Beyond the Six-Pack: What Core Strength Really Means for Dancers

Dr. Chelsea Moehlenbrock Author

You've probably heard dance teachers shout "engage your core!" countless times. But what does that actually mean? Let's dive deep into what real core strength is – and why it's so much more than just having visible abs.

What Your Core Really Is

The core is your body's powerhouse. Think of it as a soda can. There is support on all sides as well as the top and bottom. It's not just your abs – it's a complex system of muscles that includes:

• Deep abdominal muscles (Transversus Abdominis)

• Obliques (internal and external)

• Back muscles (Multifidus and Erector Spinae)

• Pelvic floor muscles

• Diaphragm

Why Core Strength Matters for Dancers

True core strength isn't about holding a plank for five minutes (although that’s some good muscle endurance if you can!). As dancers, our core needs to be able to provide stability in many different static positions as well as while we are moving. We are taught to stack our spine and maintain “proper” posture using our core. However, we aren’t stuck in that position while we dance, so our core needs to be able to hold us while we are off balance, or in the air, or moving in/out of the floor. When our core is strong, it helps us:

• Maintain optimal alignment(which might not be upright) during complex movements

• Control your center during pirouettes

• Stabilize your spine during partner work

• Support your legs during développés

• Help you maintain your jump position in the air

• Control your landings from your leaps

The Core Myths

Let's bust some common misconceptions:

Myth #1: A flat stomach equals a strong core

Remember, our core is our entire center, front, sides, back, above, and below the abdominal cavity. The aesthetic of a flat stomach has nothing to do with the strength of someone’s core. Humans all have multiple layers of abdominal muscles and it is natural, particularly for females, to have a layer of adipose tissue superficial to those muscles. Having a flat stomach typically just means that someone has a lower percentage of body fat, which has nothing to do with how strong they are.

Myth #2: More crunches = better core strength

Nope. Nada. No. It’s a pet-peave of mine when I hear students tell me that their teachers make them do hundreds of crunches to help their core. Crunches strengthen the “six pack” muscle, the rectus abdominus, which only helps with trunk flexion (the motion you do during crunches), but it doesn’t help all the other muscles that are part of the core and has limited carryover to dance movements. Honestly, crunches are a waste of time since there are many more ways to challenge the entire core in one or two exercises.

Myth #3: You should always "pull your navel to spine"

This is a common cue that pilates instructors and dance instructors use, but it can cause confusion, poor activation of the entire core, and create bad habits. When we pull our navel towards the spine, we are mainly engaging our rectus abdominus (remember, that six-pack muscle), which does not activate the whole core canister. This provides minimal stability for the pelvis, spine, and ribcage and can create increased pressure on the pelvic floor. That increased pressure on the abdominal floor over time can lead to pelvic floor dysfunction, such as athletic stress incontinence (which almost half of adolescent athletes have!). Pulling the navel towards the spine also limits the amount that the ribcage can move.

Real Core Training for Dancers

Effective core training includes:

1. Breathing exercises (yes, breathing is fundamental!) - you have to know how to breathe while also using your core. Otherwise, dancing will be much more difficult.

2. Dynamic stability work - our torso doesn’t stay in one position while we dance. It rotates, extends, flexes, sidebends, and does a combination of those. We need strength in all of those movements, not just in maintaining one position. We need to be able to maintain a position but also control the movement to that position. Our core also needs to be able to resist external forces to be able to hold whatever position we need to be in.

3. Compound movements - we have to be able to use our core muscles while our other joints are moving as well. So strength exercises that involve multiple joints under load will be helpful in training this.

4. Integration with dance-specific movements - dancers’ bodies are challenged with all sorts of movements and shapes. Sometimes it’s helpful to get dance-specific exercises, but this shouldn’t be the only exercises done for the core.

Signs of True Core Strength

• Maintained alignment during complex combinations

• Smooth transitions between movements

• Effortless balance recovery

• Controlled landing from jumps

• Stable partnering work

• Ability to maintain a delicate upper body while the lower body is moving

• Ability to control movements in/out of the floor

• Control with inversions, not just getting there and hoping for the best

**Remember: Core strength isn't about a flat stomach – it's the invisible powerhouse that transforms good dancers into exceptional artists, supporting every arabesque, every leap, and every moment of artistry on stage. Having a strong core broadens the body’s movement potential and creates a limitless dancer.