Know about fit moves of top choreographers Shakti Mohan, Shiamak Davar

Shakti Mohan. Pic/Sneha Kharabe

Her daily dance sessions apart, Shakti Mohan incorporates conditioning classes into her routine. "It helps me develop strength and yields a certain elevation, which is crucial [for a dancer]. Yoga and pilates are essential too. Yoga helps dancers understand how to breathe when holding different postures, and pilates builds a specific kind of strength. You can be great at CrossFit, but may not be able to withstand a pilates class."

Shiamak Davar

Flexibility work, isolations and balance training, she says, make for important component of her routine. "I've also added a sport to my routine, which, in my case is badminton. I practise it for three hours a day." Isometric work, comprising holding postures without employing muscle movement, is also abundantly practised.

As athletes constantly utilising all parts of their bodies, dancers, Shiamak Davar says, must pay heed to their regimen. "Plenty of time, thought and planning goes into the physical fitness of a dance athlete. Apart from strength and flexibility, [exercises] must cater to complexities of grace, agility, stamina, technique and memory. "Passes [dance movements, like leaps or jumps, that are repeated across the floor] are a common part of a dancers' workout. They increase strength and stamina through repetitive movements," says Davar. An attempt to ace techniques while executing passes, he says, employs a fair share of physical toil from dancers.

Also Read: World dance day special: Madhuri Dixit Nene and Saroj Khan discuss the benefits of dance

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates