  for	
  long	
  periods	
  of	
  time.	
  	
  
All	
  of	
  these	
  movements	
  exert	
  a	
  lot	
  of	
  energy	
  from	
  muscles.	
  The	
  more	
  the	
  muscles	
  are	
  
active,	
  the	
  harder	
  it	
  is	
  for	
  oxygen	
  to	
  be	
  supplied	
  to	
  the	
  muscle	
  fibers	
  causing	
  lactic	
  acid	
  build	
  up.	
  
When	
  enough	
  oxygen	
  is	
  provided,	
  the	
  lactic	
  acid	
  is	
  broken	
  down.	
  By	
  learning	
  to	
  control	
  intake	
  
of	
  oxygen	
  and	
  use	
  it	
  to	
  support	
  muscles,	
  dancers	
  will	
  be	
  able	
  to	
  move	
  more	
  effectively	
  and	
  
have	
  more	
  energy.	
  Even	
  though	
  breathing	
  is	
  an	
  automatic	
  function	
  of	
  the	
  body	
  that	
  everyone	
  
does,	
  dancers	
  especially	
  need	
  to	
  practice	
  full	
  lung	
  breathing	
  to	
  expand	
  their	
  lungs	
  and	
  take	
  in	
  
more	
  oxygen	
  so	
  they	
  can	
  increase	
  their	
  energy	
  and	
  muscle	
  activity	
  without	
  increasing	
  their	
  
lactic	
  acid	
  production	
  (Brianmac).	
  	
  
Bourne	
   4	
  
Unlike	
  Bikram,	
  who	
  had	
  whole	
  exercises	
  fully	
  dedicated	
  to	
  breathing,	
  dance	
  teachers	
  
should	
  practice	
  and	
  push	
  their	
  dancers	
  to	
  breathe	
  as	
  deep	
  and	
  controlled	
  as	
  they	
  can	
  through	
  
their	
  whole	
  dance	
  class,	
  emphasizing	
  full	
  lung	
  breathing	
  in	
  their	
  warm	
  up.	
  A	
  good	
  way	
  to	
  begin	
  
dance	
  class	
  would	
  be	
  to	
  practice	
  deep	
  breathing,	
  which	
  wakes	
  up	
  the	
  muscles	
  as	
  well	
  as	
  the	
  
entire	
  body	
  (Choudhury,	
  102).	
  By	
  practicing	
  full-­‐lung	
  breathing,	
  dancers	
  will	
  increase	
  their	
  
supply	
  of	
  oxygen	
  to	
  the	
  body	
  and	
  learn	
  how	
  to	
  be	
  in	
  control	
  of	
  their	
  breathing.	
  Now,	
  instead	
  of	
  
gasping	
  for	
  air	
  in	
  class	
  or	
  in	
  a	
  performance,	
  dancers	
  can	
  calmly	
  take	
  in	
  long	
  energizing	
  breaths	
  
that	
  support	
  their	
  movement.	
  
Dancers	
  need	
  the	
  benefits	
  that	
  come	
  from	
  Bikram	
  poses	
  to	
  rejuvenate	
  their	
  muscles,	
  
circulatory	
  system,	
  strength,	
  and	
  flexibility.	
  Blood	
  transports	
  the	
  oxygen,	
  along	
  with	
  nutrients,	
  
in	
  the	
  form	
  of	
  glucose	
  to	
  all	
  of	
  the	
  body.	
  The	
  difference	
  in	
  the	
  circulatory	
  system	
  when	
  running	
  
and	
  doing	
  a	
  compression	
  pose	
  is	
  that	
  even	
  though	
  running	
  elevates	
  the	
  heart	
  rate,	
  there	
  is	
  still	
  
a	
  small	
  steady	
  flow	
  of	
  blood	
  to	
  all	
  parts	
  of	
  the	
  body	
  instead	
  of	
  having	
  a	
  rush	
  of	
  oxygenated	
  
blood	
  to	
  one	
  specific	
  area	
  providing	
  nutrients.	
  	
  
Bikram’s	
  poses	
  use	
  compression	
  and	
  extension	
  to	
  increase	
  the	
  flow	
  of	
  oxygenated	
  blood	
  
to	
  every	
  part	
  of	
  the	
  body,	
  which	
  Bikram	
  calls	
  the	
  Hoover	
  Dam	
  effect	
  (84).	
  The	
  Hoover	
  Dam	
  
effect	
  is	
  when	
  blood	
  is	
  squeezed	
  out	
  of	
  a	
  certain	
  area	
  by	
  compressing	
  one	
  part	
  of	
  the	
  body	
  with	
  
another,	
  blocking	
  blood	
  flow	
  like	
  the	
  Hoover	
  Dam.	
  After	
  20	
  seconds	
  of	
  tight	
  compression,	
  the	
  
body	
  releases	
  the	
  posture	
  and	
  allows	
  all	
  the	
  fresh	
  oxygenated	
  blood	
  that	
  has	
  built	
  up	
  to	
  flow	
  
into	
  that	
  area.	
  The	
  blood	
  brings	
  in	
  oxygen	
  and	
  glucose	
  to	
  prevent	
  lactic	
  acid	
  from	
  building	
  up	
  
and	
  to	
  deplete	
  any	
  existing	
  lactic	
  acid,	
  leaving	
  the	
  muscles	
  energized	
  and	
  ready	
  to	
  dance	
  rather	
  
than	
  fatigued	
  like	
  after	
  traditional	
  exercises.	
  “The	
  purpose	
  of	
  what	
  Americans	
  think	
  of	
  as	
  
Bourne	
   5	
  
exercise	
  is	
  to	
  reach	
  a	
  sports	
  or	
  fitness	
  goal,	
  regardless	
  of	
  cost	
  to	
  the	
  body”(45-­‐49).	
  When	
  
exercising	
  one	
  may	
  gain	
  a	
  small	
  benefit	
  (i.e.	
  legs	
  will	
  get	
  stronger),	
  but	
  the	
  majority	
  of	
  what	
  you	
  
do	
  is	
  harm	
  to	
  the	
  body,	
  especially	
  for	
  young	
  people	
  whose	
  bodies	
  are	
  changing	
  at	
  different	
  
rates.	
  
