Romita Nancy, Romita Allegra. Functional Awareness: Anatomy in Action for Dancers

Oxford University Press, 2016. — 105 p. — ISBN: 9780190498139.Functional Awareness: Anatomy in Action for Dancers is where anatomy meets artistry. Each chapter provides explorations in embodied anatomy in an engaging manner with the use of images, storytelling, and experiential exercises. It is an accessible introduction to the relationship between daily movement habits, dance training and anatomy. The information is founded on over 30,000 hours of experience teaching and training dancers to generate efficient exertion and appropriate recuperation. Functional Awareness: Anatomy in Action for Dancers employs somatic practices along with explorations in experiential anatomy to awaken the body-mind connection and improve movement function. The book applies the Functional Awareness approach to improve dance technique and provide skills to enable the dancer to move with balance and grace in the classroom, on stage, and in daily life.Relationship of Habit to Dance Training
Skeletal Center of Gravity to Promote Easeful Balance: Moving out of Habit and into a Balanced Standing Posture
Anatomical and Kinesthetic Imagery: Impact of Thinking on Doing
Deep Muscles of Postural Support
Motions of the Trunk and Elegant Use of Spiral
The Pelvis as Conduit from Head to Feet
Ways of Walking: How Gait Affects Dance Training
Breath as the Deep Core Support for Dancing
Core Support
Expressivity of Arms
Recuperation and Restoring Balance