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Dance technique4 minutes
Learn release technique in contemporary dance
By Bernhard De LucaUpdated
- Release technique uses gravity and breath to specifically reduce unnecessary muscle tension in the body.
- By consciously releasing the joints while standing, a fluid and highly efficient quality of movement is created.
- Breath initiates every movement, which makes the dance feel organic and optimally relieves the spine.
The key to fluid movements in contemporary dance lies not in maximum muscle strength, but in conscious release. Learn how you can find new lightness in your stance through gravity and breath with udansa.
What you need for practice
- Quiet room with a level, non-slip floor
- Comfortable training clothes without restrictive waistbands
- Barefoot or grip socks for good floor contact
- A basic understanding of your own posture
How physics makes your dance effortless
Release technique revolutionized contemporary dance by radically turning away from the rigid forms of classical ballet. Instead of constantly tensing muscles to maintain an artificial shape, this method uses gravity and the body's natural biomechanics. The goal is to expend only as much energy as is absolutely necessary for a movement. For adult beginners, this approach offers a wonderful way to develop a healthy body awareness and release blockages.
A central element of this technique is the conscious release of the joints. By learning to let go of unnecessary tension in your knees, hips, and shoulders, you gain freedom of movement and dynamics. This standing work trains your perception of your own body weight and forms the foundation for more complex movement sequences. If you would like to delve deeper into the physical principles, it is worth taking a look at our guide on Modern Dance Techniques: Understanding the Physics of Movement, which sheds even more light on the biomechanical connections.
Find your way into the release step by step
Finding your plumb line
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and feel the contact of your feet with the floor. Shift your weight slightly forward and backward until you have found your golden center over your ankles.
Unlock your joints
Let your knees soften and imagine how your hip and ankle joints get space. Your stance feels stable, but elastic like a spring.
Let the breath flow
Breathe deeply into your chest and feel the expansion. Use the exhalation to let your head sink heavily forward, so that your cervical spine is gently stretched.
Let your spine hang loose
Let the weight of your head pull your upper spine downwards, vertebra by vertebra. Keep your knees bent and let your arms dangle completely relaxed.
Straighten up effortlessly
Slowly straighten up using the strength of your feet and legs. Feel how your pelvis aligns and your spine stacks itself back up effortlessly, as if by itself.
Modern Dance courses near you
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Upcoming events in this dance style
festivalOnly 5 spots leftModern DanceWorking in Egypt
1. Feb 2027, 18:00 - 1. Jan 2028, 21:00Kawkab.Elfan · Pyramidfrom $800.00Efficient movement versus blockages
Like this
- Use gravity as a partner and release your weight
- Let movements begin with the exhale
- Keep your joints supple and slightly bent
- Focus on the flow of energy in your body
Not like this
- Fighting against gravity with muscle power
- Holding your breath during strenuous movements
- Locking your knees and elbows stiffly
- Copying movements purely externally and mechanically
Your checklist for release training
Before training
Preparation
Standing
Arrival
While dancing
In the meantime
Frequently Asked Questions
The release technique is a contemporary dance method based on releasing muscle tension and using gravity. It promotes fluid, efficient movements and is gentle on the joints.
No, the basics can be learned perfectly well while standing. This guide focuses entirely on biomechanical work in a standing position and coordination with the breath.
The breath serves as the initiator for every movement. When exhaling, you release the joints and use the falling weight, while inhaling creates new alignment and space in the body.
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Read more
Modern Dance Techniques: Understanding the Physics of Movement
Gravity in dance: Using weight consciously while standing
History of Modern Dance: The US Pioneers
History of Ausdruckstanz: A Portrait of Laban and Wigman
Understanding spirals in contemporary dance
Horton technique in modern dance: strength through anatomy
Training balance in Modern Dance: step by step