	
  “For	
  young	
  adults,	
  a	
  yoga	
  program	
  can	
  improve	
  balance	
  substantially,	
  produce	
  
improvements	
  in	
  leg	
  strength,	
  and	
  improve	
  leg	
  muscle	
  control	
  for	
  less-­‐steady	
  subjects”	
  (Hart	
  
and	
  Tracy).	
  The	
  authors	
  experience	
  in	
  secondary	
  education	
  dance	
  classes	
  caused	
  a	
  lot	
  of	
  
injuries	
  that	
  limited	
  her	
  physical	
  capability	
  today	
  because	
  her	
  teachers	
  did	
  not	
  help	
  her	
  build	
  
the	
  strength	
  or	
  flexibility	
  needed	
  for	
  the	
  movement	
  being	
  done.	
  After	
  running	
  a	
  few	
  miles	
  class	
  
members	
  would	
  run	
  through	
  drills	
  where	
  they	
  had	
  to	
  drop	
  into	
  the	
  splits	
  in	
  one	
  count	
  from	
  a	
  
standing	
  position	
  countless	
  times,	
  perform	
  extremely	
  one-­‐sided	
  repetitive	
  routines,	
  and	
  never	
  
warm	
  up	
  or	
  cool	
  down	
  properly.	
  “The	
  proof	
  can	
  be	
  seen	
  in	
  the	
  people	
  who	
  pursue	
  these	
  things	
  
the	
  most	
  intensely:	
  look	
  at	
  professional	
  athletes	
  and	
  dancers;	
  after	
  just	
  a	
  few	
  years,	
  they	
  end	
  
up	
  crippled	
  with	
  broken	
  bodies	
  that	
  can’t	
  play	
  or	
  perform	
  anymore”	
  (Choudhury,	
  45-­‐49).	
  	
  
Incorporating	
  compression	
  poses	
  from	
  Bikram’s	
  asanas	
  into	
  a	
  secondary	
  education	
  
dance	
  class	
  will	
  help	
  build	
  muscular	
  strength	
  and	
  flexibility	
  better	
  than	
  traditional	
  exercise.	
  
While	
  building	
  strength	
  and	
  flexibility,	
  yoga	
  creates	
  a	
  muscular	
  connection	
  through	
  the	
  entire	
  
body.	
  Unlike	
  site-­‐specific	
  muscle	
  building	
  exercises	
  like	
  situps,	
  pushups,	
  and	
  squats,	
  Bikram’s	
  
poses	
  require	
  the	
  muscles	
  from	
  head	
  to	
  toe	
  to	
  hold	
  and	
  control	
  the	
  asanas.	
  “The	
  balancing	
  
poses	
  especially	
  helped	
  me	
  stabilize	
  and	
  find	
  a	
  nice	
  center	
  string	
  to	
  work	
  from	
  in	
  my	
  body	
  
alignment.	
  I	
  don't	
  just	
  jump	
  and	
  kick	
  and	
  turn	
  anymore.	
  My	
  movement	
  has	
  more	
  fluidity	
  
(Samuels).	
  	
  
Bourne	
   6	
  
No	
  human	
  is	
  born	
  with	
  strength	
  and	
  flexibility	
  balanced	
  correctly.	
  “The	
  best	
  ballerina	
  in	
  
the	
  world	
  cannot	
  hold	
  a	
  Hatha	
  yoga	
  balancing	
  posture	
  longer	
  than	
  three	
  seconds,	
  because	
  like	
  
most	
  flexible	
  peoples’	
  muscles,	
  hers	
  don’t	
  have	
  enough	
  strength”(79).	
  “When	
  I	
  was	
  younger	
  I	
  
danced,	
  but	
  I	
  didn't	
  know	
  where	
  the	
  movement	
  was	
  coming	
  from	
  or	
  what	
  muscles	
  I	
  was	
  using.	
  
With	
  yoga	
  you	
  feel	
  every	
  little	
  thing	
  in	
  your	
  body.	
  ‘It's	
  very	
  personal,	
  very	
  internal’”	
  (Samuels).	
  
Through	
  asanas	
  you	
  are	
  able	
  to	
  see	
  and	
  feel	
  which	
  parts	
  of	
  your	
  body	
  are	
  weak	
  or	
  not	
  
functioning	
  correctly.	
  You	
  are	
  able	
  to	
  check	
  up	
  on	
  yourself	
  and	
  see	
  where	
  you	
  can	
  improve	
  and	
  
where	
  you	
  need	
  more	
  flexibility	
  or	
  strength.	
  “Real	
  exercise	
  means	
  stretching,	
  the	
  simultaneous	
  
contraction	
  and	
  elongation	
  of	
  the	
  muscles,	
  which	
  builds	
  strength	
  and	
  flexibility.	
  There	
  is	
  no	
  
jarring,	
  repetitive	
  impact,	
  or	
  unnatural	
  motions”	
  (Choudhury,	
  48).	
  This	
  author	
  does	
  not	
  believe	
  
that	
  people	
  should	
  stop	
  playing	
  sports	
  or	
  dancing	
  all	
  together,	
  but	
  should	
  give	
  their	
  bodies	
  and	
  
student’s	
  bodies	
  what	
  they	
  need;	
  creating	
  balanced	
  strength	
  and	
  flexibility	
  by	
  incorporating	
  
elements	
  of	
  Bikram’s	
  asanas	
  into	
  dance	
  technique	
  classes.	
  
