fordevelopment #stefansolo
Stacking is a posture principle aiming to create an efficient structure off the ground.
This principle looks to optimize strait parts of the body to use a minimum of muscle engagement to maintain posture. This is made up of choosing the bends that the current posture ideal has in the body and minimizing the rest.
Dancers often focus either building of the ground:
Are the ankles relaxed. - Where is the most efficient placement of the ankles with the least engagement needed Are the knees relaxed. - Where is the most efficient placement of the knees Is the spine relaxed - What engagement is needed to hold my spine strait.
Dancers also Focus on the Spine:
Where are the default curves of the spine. How can I elongate my spine just enough that the muscle engagement will not cause it to flex past its strong position under load. How does the rest of the body fit into this position.
When supporting another person’s weight we think about creating a support position of which all components below it are stacked while above is the direct center of your partner’s weight. (See Flying)
Spinal stacking gets complicated as there are 4 main curves in the spine. Dancers compensate for the Cervical, Thoracic and Lumbar Curvature while ignoring the Sacral Curvature as it is fused in most adults.
This means engaging up from the back of your head up and chin back, reducing the Cervical Curvature. Expanding the ribcage upward but not outward like in a breath counters the Thoracic Curvature Engaging the inner front core muscles to elongate the back of the lower spine countering the Lumbar Curvature.
You can boil all of these down to dropping into your hips as well as extending up from the back of your head.
Topics for Further Consideration:
Posture Defensive dancing Injuries Flying Muscular Differentiation Relaxation