Practicing Jumps at Home?

[Angela Essex]

Hello everyone I’m wondering if it is safe to practice petit allegro jumps at home? I have a cement floor covered with vinyl and would like to practice jumps (allegro1, 2 and 3 for RAD intermediate foundation) at home. Is it safe for my joints to do this (I’m 46)? If no what sort of flooring would I need? Hoping someone knowledgable about such things will be kind enough to advise me. Thanks in advance. 

[The_Red_Shoes]

I don't think it's ever advisable to jump on a cement floor, no matter how you cover it. However it's possible to mark the footwork while practising the speed, timing, arms and directions so that you get all of that thoroughly in your body. I think with Allegro it's often that sense of half panic over not being 100% sure of what comes next that you have to overcome.

[Angela Essex]

1 hour ago, The_Red_Shoes said:

I don't think it's ever advisable to jump on a cement floor, no matter how you cover it. However it's possible to mark the footwork while practising the speed, timing, arms and directions so that you get all of that thoroughly in your body. I think with Allegro it's often that sense of half panic over not being 100% sure of what comes next that you have to overcome.

Thank you. Maybe I’ll have to practice upstairs where the floors are boarded or in the garden. I’ve been doing one of the allegro exercises (allegro 1) on my yoga mat or on the rug on the cement floor but I’ll stop now as I don’t want to do myself any damage 😊

[Millicent]

You can buy slot-together foam floor mats that are designed for babies/children pretty cheaply and then cover with a vinyl remnant or a proper dance mat like Harlequin. The foam mats can then be broken up and stacked in a small pile and the dance mat can be rolled up. That's how we prepared our floor for Zoom classes during the lockdowns. It provides just enough give for jumps and pointe work whilst still being stable and flat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Colman]

I think you’d be better off practicing in dance trainers, I certainly decided I was during lockdown. It’s very hard to get enough padding to protect you onto the floor without making it too soft to move on.

[NotadanceMa]

My son always practices jumps in trainers and on carpet when he trained during lockdown. He more marks the jumps so doesn’t fully commit to them as he would in the studio.

Even with good trainers I would advise against jumping on concrete as it will not absorb any of the impact.

[Dance*is*life]

Definitely agree with the above.  Does your school have any times when their studios are not being used? Perhaps you could practise there?