By	
  incorporating	
  meditation	
  and	
  concentration	
  in	
  secondary	
  education	
  dance	
  classes,	
  
the	
  dancers	
  will	
  learn	
  how	
  to	
  discipline	
  their	
  bodies	
  and	
  minds	
  and	
  have	
  less	
  stress	
  and	
  anxiety.	
  
Although	
  dance	
  teachers	
  do	
  not	
  have	
  time	
  to	
  have	
  long	
  meditating	
  sessions	
  with	
  their	
  students	
  
to	
  help	
  their	
  minds,	
  Bikram	
  believes	
  that	
  meditation	
  can	
  involve	
  movement.	
  While	
  some	
  do	
  not	
  
believe	
  that	
  something	
  physically	
  demanding	
  can	
  be	
  called	
  meditation,	
  Bikram	
  knows	
  that	
  it	
  
can	
  because	
  that	
  is	
  the	
  purpose	
  of	
  Hatha	
  yoga.	
  Many	
  westerners,	
  including	
  dance	
  teachers,	
  
believe	
  that	
  meditation	
  must	
  be	
  done	
  in	
  complete	
  stillness.	
  However,	
  meditation	
  is	
  the	
  practice	
  
of	
  focusing	
  and	
  calming	
  the	
  mind	
  in	
  order	
  to	
  communicate	
  with	
  oneself.	
  It	
  involves	
  
Bourne	
   7	
  
concentrating	
  the	
  mind	
  on	
  one	
  thing	
  for	
  a	
  long	
  time	
  while	
  keeping	
  it	
  free	
  from	
  all	
  the	
  countless	
  
distractions	
  of	
  the	
  world	
  (76)	
  
	
  When	
  practicing	
  Bikram	
  yoga	
  there	
  is	
  an	
  incredible	
  amount	
  of	
  pressure	
  exerted	
  on	
  the	
  
body	
  from	
  heat	
  and	
  challenging	
  positions.	
  This	
  forces	
  one	
  to	
  break	
  their	
  attachment	
  to	
  external	
  
things	
  and	
  go	
  within.	
  “The	
  focus	
  needed	
  to	
  hold	
  postures	
  develops	
  internal	
  strength	
  and	
  
willpower”	
  (Thompson).	
  There	
  is	
  no	
  escape	
  from	
  reality;	
  meditation	
  demands	
  ones	
  abilities	
  and	
  
attention.	
  One	
  learns	
  to	
  discipline	
  their	
  body	
  and	
  mind	
  under	
  intolerable	
  conditions,	
  one	
  will	
  
truly	
  be	
  able	
  to	
  concentrate,	
  and	
  nothing	
  external	
  will	
  be	
  able	
  to	
  break	
  that.	
  This	
  is	
  one	
  of	
  the	
  
many	
  reasons	
  why	
  meditation	
  should	
  be	
  practiced	
  in	
  dance	
  technique	
  classes.	
  “Yoga	
  helps	
  kids	
  
get	
  their	
  young	
  bodies	
  and	
  minds	
  more	
  under	
  control	
  so	
  that	
  they	
  can	
  learn”	
  	
  (247).	
  Through	
  
meditation	
  the	
  students	
  will	
  become	
  intrinsically	
  motivated	
  to	
  improve.	
  With	
  this	
  new	
  focus	
  
and	
  understanding	
  of	
  themselves,	
  they	
  will	
  put	
  in	
  more	
  time	
  and	
  effort	
  to	
  do	
  challenging	
  
things.	
  	
  
Incorporating	
  mental	
  yoga	
  techniques	
  into	
  dance	
  classes	
  will	
  lower	
  levels	
  of	
  stress	
  and	
  
teach	
  dancers	
  to	
  gain	
  control	
  over	
  their	
  thoughts	
  through	
  meditation	
  and	
  concentration.	
  
Adolescence	
  is	
  a	
  wonderful	
  time	
  of	
  life,	
  but	
  it	
  is	
  also	
  full	
  of	
  stressors.	
  A	
  young	
  dancer’s	
  body,	
  as	
  
well	
  as	
  his	
  or	
  her	
  mind,	
  is	
  developing	
  and	
  changing	
  rapidly,	
  which	
  can	
  put	
  a	
  lot	
  of	
  pressure	
  on	
  
secondary	
  education	
  students.	
  When	
  that	
  kind	
  of	
  stress	
  is	
  put	
  on	
  the	
  body,	
  it	
  is	
  thrown	
  into	
  
emergency	
  overdrive	
  known	
  as	
  “fight-­‐or-­‐flight”,	
  and	
  the	
  chemicals,	
  adrenaline,	
  and	
  cortisol,	
  are	
  
released	
  to	
  help	
  us	
  cope.	
  Over	
  time	
  those	
  stressful	
  conditions	
  can	
  lead	
  to	
  the	
  body	
  becoming	
  
overwhelmed.	
  Through	
  Bikram’s	
  full-­‐lung	
  breathing	
  and	
  meditation,	
  the	
  body	
  taps	
  into	
  its	
  self-­‐
Bourne	
   8	
  
healing	
  system	
  that	
  calms	
  the	
  mind,	
  body,	
  and	
  emotions.	
  We	
  gain	
  control	
  and	
  can	
  turn	
  off	
  the	
  
fight-­‐or-­‐flight	
  response.	
  	
