Understanding Core Control for Dancers

We are excited to share that Susie’s latest clinical article has just been published in the September 2026 edition of Dancetrain Magazine! Read the full feature below on rethinking core engagement for dancers.

The low spine/lumbar and pelvic region can be thought of as the centre of the dancer’s movement system. This area of the lower trunk can be described as ‘the cylinder of support’ with the diaphragm at the top, the pelvic floor muscles at the base, the abdominal muscles wrapping around the trunk and the deep spinal muscles supporting the back. These ‘CORE’ muscles work in synergy to help maintain body balance reactions as we move and change positions.

It is thought that deep layers of muscles closest to our body’s centre of balance switch on slightly prior to movement shifts and maintain a low level of activation in the background, laying a BASE of skeletal control for larger, more superficial muscles to produce MOVEMENT.

What does effective core engagement actually feel like and why does it matter?

Dancers are often told to “engage your core,” “pull your abdominals in” or “keep your pelvis stable.” But what do these instructions actually mean?

Effective core control is much more than just creating tension through the abdominal muscles.

It is the ability to coordinate the muscles around the trunk and pelvis to allow movement to feel effortless and controlled.

This is called dynamic lumbo-pelvic stability: creating enough support through the centre of the body to control movement, without creating unnecessary stiffness or tension.

Ideally, core muscles contribute to spinal and pelvic alignment, control, balance, force transfer and movement efficiency. However, effective ‘core’ engagement should not feel like holding the breath, gripping the abdominal wall and butt muscles or bracing the entire body.

What should core engagement feel like?

Good core activation is often surprisingly subtle.

RATHER THAN DRAWING THE STOMACH AGGRESSIVELY INWARD, THINK ABOUT CREATING GENTLE, ‘ANTI GRAVITY’, THREE-DIMENSIONAL SUPPORT AROUND THE TRUNK. THE ABDOMINAL WALL CAN BECOME FIRMER, BUT THE DANCER SHOULD STILL BE ABLE TO BREATHE NORMALLY AND MOVE WITH EASE.

You might notice:

• gentle drawing in of the lower abdomen
• a sense of ‘wrapping’ support around the waist
• feeling taller or elongated
• the trunk feeling flexible and organised rather than rigid
• the ability to breathe without losing control

The sensation will vary depending on the movement and the level of effort required. A simple balance exercise should not require the same degree of ‘core’ muscle activation as a powerful jump take off or landing.

Core activation is therefore not an on/off switch. It is a graded dynamic response to the demands of movement.

WHEN “ENGAGING THE CORE” BECOMES TOO MUCH

MORE ACTIVATION IS NOT NECESSARILY BETTER.

Some dancers respond to the instruction to “engage” by gripping the abdominal muscles, holding their breath, tightening the pelvic floor or stiffening the entire trunk and shoulder girdle. Excessive tension may actually interfere with movement quality.

A USEFUL QUESTION IS:

CAN I MAINTAIN CONTROL WHILE STILL BREATHING AND MOVING FREELY?

I find verbal cues like ‘draw the lower abdominal in toward the back of the pelvis’ or ‘zip up the lower abdominal from the pubic bone up and in toward the back’. I find the ‘navel to spine’ cue is too high, causing bracing around the base of the ribcage, which can restrict natural breathing patterns. The body’s centre of balance is lower.

While in standing, I ask the dancer to slouch! They feel all the postural trunk muscles switch off. Then I ask them to ‘grow tall’, feeling the crown of the head lengthening up, and the skin of the lower abdominal draw in slightly between the pubic bone and the belly button.

THE ‘CORE’ MUSCLES SHOULD SWITCH ON NATURALLY WITH THIS POSTURE. THERE SHOULD NEVER BE A ‘BEARING DOWN’ FEELING OF PUSHING THE STOMACH OUT OR THE PELVIC FLOOR MUSCLES DOWN.

What happens when there isn’t enough control?

Insufficient lumbo-pelvic control can make it difficult to maintain spinal and pelvic alignment as the limbs move.

Poor or poorly coordinated lumbopelvic control may be one factor associated with injury risk, but it is only one part of a much larger picture involving strength, mobility, technique, workload, fatigue, previous injury and the dancer’s capacity to tolerate repeated loads.

A dancer may struggle to control the pelvis during a développé, lose trunk alignment during an arabesque, fall out of a turn or find it difficult to maintain balance on one leg.

This does not automatically mean that the dancer has a “weak core.” There may be issues with coordinated control, endurance and background strength for a specific movement.

This is why core control should be considered a movement skill, not simply a strength test.

The spine is designed to move. The goal is to develop the coordination and flow to control movement and tolerate load appropriately as movements shift.

Learning to recognise your own core

Instead of simply asking, “Am I engaging my core?”, try asking:

• Am I breathing?
• Am I maintaining a lift of my pelvis onto the leg or length through my spine?
• Am I creating useful lines, or unnecessary tension?
• Can I maintain this control when the movement becomes faster, larger or more challenging?

These questions shift the focus from simply activating muscles to developing genuine movement awareness.

Dynamic lumbo-pelvic stability is ultimately about finding that balance, strong enough to support movement, adaptable enough to allow it, and coordinated enough to make it efficient.

Learn to discover which core muscle contraction thought or feeling works best for you. Since this core activation is subtle, you can ask your physio to assess you, perhaps using a real time ultrasound biofeedback machine, so you can SEE the muscles working and develop how to ‘feel’ these deep muscles working.

Stay long and tall! And BREATHE!