Summer is the perfect time for dancers to improve their strength and flexibility while giving their bodies a break from the busy competition and rehearsal schedule. Focusing on targeted exercises at home can help dancers return to the studio stronger, more flexible, and less prone to injury.
To help your dancer stay on track this summer, we’ve curated a list of reputable YouTube videos that focus on strengthening and flexibility exercises for dancers. These are great for dancers of all levels and can easily be done at home!
Below you’ll find playlists and individual videos from trusted dance educators like Miss Auti & Kathryn Morgan
Improving flexibility helps dancers achieve higher extensions, deeper pliés, and beautiful lines — while also reducing the risk of strains and pulls. Here are some excellent
YouTube resources:
Daily Stretches for Flexibility & Splits (Miss Auti) – Build toward your splits safely and effectively.
Hip Flexibility (Miss Auti) – Increase range of motion in your hips for better turnout and leaps. Start at 1:00 mark
Foot Flexibility Stretches (Miss Auti) – Strengthen and stretch your feet. Exercises that will help you get flexible dance feet and stable ankles. Start at about :59 mark
Building strength helps dancers achieve better balance, power in jumps, and control in turns — while preventing injuries. These videos focus on building a strong foundation:
Keeping Your Feet Strong at Home (Miss Auti) – DIY arch exercises to maintain your beautiful dance feet. Focus on doing foot stretches, foot strengthening phrases, and using an arch stretcher.
Exercises for Glutes & Quads: Routine for Leg Strength (Kathryn Morgan) – Improve your leg strength. These exercises targeting the big muscles that power your leaps and pliés.
Ankle & Calf Strengthening (Kathryn Morgan) –This short routine is something you can do everyday to build strength, stability, and alignment.
Exercises for Core & Low Back: Improve Arabesque (Kathryn Morgan) – Build a strong core for better posture, control, and improve your arabesque.
Strength & Stretch Workout for Dancers (Kathryn Morgan) – A balanced workout combining strength and flexibility.
Workout for Leg Strength & Stability (Kathryn Morgan) – Great for balance, turns, and endurance.
While many of these strengthening and flexibility exercises can be done with just your body, a few simple accessories can make your dancer’s workouts more effective and comfortable:
🎯 TheraBand Professional Resistance Band — Great for foot, ankle, and leg strengthening exercises.
🧘 Yoga Mat — Adds cushioning and grip for floor stretches and strengthening moves.
🏋️ Light Weights — (1–5 lbs.) Perfect for upper body and core strengthening.
🩰 Ballet Barre (if you have one) — Helpful for balance and stability exercises, but a sturdy chair or countertop can also work.
While my own dancer is already very flexible and loves her jumps and turns, one big factor we still need to focus on is strengthening to help prevent injury. It’s so important to build a strong foundation so the body can support all those beautiful movements safely.
I hope some of these workouts help with your summer training too. Happy stretching and strengthening!