  
When	
  people	
  feel	
  out	
  of	
  control	
  because	
  of	
  stress	
  they	
  do	
  what	
  they	
  can	
  to	
  try	
  to	
  create	
  
order,	
  and	
  the	
  quickest	
  way	
  dancers	
  find	
  control	
  over	
  themselves	
  is	
  through	
  their	
  mouths.	
  A	
  
huge	
  stressor	
  on	
  dancers	
  is	
  the	
  expectations	
  for	
  what	
  their	
  bodies	
  should	
  look	
  like.	
  Many	
  
dancers	
  fall	
  into	
  the	
  trap	
  of	
  eating	
  disorders.	
  They	
  can	
  have	
  complete	
  control	
  over	
  what	
  they	
  
put	
  into	
  their	
  bodies	
  and	
  have	
  control	
  over	
  what	
  they	
  physically	
  look	
  like.	
  Bikram	
  believes	
  that	
  
when	
  one’s	
  mind	
  is	
  weak	
  it	
  will	
  “constantly	
  feed	
  on	
  your	
  fears	
  and	
  negative	
  habits”	
  (216).	
  
When	
  dancers	
  practice	
  meditation	
  and	
  strengthen	
  their	
  minds	
  they	
  will	
  begin	
  to	
  control	
  their	
  
thoughts	
  and	
  they	
  will	
  have	
  control	
  over	
  themselves.	
  When	
  you	
  have	
  control	
  over	
  yourself	
  your	
  
confidence,	
  determination,	
  and	
  self-­‐control	
  are	
  strengthened.	
  You	
  begin	
  to	
  have	
  higher	
  self-­‐
esteem	
  and	
  you	
  feel	
  happiness	
  and	
  strength	
  not	
  to	
  cower	
  at	
  the	
  negative	
  thoughts	
  coming	
  your	
  
way.	
  “Once	
  the	
  body	
  and	
  mind	
  are	
  trained	
  and	
  joined	
  in	
  harmony,	
  they	
  form	
  a	
  perfect	
  union	
  
and	
  a	
  complete	
  human	
  being”	
  (7).	
  By	
  gaining	
  the	
  mental	
  strength	
  and	
  willpower	
  through	
  yoga,	
  
dancers	
  will	
  have	
  higher	
  self-­‐esteem	
  that	
  will	
  limit	
  their	
  need	
  to	
  compare	
  themselves	
  to	
  other	
  
dancers,	
  reducing	
  the	
  number	
  of	
  dancers	
  falling	
  victim	
  to	
  eating	
  disorders.	
  The	
  stress	
  and	
  
pressure	
  from	
  the	
  outside	
  world	
  will	
  melt	
  away	
  and	
  they	
  will	
  begin	
  to	
  accept	
  their	
  powerful	
  
bodies.	
  
	
   Dancers	
  bodies	
  are	
  being	
  pushed	
  to	
  new	
  limits,	
  which	
  can	
  have	
  a	
  negative	
  impact	
  on	
  their	
  
bodies	
  as	
  well	
  as	
  their	
  minds.	
  There	
  are	
  certain	
  concepts	
  taught	
  by	
  Bikram	
  in	
  his	
  style	
  of	
  Hatha	
  
yoga	
  that	
  can	
  easily	
  be	
  incorporated	
  into	
  dance	
  technique	
  classes	
  such	
  as	
  full-­‐lung	
  breathing,	
  
compression	
  asanas,	
  and	
  meditation.	
  By	
  doing	
  so	
  secondary	
  education	
  dance	
  teachers	
  will	
  help	
  
Bourne	
   9	
  
improve	
  the	
  dancers	
  muscular	
  strength	
  and	
  flexibility,	
  which	
  in	
  turn	
  will	
  connect	
  the	
  body	
  
preventing	
  further	
  injuries	
  from	
  occurring.	
  	
  “It	
  makes	
  me	
  very	
  conscious	
  of	
  my	
  body	
  and	
  that	
  
can	
  translate	
  into	
  preventing	
  injuries”(Samuels).	
  Through	
  meditation	
  and	
  concentration,	
  
dancers	
  will	
  be	
  able	
  to	
  have	
  control	
  over	
  their	
  minds	
  and	
  have	
  a	
  strong	
  mind	
  body	
  connection,	
  
increasing	
  their	
  self-­‐esteem	
  and	
  self-­‐control.	
  With	
  higher	
  self-­‐esteem,	
  dancers	
  will	
  not	
  fall	
  as	
  
easily	
  into	
  the	
  trap	
  of	
  eating	
  disorders	
  that	
  plague	
  so	
  many	
  dancers	
  today	
  because	
  of	
  the	
  
stresses	
  put	
  on	
  them	
  to	
  look	
  a	
  certain	
  way.	
  Overall	
  yoga	
  concepts	
  will	
  benefit	
  secondary	
  
education	
  dancers	
  both	
  physically	
  and	
  mentally	
  and	
  will	
  help	
  to	
  create	
  healthier,	
  stronger,	
  
more	
  technical,	
  and	
  well-­‐minded	
  dancers.	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
Bourne	
   10	
  
Works	
  Cited	
  
	
  
Brungard,	
  Lori.	
  “Dancers	
  Discover	
  Yoga	
  Benefits.”	
  Dance	
  Magazine.	
  (2000):	
  n.	
  pag.	
  Web.	
  
Choudhury,	
  Bikram.	
  Bikram	
  Yoga:	
  The	
  Guru	
  behind	
  Hot	
  Yoga	
  Shows	
  the	
  Way	
  to	
  Radiant	
  Health	
  and	
  
Personal	
  Fultillment.	
  New	
  York:	
  Collins,	
  2007.	
  Print.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
Choudhury,	
  Bikram	
  and	
  Bonnie	
  Jones	
  Reynolds.	
  Bikram's	
  Beginning	
  Yoga	
  Class.	
  Los	
  Angeles:	
  J.	
  P.	
  
