So many dancers and teachers focus on core strength when it comes to turns, balance and stability, but not much attention is paid to the ankles until dancers start pointe or have an injury. Increasing ankle strength is essential when a dancer keeps dropping their heel, hopping in their turns or have a low relevé.

The health of your dancer’s feet and ankles effects the health of their knees, hips and everything else moving upward so I encourage you to take the time to work on these smaller areas as they can greatly improve larger muscles and structures of the body.

Try these three moves to increase ankle strength in your next practice and have your dancers try these at home while brushing their teeth or chatting at the kitchen counter.

Get to know Rozi, our product development saint here at The Line Up! She's one of our oldest employees, since back in the day when we were a 10 person team. She has dabbled in everything from - stitching, cutting, pattern making, production management, finishing to her current roll as a product development support. 

Team: Esprit de Corps
Coaches: Deirdre Driscoll, Dede Wilson, and Erika Hoffman
Location: Lexington, Massachusetts
Style: Synchronized Skating

We caught up with our VIP models Ali and Kate after they wrapped up their whirlwind season of conventions and competitions this summer!  Check out what they had to say about their experience as a Line Up VIP and their busy year full of practices, traveling, modeling, and performances!

Get to know Toni, our administrative & product development support superstar!

Get to know Sara, our extraordinary accountant here at The Line Up!

I get asked a lot as a personal trainer for dancers about hip flexibility and strength. It seems to be an area of concern for coaches and dancers striving for flat splits, high kicks and extended leaps. The biggest issue however isn’t really a lack of flexibility, but a lack of movement in our every day lives. The increased time we spend sitting at work, school, in cars or buses causes our hip muscles to become tighter and shorter. This pulls on our low back and even our hamstrings. With these 5 movements, you’ll see a drastic change in hip flexibility but you can also enjoy some more movement in the back and legs.

Get to know Michelle, one of the product designers for our premier custom design clients!

Team: Hazen Drill Team
Coach: Lindsay Starr
Location: Renton, WA
Style: High School Dance Team - Military

It's that time of year when NBA and NHL playoffs are in full swing, and it's only natural for us to want to root for those teams we helped outfit.  So we were especially excited last week when we heard that the Washington Capitals and the Vegas Golden Knights made it to the Stanley Cup Final - we helped outfit the spirit and ice crew for both teams! 

Choosing the right outfit for your college audition can be tricky - you want to stand out while still adhering to the guidelines of your team's audition. Taking a creative approach when deciding what to wear can go a long way in helping you catch the coaches' eyes and feeling confident at auditions!

While every team's guidelines are different, here are a apparel tips every dancer should consider when choosing an outfit for college dance team auditions! 

Team: Ann Arbor Hockettes
Director/Head Coach: Erin Donovan
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Style: Synchronized Skating Team - Junior 

Timberwolves Dancer photos courtesy of David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images

Team: Timberwolves Dancers
Head Coach: Athenia Williams
Assistant Coaches: Camille Sherman, Gina Hutton, Tracy Schindeldecker
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Style: NBA Dance Team

Team: Branford Dance Team
Head Coach: Jacqui Montano
Location: Branford, CT
Style: High School Dance Team

This post was created by guest bloggers Britt and Jess of ProMotion Dance. These ladies have dancing in their blood - with over 15 years of combined professional dancing experience, they are now small business owners dedicating their time to helping other dancers achieve success with audition prep and choreography services. Read on for their audition advice: the top 3 mistakes to avoid at tryouts! 

You probably have a stretching routine that you’ve been doing for months or even years. Usually the routine starts standing, folding over your legs for a hamstring stretch, spending some time in a runners lunge, and of course a straddle stretch that slides right into the splits.

From studios to dance teams, stretching usually looks the same, but it’s important to follow healthy stretching guidelines to prevent injury and decreasing your strength.

So, how should a dancer stretch correctly? By avoiding these three things, below!

Team: Lac qui Parle Valley High School Dance Team
Director/Head Coach: Lisa Johnson
Location: Madison, MN
Style: High School Dance Team - High Kick 

 Britt and Jess- the co-founders of ProMotion Dance

This post was created by guest bloggers Britt and Jess of Pro Motion Dance. These ladies have dancing in their blood - with over 15 years of combined professional dancing experience, they are now small business owners dedicating their time to helping other dancers achieve success with audition prep and choreography services. Read on for their audition advice: the top 3 mistakes to avoid at tryouts! 

One of the most common questions we get asked about cheer uniforms and team warm-ups is “what type of logo/lettering is best for me?” followed by “how much does it cost?” To answer these questions and more, we’re starting a new series to guide you through the different application types, and what might work best for your team!

First up, we're talking about vinyl - the perfect option for bold lettering on a budget. Learn more, below!