My 6 Favorite Stretches for Dancers

Stretching can be used to achieve several different goals and at various points in a workout. As you read through the following list, remember to always follow the 10 Rules of Stretching! Here are my 6 favorite stretches for dancers.

Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch

Body Part: Hip flexors

Starting Position: Kneeling in a lunge position on the leg to be stretched
Motion: Keeping the upper body upright, shift your body forward onto your front leg. Don’t let your pelvis tilt anteriorly (where the front of your pelvis rotates forward), don’t lean your chest forward or down, and don’t turn this into a front split.
Where you should feel the stretch: In the front of your back hip (the one that you’re kneeling on)
Modifications: Kneel on a pad, pillow, cushion, or balled up hoodie/jacket if the floor is very hard and is uncomfortable to kneel on; if you try this and don’t feel a stretch, return to the starting position, posteriorly tilt your pelvis by “tucking your tail under”, and try the forward body shift again; If you still don’t feel a stretch, return to the starting position and try the previous modification again with your arms in 5th while leaning your upper body backward. Be careful, though, this position can throw off your balance when you shift forward for the stretch.
Don’t do this if you have: An acute hip flexor strain; anterior knee pain that makes kneeling painful; low back pain with extension (this only applies for the last modification that involves leaning backward); pain when you try this stretch

Standing Hamstring Stretch

Body Part: Hamstrings
Starting Position: Standing, with your hips square to a chair, bench, barre, etc. in front of you. The heel of the leg to be stretched is resting on this object.
Motion: Keeping your back straight, lean forward until you feel a stretch. Think about moving your “butt bone” (ischial tuberosity) away from your foot. Keep your shoulders and chest up (as opposed to folding down onto your leg). Don’t worry about touching your toes or putting your nose on your knee – these cues will tempt you to flex your spine which will allow your pelvis to rotate posteriorly, limiting the amount of stretch you’ll be able to achieve in your hamstring.
Where you should feel the stretch: You may feel this throughout the back of your thigh, but most people will feel the stretch in the middle or lower 1/3 of the hamstrings muscle group. You may feel it in slightly different spots from one leg to another, depending on your individual muscle and fascial tightness.
Modifications: If you feel tight on one side of your posterior thigh over the rest of it, you can return to the starting position and slightly rotate your pelvis to the left or right to tweak which specific fibers are subjected to the most intense stretch.
Don’t do this if you have: An acute hamstring strain; pain when you perform this stretch; an injury or condition that impairs your ability to balance on your non-stretching leg.

Partner Hamstring Stretch

Body Part: Hamstring

Starting Position: Laying on your back with one knee at your chest, the other leg straight out on the ground. YOU WILL NEED A PARTNER FOR THIS STRETCH.
Motion: Your partner grasps your heel/foot to gently and slowly extend (straighten) the knee while keeping the hip in its starting (flexed) position. Your partner needs to make sure that your knee stays as close to your chest as possible and that your pelvis doesn’t start to lift off of the floor (this is “cheating” since your leg is being moved but your hamstring stretch is not being intensified).
Where you should feel the stretch: You will likely feel this stretch closer to your “butt bone” (ischial tuberosity) than the standing hamstring stretch.
Modifications: (none)
Don’t do this if you have: An acute hamstring strain; an unresolved (not finished healing) ischial tuberosity fracture (including avulsion fracture) or stress fracture; pain in your hip with extreme hip flexion; sciatic nerve impingement; pain while performing the stretch

2-way Calf Stretch

Body Part: Calf (gastrocnemius and soleus)
Starting Position: Standing facing a wall, place the ball of one foot on the wall a few inches above the floor while keeping the heel on the floor and the knee straight
Motion: Lean your entire body forward, toward the wall (especially your hips). After holding this stretch long enough, return to the starting position. Keep this foot on the wall and slightly bend this leg’s knee. Do the stretch again by moving toward the wall (like you’re going to put your knee cap on the wall by shifting your whole body forward).
Where you should feel the stretch: With the knee straight, you should feel a rather intense stretch in the “meat” of the calf (the bulky part on the back of your leg about 1/3 of the way down from your knee). This stretch is targeting the gastrocnemius muscle. With the knee bent, you will not feel as intense of a stretch, but you will still feel a stretch. This time, it will be in the lower 1/3 of the back of the lower leg and located more on the sides of the back of the leg, rather than in the middle of it. This stretch is targeting the soleus muscle.
Modifications: (none)
Don’t do this if you have: Painful or limited dorsiflexion (the motion of bringing the toes up toward the knee); an acute calf or Achilles strain; pain while performing the stretch

Toe Extension Stretch

Body Part: Arch muscles, FHL tendon (it flexes your big toe and is what’s injured in “dancer’s tendinitis”); this "stretches" your plantar fascia, too, but this tissue does not increase in length due to stretching, nor does it have actual flexibility
Starting Position: Very similar to the starting position for the 2-way calf stretch but the ball of the foot is also on the floor. This stretch needs to be done without shoes. The only thing that is in contact with the wall is the padding of your toes (mostly your big toe).
Motion: Like the calf-stretch, you need to slowly shift your bodyweight forward (make sure you move your hips forward and that you’re not just leaning your upper body toward the wall.
Where you should feel the stretch: In the medial (big toe) side of the bottom of your foot. You may also feel this stretch in the back of the ankle on the medial side.
Modifications: (none)
Don’t do this if you have: Restricted or painful toe dorsiflexion (this would be affecting your demipointe/releve); numbness or tingling in your toes while performing this stretch; pain while performing this stretch
If you have os trigonum syndrome or acute FHL tendinitis, only do this stretch with the approval of the medical professional treating you.

Doorknob Stretch

Body Part: Rhomboids, Middle Trapezius (the muscles between your spine and your shoulder blades that pull your shoulder blades back toward each other)
Starting Position: Find a door with a sturdy doorknob on both sides of the door. Open the door and grab a doorknob in each hand (you are facing the edge of the door). Place your feet on either side of the bottom of the door to keep the door from swinging and to enhance your stretch (if the door swings during this stretch, you will lose your balance and fall over!).
Motion: Keeping your hands on the doorknob, round your back and lean your upper back away from the door. Sometimes it helps to think of trying to take the part of your spine that is between your shoulder blades and point it as far toward the wall behind you as you can.
Where you should feel the stretch: Between the shoulder blades
Modifications: To specifically target one side over the other, you can shift your pelvis (and, subsequently, your weight) toward the side you want to stretch while keeping your feet fixed to the floor. Just be careful you don’t go so far that you fall over! To adjust the placement of the stretch up or down, adjust the amount of curvature or “roundness” in your back or adjust where your spine is bending forward.
Don’t do this if you have: Thoracic spine or costovertebral (rib-spine joint) instability; an unstable shoulder; weakness in the arms or hands that would prevent you from being able to support your body weight by leaning away from a doorknob; pain while performing the stretch
This stretch is a great choice for relieving muscle knots, tightness, and pain between the shoulder blades.  However, most people do not need to truly "stretch" these muscles, as they are often lengthened and weak.  Exercises like rows that involve pinching the shoulder blades together are a great way to help strengthen these muscles, which will also relieve knots and pain in these muscles and improve posture.