Tarcher,	
  1978.	
  Print.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
Cowen,	
  Virginia	
  S.,	
  and	
  Troy	
  B.	
  Adams.	
  “Physical	
  and	
  perceptual	
  benefits	
  of	
  yoga	
  asana	
  practice:	
  
results	
  of	
  a	
  pilot	
  study.”	
  Journal	
  of	
  Bodywork	
  &	
  Movement	
  Therapies	
  9.3	
  (2005):	
  211-­‐19.	
  
Web.	
  24	
  Jan	
  2012.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
DiStasio,	
  Susan	
  A.	
  “Integrating	
  Yoga	
  Into	
  Cancer	
  Care.”	
  Clinical	
  Journal	
  of	
  Oncology	
  Nursing	
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(2008):	
  125-­‐30.	
  Web.	
  24	
  Jan	
  2012.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
Gura,	
   Shira	
   Taylor.	
   “Yoga	
   for	
   stress	
   reduction	
   and	
   injury	
   prevention	
   at	
   work.”	
   Work	
   (Reading	
  
Mass)	
  19.1	
  (2002):	
  3-­‐7.	
  Web.	
  24	
  Jan	
  2012.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
“Hatha	
  Yoga.”	
  Encyclopaedia	
  Britannica.	
  n.	
  pag.	
  Web.	
  16	
  Jan,	
  2012.	
   	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
Hart,	
  Cady	
  E.F.,	
  and	
  Brian	
  L.	
  Tracy.	
  “Yoga	
  as	
  Steadiness	
  Training:	
  Effects	
  on	
  Motor	
  Variability	
  in	
  
Young	
  Adults.”	
  Journal	
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  and	
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  Research	
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23	
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  2012.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
“Oxygen	
  Debt.”	
  Brian	
  Mac	
  Sports	
  Coach.	
  30	
  May	
  2011.	
  <http://www.brianmac.co.uk/oxdebit.htm	
  >	
  
Samuels,	
  Shayna.	
  “Why	
  they	
  love	
  yoga.”	
  Dace	
  Magazine.	
  (2008):	
  n.	
  pag.	
  Web.	
  
Thompson,	
  Jen.	
  “Training	
  right.”	
  Dance	
  Magazine.	
  (2008):	
  n.	
  pag.	
  Web.	
  
“Yoga.”	
  Mosby’s	
  Dictionary	
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  and	
  Alternative	
  Medicine.	
  (2005):	
  n.	
  pag.	
  Web.	
  16	
  Jan,	
  
