Recovery Class 5, led by Stephanie Petersen, is a full body cool down, designed to help restore the tissues after a hard day of dancing. We will work on connecting with the muscles, slowing down the breath and gently relaxing the body and mind. 

The exercise Deep Breathing and Imagery provides the perfect opportunity to reset the mind and body, helping dancers visualise how they can apply the knowledge gained in the previous sessions to their class and performance work.

An important exercise within this class is Circular Port de Bras. Here, dancers will focus on softening the ribs as they move through a full range of motion, using épaulement to enhance the quality of their movement.

Medial Chain Control closes the class by releasing tension along the medial chain and gently improving range, leaving the body feeling open and at ease.

Tips

• Highlight the importance of breathwork in increasing the range of motion and improving the fluidity of movement.

• Encourage dancers to keep their ribs soft as they move through épaulement — at this point there can be a tendency to flare.