Two Easy and Quick Ways to Add Dance to Gymnastics Practice (No Full Dance Class Required)

Dance training normally isn't a priority in gymnastics aside from the drills we use for dance requirements. Not because we don’t value it, but because we coaches are trying to juggle a million other things. Between cleaning up tumbling technique, focusing on strength and conditioning, and just getting through the day’s assignments, it can feel impossible to make time for things like rhythm, coordination, and musicality. It makes sense, though, why dance often takes a back seat in our practice schedules. Dance is such a small part of gymnastics, and the rest of it just encompasses so much that dance is often forgotten. Even I, the person who literally started a dance-for-gymnastics company, am guilty of this.

But the truth is, dance training doesn’t have to be a full class to see a difference. By setting aside a few minutes each week, or dedicating a few applicable warm-ups to your events, you can start building your gymnasts’ dance technique, rhythm, and coordination without overhauling your entire program.

Here are two simple, time-saving ways I’m currently adding dance into our weekly training that you can easily implement too.

1. 15-Minute “Dance Warm-Up” Mondays

Every Monday, we spend 15 minutes during warm-up working on presentation and coordination (because… wow. So many gymnasts are not coordinated 😅). Right now we're working on kicks and chassés. After doing them individually, I put it together in a short “across the floor” combo that we've been doing every week.

Here’s the one 8-count combo we’re working on right now (they’re Level 4s):

👉 Chassé right

👉 Chassé left

👉 3-step turn

👉 Step kick L, step kick R

👉 Step together → straddle jump

That’s it. And let me tell you, they are struggling to keep up. That's because their previous coaches never implemented training like this. Eventually, I'll make them do it to a beat, like clapping or background music, so they’re practicing musicality, too. But that might be a few weeks 😅 Once they get the hang of this, I will implement other dance technique things and continue to layer it all together.

Why this works:

✔ Teaches them to learn choreography

✔ Builds rhythm and coordination

✔ Still applicable to movement they’ll actually use in their routines

2. Ballet Barre on Beam (yes, beam!)

I'm not a huge fan of focusing on ballet (look out for a post on this later), but there's no denying that there are foundations that can and should be implemented into gymnastics training. In my opinion, the best place to implement ballet training is on beam, so that's why beam is the place I teach ballet technique. Plus, there's literally a built-in ballet barre right there.

We do a 15-minute ballet barre on beam every week. Right now we’re focusing on:

✔ Kick technique

✔ Alignment

✔ Posture and control

I then take the ballet barre concepts and apply them on the beam. I make sure to give corrections that tie back to the ballet barre to help them understand the connections between practicing technique at the "barre" and actually implementing it. I find that if they understand why I'm teaching them pliés and tendus, then they tend to be more open and willing to get the technique right.

If you’re a coach trying to find ways to add more dance into your program without a total overhaul, feel free to steal these ideas. Start small and just pick one or two things to focus on every few weeks. Then you can layer it on. If you keep it consistent you’ll start seeing the difference.

If you'd like more insight on implementing dance into your program, feel free to follow us on social media, where I offer tips on choreography, dance technique, and more! If you're looking to dive a little deeper into how exactly to implement dance into your training and make it more of a priority, we can help with that! Contact us at info@stellargymnast.com to find out how we can help you make your gymnasts better dancers.