2012.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  

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Yoga research paper

  • 1. Bourne   1   Katie  Bourne   Cathy  Black   Dance  History   20  March  2012     Adding  Yoga  Postures  to  Dance  Technique  in  the  Schools     In  recent  years,  dance  has  seen  an  increase  in  popularity  due  to  television  shows  like   Dancing  with  the  Stars,  So  You  Think  You  Can  Dance  and  America’s  Best  Dance  Crew.  Because  of   the  caliber  of  dance  on  these  shows,  young  dancers  are  pressured  to  push  their  physical  limits,   oftentimes  resulting  in  physical  and  mental  damage.  The  physical  damage  comes  from  pushing   their  bodies  further  than  they  have  the  energy,  strength,  or  flexibility  for.  The  mental  damage   comes  from  the  pressures  of  the  media  to  be  thin,  and  ultimately,  the  best  dancer.  Dance   teachers  can  also  push  students  to  unsafe  limits  in  technique  class  before  the  student  is   physically  and  mentally  ready.  Because  dancers  often  wear  their  bodies  down  by  doing   repetitive,  one-­‐sided,  and  high  stress  techniques,  they  can  be  at  risk  for  long-­‐term  damage.   Dancers  need  something  to  help  build  strength,  flexibility,  and  emotional  stability  in  their   technique  classes.  Secondary  education  dance  teachers  should  incorporate  concepts  of  Bikram   yoga  into  their  dance  technique  classes  to  produce  healthier,  more  technical,  focused,  and   protected  dancers.     The  history  of  yoga  has  led  to  the  development  of  specific  poses  that,  if  used  correctly,   can  benefit  dancers  both  physically  and  mentally.  4,  700  years  ago,  Patanjali,  the  father  of  yoga,  
  • 2. Bourne   2   researched  yogis  who  came  before  him  and  created  84  original  poses,  also  known  as  asanas.   These  asanas  were  created  to  prepare  the  body  to  sit  in  meditation  for  a  significant  amount  of   time.  Through  meditation,  one  is  able  to  journey  toward  self-­‐actualization  because  of  the  deep   concentration  required  for  the  process.  One  of  the  first  asanas,  the  lotus  pose,  was  created  to   stop  blood  from  reaching  below  the  waistline  acting  as  an  anesthetic  by  dulling  the  pain   receptors  and  creating  a  calm  body,  allowing  for  the  one  meditating  to  have  a  clear  and  focused   mind.  When  you  have  a  “calm  body,  you  have  a  calm  mind”  (Choudhury,  33).  The  other  83   postures  were  developed  to  better  prepare  the  rest  of  the  body  to  be  still  and  calm  during   meditation.  This  physical  yoga  is  also  known  as  Hatha  yoga.  The  purpose  of  Hatha  yoga  is  to   heal  the  body.  A  man  by  the  name  of  Bikram  Choudhury,  who  studied  Hatha  yoga  at  a  young   age,  helped  many  people  heal  mentally  and  physically  through  yoga.  After  shattering  his  knee,   he  experienced  the  healing  of  yoga  and  soon  developed  a  sequence  of  26  asanas  and  two   breathing  exercises,  which  he  pulled  from  the  84  asanas  he  had  studied  with  his  Guru.  These  26   postures  “systematically  work  every  part  of  the  body  giving  all  the  internal  organs,  veins,   ligaments,  and  muscles  all  they  need  to  maintain  optimum  health  and  maximum  function”     (72).     Most  of  Bikram’s  poses  are  compression  poses.  Compression  poses  extend  or  stretch   one  half  of  the  body  while  the  other  half  is  compressed.  Bikram  yoga  takes  place  in  a  room  of   105  degrees  to  warm  up  the  body,  lasts  90  minutes,  and  practices  each  pose  twice.  This  type  of   Hatha,  or  physical  yoga,  is  meant  to  revitalize,  reenergize,  and  strengthen  the  body,  which  are   all  things  that  will  benefit  the  young  dancers  who  constantly  push  themselves  past  their   physical  and  mental  limits.  I  do  not  think  that  teachers  should  require  students  to  become  yogis  
  • 3. Bourne   3   who  master  in  Bikram  yoga.  However,  I  do  think  that  teachers  should  recognize  the  positive   benefits  of  Bikram  yoga  and  implement  the  concepts  in  their  classes.     By  incorporating  developed  concepts  of  Bikram  yoga,  such  as  full-­‐lung  breathing  and   compression  asanas,  dancers  will  have  more  energy  and  increase  their  strength  and  flexibility.   Improving  the  function  of  the  lungs  is  usually  the  first  repair  on  the  body  since  most  people   rarely  use  more  than  50  percent  of  their  total  lung  capacity.  Bikram  compares  lungs  to  balloons,   saying  that  we  need  to  properly  inflate  and  stretch  our  lungs  to  become  “more  flexible  and   capable  of  holding  and  processing  more  oxygen  with  greater  efficiency”  (80).  Bikram  believes   that  through  breath  you  control  prana,  or  vital  life  energy  (34).  By  controlling  and  taking  in   more  prana  you  will,  in  a  sense,  have  more  energy.  Yoga  breathing  (also  known  as  pranayama)   is  designed  to  bring  more  oxygen  to  the  blood  and  to  the  brain.  Dancers  need  as  much  oxygen   as  they  can  get  because  they  work  their  bodies  hard  for  hours  holding  their  legs  in  the  air,   jumping  high,  spinning,  and  balancing  for  long  periods  of  time.     All  of  these  movements  exert  a  lot  of  energy  from  muscles.  The  more  the  muscles  are   active,  the  harder  it  is  for  oxygen  to  be  supplied  to  the  muscle  fibers  causing  lactic  acid  build  up.   When  enough  oxygen  is  provided,  the  lactic  acid  is  broken  down.  By  learning  to  control  intake   of  oxygen  and  use  it  to  support  muscles,  dancers  will  be  able  to  move  more  effectively  and   have  more  energy.  Even  though  breathing  is  an  automatic  function  of  the  body  that  everyone   does,  dancers  especially  need  to  practice  full  lung  breathing  to  expand  their  lungs  and  take  in   more  oxygen  so  they  can  increase  their  energy  and  muscle  activity  without  increasing  their   lactic  acid  production  (Brianmac).    
