Breathing

[ZPomeroy]

I don't think we've talked about this too much here on PDO, so thought it would be an interesting thread. The other day i was chatting to a canadian ballet dancer who mentioned that rather than breathing through their diaphragm and stomach they are taught to breath through their back, so that firstly it never looks like they are out of breath and secondly so that the front part of the body does not change apparently making it easier to keep a well balanced posture.

Thinking about this, it does seem to make sense for a ballroom dancer to adopt this type of breathing technique, from what the ballet dancer said it seems that the connection between the two ballroom dancers would greatly improve without the added element of excessive breathing through the stomach/diaphragm. Has anyone been taught anything like this before? and how successful do you think it would be if it were to be transferred to the ballroom world?

Zac

[Dora-Satya Veda]

I was taught as a kid to never breathe using the stomach/diaphragm while dancing. It was my grandfather that first taught me the way to breathe while dancing (seems I have known this as long as I remember).  I was taught that the breathing for dancing solo and dancing in partnership should be different to accommodate for the “none” partnership or the partnership. This was repeated by the ballroom dance teachers I had before moving to England. When I then got to England it was repeated again by all the great teachers there. It is so second nature that I often forget about it unless somebody sound like a steam engine when I am teaching them or they ask about breathing. I would agree that breathing is a very important part of dancing well.

So to answer your question, yes! All my teachers taught/teach breathing and I teach breathing in dancing is different than what people normally do. It can change the dance action tremendously when you breathe at the right time and in the right way. I have actually taught several people here on PDO about the importance of breathing. Some of them are not students of mine but they asked for help on that subject.

DSV

[elisedance]

But the breathing that Zac describes - through the back - sounds like a particlar type of non-stomach/diaphragm breathing although I'm not sure exactly what it means.   As I understand breathing in ballroom it is using the rib cage - which would certainly be visible if you were not connected to the partner.

Also, again as I understand it, rib-cage breathing in ballroom is important to maintain the core.  If you use your diaphragm and stomach you have to relax the abdominal muscles that are busy maintain the core.

[Dora-Satya Veda]

I was taught that all breathing in ballroom dancing is through the ribcage and that you breathe through the back in Latin.

[elisedance]

I was taught that all breathing in ballroom dancing is through the ribcage and that you breathe through the back in Latin.

wow.  does that require sugery?

[Dora-Satya Veda]

I was taught that all breathing in ballroom dancing is through the ribcage and that you breathe through the back in Latin.

wow.  does that require sugery?

Indeed. I haven't heard of anybody having sugery. I have heard that people have to totally relearn to breathe for dancing.

[ZPomeroy]

So how does one go about learning these breathing techniques?

Zac

[Dora-Satya Veda]

So how does one go about learning these breathing techniques?

Zac

You will have to find a top dancer that has learned the techniques or go an alternative way. It might be an idea to work with dancers of other forms that have learned this way of breathing. There is a book called “Breath Play”. This American writes of the use of breathing to achieve remarkable results. Sorry, I don’t have the book with me on this trip so can’t give you the author’s name.

[drj]

There is a book called “Breath Play”. This American writes of the use of breathing to achieve remarkable results. Sorry, I don’t have the book with me on this trip so can’t give you the author’s name.

Ian Jackson. On my book pile, right next to Zen Body-Being and The New Rules of Posture.

[Dora-Satya Veda]

There is a book called “Breath Play”. This American writes of the use of breathing to achieve remarkable results. Sorry, I don’t have the book with me on this trip so can’t give you the author’s name.

Ian Jackson. On my book pile, right next to Zen Body-Being and The New Rules of Posture.

Thank you drj. I keep thinking of something similar to Michael Jackson but couldn't remember if that was the first name or the last that was the same. 

[Some guy]

Wow!!!  I think I need to know what this breathing thing is all about.  You mean to say we're supposed to breath when we compete and not hold our breaths for a minute and a half?! 

I feel I breathe, I don't get out of breath, but would certainly like to know how the masters do it.

[Dora-Satya Veda]

 You mean to say we're supposed to breath when we compete and not hold our breaths for a minute and a half?! 

Why don't you just hold the breaths during the all the competition? Then you don't have to think about breathing at all.

[Some guy]

I'm getting there DSV, I'm getting there.  However, this thread told me that I should be going in the OTHER direction. 

[Dora-Satya Veda]

I'm getting there DSV, I'm getting there.  However, this thread told me that I should be going in the OTHER direction. 

I am sure you are getting there. I am hearing some pretty good things about you. I think that would be a good idea as long as you don't hyperventilate.

[elisedance]

Breathing and relaxation are intimately related - if you relax you will breathe as if you are walking