Elevate Your Jazz: 5 Foundational Drills for the Intermediate Dancer
You've mastered the basics. Now it's time to refine your technique, deepen your musicality, and unlock a new level of expression. Here are five essential drills to build the strength, precision, and style that define a powerful jazz dancer.
1Plié Relevé Isolation Chains
The Drill
- Start in a wide second position plié, torso upright.
- As you press into a relevé, isolate and roll your shoulders back one at a time.
- In high relevé, perform a slow, controlled head isolation (side-to-side, then forward-and-back).
- Lower your heels back to plié, reversing the shoulder isolations.
- Repeat the chain, adding a rib cage isolation on the way up and a hip drop on the way down.
- Focus on maintaining turnout and a strong core throughout.
Pro Tips
- Use a mirror to ensure your upper body is moving independently of your lower body.
- Keep the movement in your hips and ribs deliberate, not loose or floppy.
- Challenge yourself by doing the entire chain slower each time.
Why it works: This drill builds crucial strength in your feet and ankles while forcing you to master control over individual body parts—a hallmark of clean, articulate jazz technique.
2Jazz Walk Precision & Styling
The Drill
- Mark out a straight line on the floor (or use a floorboard).
- Practice your jazz walk (ball-step) along the line, ensuring your feet are crossing directly over the line with each step.
- Maintain a low, level center of gravity; no bouncing.
- Once the path is precise, add arms: oppositional swing, sharp poses on each step, or a slow port de bras.
- Finally, add a head focus, changing where you look with each step to create intention.
Pro Tips
- Think of "pulling" yourself forward with the front foot rather than "pushing" off the back.
- Record a video of yourself from the side to check that your posture isn't leaning forward or backward.
- Practice to different musical tempos—a slow blues and a fast big band tune.
Why it works: The jazz walk is the bedrock of jazz movement. This drill transforms it from a simple transition into a powerful, stylized statement of intent.
3Contraction-Lunge Sequencing
The Drill
- From standing, initiate a deep jazz contraction (curl the spine, navel to spine).
- From the contraction, propel yourself backward into a deep lunge, extending the leading arm.
- Snap the body into a sharp, high-release pose in the lunge (chest open, head up).
- Use the strength of your back leg to pull yourself up and forward through another contraction to return to start.
- Repeat the sequence, alternating lunging legs. Focus on the "whiplash" effect of the contraction and release.
Pro Tips
- The power comes from your core, not your limbs. Imagine your center is an accordion.
- Keep the front knee aligned over the ankle in the lunge to protect your joints.
- Exhale on the contraction, inhale on the release.
Why it works: This combination is a classic jazz motif. Drilling it builds dynamic core strength and teaches you how to use breath and opposition to create powerful, emotional shapes.
4Pirouette Prep from Fifth
The Drill
- Start in a tight fifth position, right foot front.
- Plié and push off into a relevé retiré (passé) position, but do not turn.
- Hold the balance for 8 counts. Focus on a solid, still core and a high, sharp retiré.
- Lower with control back to fifth position plié.
- Repeat 8 times on the right, then 8 on the left. The goal is consistency and height, not rotation.
- Only add a quarter turn, then a half turn, once the prep is consistently strong and balanced.
Pro Tips
- Your spot is everything. Practice whipping your head around to a fixed point even in this stationary drill.
- Imagine pulling up out of your standing hip, creating as much space as possible.
- Keep your arms engaged and still in a strong first position.
Why it works: A perfect turn starts with a perfect preparation. This drill builds the muscle memory for a clean, controlled take-off and landing, eliminating sloppy, forced rotations.
5Dynamic Kick Combinations
The Drill
- Facing the mirror, perform 4 battement kicks (front), focusing on speed, pointed feet, and a still supporting leg.
- Without putting the foot down, switch to 4 quick, sharp lateral kicks (side).
- Immediately chain into 4 développés à la seconde, focusing on slow, controlled extension to 90 degrees or higher.
- Finish the sequence with a grand battement jeté (big kick) to the front, hitting your maximum height with control.
- Repeat the entire combination on the other side.
Pro Tips
- Engage your turnout muscles throughout. Don't let your hip hike on the lateral kicks.
- The power for the kick comes from the bottom of the leg, not the top. "Throw" the foot away from you.
- For the développé, visualize slowly drawing a line up the supporting leg with your working toe.
Why it works: This combination develops both speed and control in your legwork. It trains your hamstrings and hip flexors for the explosive movements of jazz while ensuring you maintain technical precision.
Incorporate these five drills into your regular practice routine. Consistency is key. Mastery isn't about doing it once, but about building the muscle memory that will make these techniques second nature on stage. Now go on, get in the studio, and elevate your art.
