A Primer on Pilates

With the 2023/24 season at an end, many dancers are embracing Pilates to maintain fitness, rehabilitate injuries or target areas of potential weakness over the summer months. Thanks to Merrithew®, our corporate sponsor of the Dancer Screen, every dancer has a personalized training program that includes both mat and Reformer Pilates. Merrithew offers training for fitness enthusiasts and professionals of all levels and backgrounds, from Pilates and mindfulness-based programming to high-intensity interval training and athletic conditioning. We asked Je-an Salas, a former dancer, Registered Massage Therapist and Resident Pilates and Movement Practitioner, to tell us all about Pilates. 

What is Pilates?

Joseph Pilates developed Pilates early in the 20th century. It’s a holistic movement system focused on strength, flexibility, balance, coordination and mindfulness. In terms of muscle groups, Pilates targets the abdomen, lower back, hips and buttocks while engaging the entire body with low-impact exercises. You can practice Pilates with specialized equipment or simply on a mat with varying levels of support and resistance. Typically, Pilates addresses rehabilitation, athletic performance, posture and physical wellbeing. The practice became embedded within dance training when Joseph Pilates began teaching at Jacob’s Pillow Dance in 1942-52.

What distinguishes Pilates from other movement systems?

Pilates is a holistic approach to fitness with a mind-body-breath connection. While other exercise methods also build strength in the core muscles, Pilates actively targets them through controlled movements and spinal mechanics, emphasizing precision, control, breath and body awareness. And while Pilates can be practiced using only a mat, it also incorporates specialized equipment such as the Reformer, Cadillac, Chair and Barrel. These offer varying levels of resistance and support, allowing for a range of exercises to address specific muscle groups and movement patterns in unique ways.

Why do so many dancers love Pilates? 

Pilates is a fantastic cross-training activity for dancers because of the focus on core strength, flexibility, mobility and body awareness. Pilates machines offer assistance and resistance simultaneously, facilitating dynamic stretching and movement patterns that can help improve flexibility and range of motion. This is particularly beneficial for ballet dancers who work at the end ranges of motion. Pilates strengthens the muscles in these extended positions, enhancing stability and preventing injuries.

Ballet dancers often develop muscle imbalances due to the repetitive nature of dance movements. Pilates can help to correct these imbalances by strengthening weaker muscles and releasing tension in those that are overused. It can also isolate muscle groups that are relevant to dance technique, such as the intrinsic foot muscles, hip stabilizers and rotator muscles.

How do the dancers stay in shape over the summer?  

Dancers choose cross-training activities such as swimming, cycling and hiking that provide cardiovascular conditioning and improve endurance and stamina. They also turn to bodyweight exercises, resistance training and functional movements to build and maintain muscle strength, as well as stretching and flexibility exercises. Rest and recovery are just as important during the summer as they are during the season, so dancers use this time to prioritize self-care practices such as massage that assist with recovery from the demands of training and performance. 

Tell us about your role as RMT and Resident Pilates and Movement Practitioner

My role has evolved as I continue to learn and study human movement and the body. I was a dancer with the company from 1991 to 2008, with the last seven of those years as Second Soloist, so I understand the demands of this profession. I approach dancers with the curiosity I gained from my experience as a ballet dancer and the analytical perspective I’ve acquired through my ongoing studies of biomechanics and various manual techniques. I employ several modalities, including Pilates, Fascial Fitness Training, Neuro-movement and Anatomy in Motion to address movement from different perspectives.

When an injury persists or occurs without a clear cause, it's essential to investigate potential contributing factors and address them effectively. Understanding the mechanism of injury and having a dialogue with the dancer helps with my investigation. I also educate the dancers about sound body mechanics. The ultimate goal of our collaboration is to achieve functional balance and alignment, enabling them to perform optimally with ease and resilience.