  • 4. Bourne   4   Unlike  Bikram,  who  had  whole  exercises  fully  dedicated  to  breathing,  dance  teachers   should  practice  and  push  their  dancers  to  breathe  as  deep  and  controlled  as  they  can  through   their  whole  dance  class,  emphasizing  full  lung  breathing  in  their  warm  up.  A  good  way  to  begin   dance  class  would  be  to  practice  deep  breathing,  which  wakes  up  the  muscles  as  well  as  the   entire  body  (Choudhury,  102).  By  practicing  full-­‐lung  breathing,  dancers  will  increase  their   supply  of  oxygen  to  the  body  and  learn  how  to  be  in  control  of  their  breathing.  Now,  instead  of   gasping  for  air  in  class  or  in  a  performance,  dancers  can  calmly  take  in  long  energizing  breaths   that  support  their  movement.   Dancers  need  the  benefits  that  come  from  Bikram  poses  to  rejuvenate  their  muscles,   circulatory  system,  strength,  and  flexibility.  Blood  transports  the  oxygen,  along  with  nutrients,   in  the  form  of  glucose  to  all  of  the  body.  The  difference  in  the  circulatory  system  when  running   and  doing  a  compression  pose  is  that  even  though  running  elevates  the  heart  rate,  there  is  still   a  small  steady  flow  of  blood  to  all  parts  of  the  body  instead  of  having  a  rush  of  oxygenated   blood  to  one  specific  area  providing  nutrients.     Bikram’s  poses  use  compression  and  extension  to  increase  the  flow  of  oxygenated  blood   to  every  part  of  the  body,  which  Bikram  calls  the  Hoover  Dam  effect  (84).  The  Hoover  Dam   effect  is  when  blood  is  squeezed  out  of  a  certain  area  by  compressing  one  part  of  the  body  with   another,  blocking  blood  flow  like  the  Hoover  Dam.  After  20  seconds  of  tight  compression,  the   body  releases  the  posture  and  allows  all  the  fresh  oxygenated  blood  that  has  built  up  to  flow   into  that  area.  The  blood  brings  in  oxygen  and  glucose  to  prevent  lactic  acid  from  building  up   and  to  deplete  any  existing  lactic  acid,  leaving  the  muscles  energized  and  ready  to  dance  rather   than  fatigued  like  after  traditional  exercises.  “The  purpose  of  what  Americans  think  of  as  
  • 5. Bourne   5   exercise  is  to  reach  a  sports  or  fitness  goal,  regardless  of  cost  to  the  body”(45-­‐49).  When   exercising  one  may  gain  a  small  benefit  (i.e.  legs  will  get  stronger),  but  the  majority  of  what  you   do  is  harm  to  the  body,  especially  for  young  people  whose  bodies  are  changing  at  different   rates.    “For  young  adults,  a  yoga  program  can  improve  balance  substantially,  produce   improvements  in  leg  strength,  and  improve  leg  muscle  control  for  less-­‐steady  subjects”  (Hart   and  Tracy).  The  authors  experience  in  secondary  education  dance  classes  caused  a  lot  of   injuries  that  limited  her  physical  capability  today  because  her  teachers  did  not  help  her  build   the  strength  or  flexibility  needed  for  the  movement  being  done.  After  running  a  few  miles  class   members  would  run  through  drills  where  they  had  to  drop  into  the  splits  in  one  count  from  a   standing  position  countless  times,  perform  extremely  one-­‐sided  repetitive  routines,  and  never   warm  up  or  cool  down  properly.  “The  proof  can  be  seen  in  the  people  who  pursue  these  things   the  most  intensely:  look  at  professional  athletes  and  dancers;  after  just  a  few  years,  they  end   up  crippled  with  broken  bodies  that  can’t  play  or  perform  anymore”  (Choudhury,  45-­‐49).     Incorporating  compression  poses  from  Bikram’s  asanas  into  a  secondary  education   dance  class  will  help  build  muscular  strength  and  flexibility  better  than  traditional  exercise.   While  building  strength  and  flexibility,  yoga  creates  a  muscular  connection  through  the  entire   body.  Unlike  site-­‐specific  muscle  building  exercises  like  situps,  pushups,  and  squats,  Bikram’s   poses  require  the  muscles  from  head  to  toe  to  hold  and  control  the  asanas.  “The  balancing   poses  especially  helped  me  stabilize  and  find  a  nice  center  string  to  work  from  in  my  body   alignment.  I  don't  just  jump  and  kick  and  turn  anymore.  My  movement  has  more  fluidity   (Samuels).    
  • 6. Bourne   6   No  human  is  born  with  strength  and  flexibility  balanced  correctly.  “The  best  ballerina  in   the  world  cannot  hold  a  Hatha  yoga  balancing  posture  longer  than  three  seconds,  because  like   most  flexible  peoples’  muscles,  hers  don’t  have  enough  strength”(79).  “When  I  was  younger  I   danced,  but  I  didn't  know  where  the  movement  was  coming  from  or  what  muscles  I  was  using.   With  yoga  you  feel  every  little  thing  in  your  body.  ‘It's  very  personal,  very  internal’”  (Samuels).   Through  asanas  you  are  able  to  see  and  feel  which  parts  of  your  body  are  weak  or  not   functioning  correctly.  You  are  able  to  check  up  on  yourself  and  see  where  you  can  improve  and   where  you  need  more  flexibility  or  strength.  “Real  exercise  means  stretching,  the  simultaneous   contraction  and  elongation  of  the  muscles,  which  builds  strength  and  flexibility.  There  is  no   jarring,  repetitive  impact,  or  unnatural  motions”  (Choudhury,  48).  This  author  does  not  believe   that  people  should  stop  playing  sports  or  dancing  all  together,  but  should  give  their  bodies  and   student’s  bodies  what  they  need;  creating  balanced  strength  and  flexibility  by  incorporating   elements  of  Bikram’s  asanas  into  dance  technique  classes.   By  incorporating  meditation  and  concentration  in  secondary  education  dance  classes,   the  dancers  will  learn  how  to  discipline  their  bodies  and  minds  and  have  less  stress  and  anxiety.   Although  dance  teachers  do  not  have  time  to  have  long  meditating  sessions  with  their  students   to  help  their  minds,  Bikram  believes  that  meditation  can  involve  movement.  While  some  do  not   believe  that  something  physically  demanding  can  be  called  meditation,  Bikram  knows  that  it   can  because  that  is  the  purpose  of  Hatha  yoga.  Many  westerners,  including  dance  teachers,   believe  that  meditation  must  be  done  in  complete  stillness.  However,  meditation  is  the  practice   of  focusing  and  calming  the  mind  in  order  to  communicate  with  oneself.  It  involves  
  • 7. Bourne   7   concentrating  the  mind  on  one  thing  for  a  long  time  while  keeping  it  free  from  all  the  countless   distractions  of  the  world  (76)    When  practicing  Bikram  yoga  there  is  an  incredible  amount  of  pressure  exerted  on  the   body  from  heat  and  challenging  positions.  This  forces  one  to  break  their  attachment  to  external   things  and  go  within.  “The  focus  needed  to  hold  postures  develops  internal  strength  and   willpower”  (Thompson).  There  is  no  escape  from  reality;  meditation  demands  ones  abilities  and   attention.  One  learns  to  discipline  their  body  and  mind  under  intolerable  conditions,  one  will   truly  be  able  to  concentrate,  and  nothing  external  will  be  able  to  break  that.  This  is  one  of  the   many  reasons  why  meditation  should  be  practiced  in  dance  technique  classes.  “Yoga  helps  kids   get  their  young  bodies  and  minds  more  under  control  so  that  they  can  learn”    (247).  Through   meditation  the  students  will  become  intrinsically  motivated  to  improve.  With  this  new  focus   and  understanding  of  themselves,  they  will  put  in  more  time  and  effort  to  do  challenging   things.     Incorporating  mental  yoga  techniques  into  dance  classes  will  lower  levels  of  stress  and   teach  dancers  to  gain  control  over  their  thoughts  through  meditation  and  concentration.   Adolescence  is  a  wonderful  time  of  life,  but  it  is  also  full  of  stressors.  A  young  dancer’s  body,  as   well  as  his  or  her  mind,  is  developing  and  changing  rapidly,  which  can  put  a  lot  of  pressure  on   secondary  education  students.  When  that  kind  of  stress  is  put  on  the  body,  it  is  thrown  into   emergency  overdrive  known  as  “fight-­‐or-­‐flight”,  and  the  chemicals,  adrenaline,  and  cortisol,  are   released  to  help  us  cope.  Over  time  those  stressful  conditions  can  lead  to  the  body  becoming   overwhelmed.  Through  Bikram’s  full-­‐lung  breathing  and  meditation,  the  body  taps  into  its  self-­‐
  • 8. Bourne   8   healing  system  that  calms  the  mind,  body,  and  emotions.  We  gain  control  and  can  turn  off  the   fight-­‐or-­‐flight  response.     When  people  feel  out  of  control  because  of  stress  they  do  what  they  can  to  try  to  create   order,  and  the  quickest  way  dancers  find  control  over  themselves  is  through  their  mouths.  A   huge  stressor  on  dancers  is  the  expectations  for  what  their  bodies  should  look  like.  Many   dancers  fall  into  the  trap  of  eating  disorders.  They  can  have  complete  control  over  what  they   put  into  their  bodies  and  have  control  over  what  they  physically  look  like.  Bikram  believes  that   when  one’s  mind  is  weak  it  will  “constantly  feed  on  your  fears  and  negative  habits”  (216).   When  dancers  practice  meditation  and  strengthen  their  minds  they  will  begin  to  control  their   thoughts  and  they  will  have  control  over  themselves.  When  you  have  control  over  yourself  your   confidence,  determination,  and  self-­‐control  are  strengthened.  You  begin  to  have  higher  self-­‐ esteem  and  you  feel  happiness  and  strength  not  to  cower  at  the  negative  thoughts  coming  your   way.  “Once  the  body  and  mind  are  trained  and  joined  in  harmony,  they  form  a  perfect  union   and  a  complete  human  being”  (7).  By  gaining  the  mental  strength  and  willpower  through  yoga,   dancers  will  have  higher  self-­‐esteem  that  will  limit  their  need  to  compare  themselves  to  other   dancers,  reducing  the  number  of  dancers  falling  victim  to  eating  disorders.  The  stress  and   pressure  from  the  outside  world  will  melt  away  and  they  will  begin  to  accept  their  powerful   bodies.     Dancers  bodies  are  being  pushed  to  new  limits,  which  can  have  a  negative  impact  on  their   bodies  as  well  as  their  minds.  There  are  certain  concepts  taught  by  Bikram  in  his  style  of  Hatha   yoga  that  can  easily  be  incorporated  into  dance  technique  classes  such  as  full-­‐lung  breathing,   compression  asanas,  and  meditation.  By  doing  so  secondary  education  dance  teachers  will  help  
  • 9. Bourne   9   improve  the  dancers  muscular  strength  and  flexibility,  which  in  turn  will  connect  the  body   preventing  further  injuries  from  occurring.    “It  makes  me  very  conscious  of  my  body  and  that   can  translate  into  preventing  injuries”(Samuels).  Through  meditation  and  concentration,   dancers  will  be  able  to  have  control  over  their  minds  and  have  a  strong  mind  body  connection,   increasing  their  self-­‐esteem  and  self-­‐control.  With  higher  self-­‐esteem,  dancers  will  not  fall  as   easily  into  the  trap  of  eating  disorders  that  plague  so  many  dancers  today  because  of  the   stresses  put  on  them  to  look  a  certain  way.  Overall  yoga  concepts  will  benefit  secondary   education  dancers  both  physically  and  mentally  and  will  help  to  create  healthier,  stronger,   more  technical,  and  well-­‐minded  dancers.                            
  • 10. Bourne   10   Works  Cited     Brungard,  Lori.  “Dancers  Discover  Yoga  Benefits.”  Dance  Magazine.  (2000):  n.  pag.  Web.   Choudhury,  Bikram.  Bikram  Yoga:  The  Guru  behind  Hot  Yoga  Shows  the  Way  to  Radiant  Health  and   Personal  Fultillment.  New  York:  Collins,  2007.  Print.           Choudhury,  Bikram  and  Bonnie  Jones  Reynolds.  Bikram's  Beginning  Yoga  Class.  Los  Angeles:  J.  P.   Tarcher,  1978.  Print.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Cowen,  Virginia  S.,  and  Troy  B.  Adams.  “Physical  and  perceptual  benefits  of  yoga  asana  practice:   results  of  a  pilot  study.”  Journal  of  Bodywork  &  Movement  Therapies  9.3  (2005):  211-­‐19.   Web.  24  Jan  2012.                                                 DiStasio,  Susan  A.  “Integrating  Yoga  Into  Cancer  Care.”  Clinical  Journal  of  Oncology  Nursing  12.1   (2008):  125-­‐30.  Web.  24  Jan  2012.                                                                                               Gura,   Shira   Taylor.   “Yoga   for   stress   reduction   and   injury   prevention   at   work.”   Work   (Reading   Mass)  19.1  (2002):  3-­‐7.  Web.  24  Jan  2012.                                                                                           “Hatha  Yoga.”  Encyclopaedia  Britannica.  n.  pag.  Web.  16  Jan,  2012.                     Hart,  Cady  E.F.,  and  Brian  L.  Tracy.  “Yoga  as  Steadiness  Training:  Effects  on  Motor  Variability  in   Young  Adults.”  Journal  of  Strength  and  Conditioning  Research  22.5  (2008):  1659-­‐69.  Web.   23  Jan  2012.               “Oxygen  Debt.”  Brian  Mac  Sports  Coach.  30  May  2011.  <http://www.brianmac.co.uk/oxdebit.htm  >   Samuels,  Shayna.  “Why  they  love  yoga.”  Dace  Magazine.  (2008):  n.  pag.  Web.   Thompson,  Jen.  “Training  right.”  Dance  Magazine.  (2008):  n.  pag.  Web.   “Yoga.”  Mosby’s  Dictionary  of  complementary  and  Alternative  Medicine.  (2005):  n.  pag.  Web.  16  Jan,   2012.