Our Reflexes are a series of pre-set movements in response to a trigger, such as a head movement.  These are embedded in our nervous system like a blueprint that develops the brain, body and central nervous system.  The reflexes movements begin in utero, as early as 5 weeks after conception and are very active for the first year of life, with the Babinski foot reflex finally integrating at two years to aid in walking. These movements help the baby to learn to cope in a world with gravity, developing tone in the flexors and extensors and developing a variety of coordinations that put the baby through creeping to crawling and culminate with walking and postural support in vertical and off vertical.

Ideally we go through the proper sequence with each reflex assisting the body for its designed lifespan.  A reflex is designed to emerge, develop and then integrate.  However, sometimes, there are interferences that occur that prevent one of the stages from occurring.   There are many different types of interference from a premature birth to early illnesses and spending too much time swaddled and unable to move freely.

Postural Reflexes

Postural reflexes are more mature patterns of response in the nervous system that control balance, coordination and sensory motor development.  Postural reflexes can only develop once the nervous system has integrated and inhibited the primitive reflexes.   With postural reflexes you will have core support and head righting reflexes that allow you to stay orientated in space.

Reflexes still active in the system to a degree are called “Retained Reflexes”.  Generally reflexes are retained in packages, as they all work together.  So if you have one active reflexyou likely have several others.

The Dancer’s Challenge

Dance training requires development in all areas including physical, mental and emotional. Dancers are expected to be coordinated, strong and flexible.  Dance artists are required to be musically sensitive and willing to share of themselves in the stressful environment of stage performance. Dancers are expected to be spatially aware and have excellent memory or choreography.

• All of these skills require a nervous system that is well developed
• Training CANNOT overcome and inhibit the primitive reflexes
• Training is NOT a substitute for postural reflexes
• Working to train as a dancer is sadly often working to compensate for active reflexes and inadequate postural reflexes leading to over-use injuries and stress embedded into the movements
• Many potential great dance artists never reach their potential either because they do not appear to have the “right body” or they do not appear to have presentation skills/talent

While TALENT in dance is an intangible, dancers WITH Integrated Reflexes will flourish and bloom in ways they would otherwise be blocked!

Why does this matter for Dance Teachers?

When students have retained reflexes it is like they are having Puppet strings controlling them, which they then have to compensate for and fight leading to a host of challenges, including social-emotional challenges. 

Easier to Teach:

• Students with active reflexes are harder to teach and take more time than other students, therefore dealing with this issue will allow for easier teaching lowering your stress, frustrations and burn-out
• With reflexes integrated the students are on an even playing field and the class dynamic will improve and tensions among dancers will be eased
• Challenges with seemingly difficult bodies, ie. flat feet/tight ankles that can’t go on pointe make sense
• Frustration and confusion as to why your teaching images and techniques do not work on certain students 

Full Potential can be Reached

• Great talent is hidden and often missed through interference of the reflexes
• Integrated reflexes will allow your students to excel and all potential released making you a satisfied and content teacher
• With reflexes integrated you can develop the artistry and musicality of your students

Injury Prevention

• Confusion and concern over the chronic injuries students seem to suffer from can finally be fully sorted out instead of only looking at technique, over-use and growth factors
• Less students missing classes/competitions due to injuries

As you read thru the list of reflexes, you may see yourself and many of your students in these challenges.   

Please keep in mind that developing technique in dancers is a long process of learning.   When you see students working hard and not developing strength, flexibility or coordination it is very likely reflexes are playing a part in blocking the progress.  Equally important to note, is that certain reflexes have very common behavioural responses that show an immaturity in the nervous system, including lack of motivation or focus, unwillingness to cooperate and the extremes of being shut down and fairly unresponsive to hyper-active and disruptive.

Specific Reflexes and their Effect on Dancers if Active

Early Uterine Reflexes

Fear Paralysis Reflex

What is the Fear Paralysis Reflex (FPR)?

This reflex is essentially a withdraw reflex to any stimulation, leading to a shut down or shock response.  The result is immobility, slowing of heart rate, dropping in blood pressure, holding of breath, panic an extreme fear.

It is the Freeze portion of the Flight-Fight-Freeze.

How does it Show Up in Dancers?

• Holding of breath
• Weight back and unwillingness to participate
• Joints seem locked; overall tension/lack of flexibility despite continuous stretching
• Inability to make eye contact and focus outwards to the audience
• Staring and locking the eyes is common
• Unwillingness to perform and unable to smile and use facial expressions for performance
• Very fidgety and uncomfortable trying to hold a position
• Psoas inefficiency: below 90 degree extensions
• Inability to hear the beat of the music

Moro Reflex

What is the Moro Reflex?

The Moro has two parts and is triggered by a sudden stimulus.  It will ideally mature into the adult startle reflex.  The first part is a sudden intake of breath with the arms thrown up and outwards and the hands opening.  The full body moves away from the core.   Part two, is the gradual coming back to centre, and as a baby there will be a cry.

This reflex supports arousal in the system but if it stays on, there is a very low tolerance to stress.

How does it Show Up in Dancers?

• Holding of breath or inefficient breathing patterns
• Shoulders up or very tense
• Arms can be in mid-extension, not in or out, but wanting to rise up
• Poor balance on one leg
• Inability to connect to core and find core support
• Inability to develop core strength and connect limbs to core
• Inability to fully stretch the limbs
• Tight Achilles tendon
• Very tense or very weak, often both
• Psoas inefficiency: below 90 degree extensions and very likely an anterior pelvic tilt
• Inability to hear the beat of the music

Primitive Reflexes

Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex

What is the Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex?

Tonic refers to the development of tone in the muscles.  Labyrinthine is referring to the inner ear canals.  Therefore this reflex is in response to a movement of the head and therefore changes to the inner ear canals. 

The head moving forwards/chin down, called the TLR Forward, causes all of the muscles of the front of the body to flex as if curling back into the fetal position.

The head moving backwards/chin up, called the TLR Backward, causes all of the muscles of the back of the body to extend.

How does it Show Up in Dancers?

• Lack of ballon/jump thanks to poor muscle tone
• Poor balance on one leg
• Poor Head Placement: often chins lowered
• Low tone in the back muscles/extensors of the spine
• Poor core support
• Difficulties differentiating between forward and backward
• Poor spatial awareness and planning

• Major challenges with arabesque
• Seemingly an inability to truly develop strength despite hard work
• Poor memory, focus and concentration
• Challenged in remembering sequences
• Cannot retain what was learned in a stressed state
• Difficulty keeping hips level in retire
• No independence between upper and lower
• Inability to hear the beat of the music

Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex

What is the Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex?

This is another neck reflex based on head movement, but in this case it is about turning the head. When the head turns to the Right, the Right Arm will extend to the side, with the hand opening.  The Right leg will also extend. The opposite arm, will come up and bend behind the ear, and the same side leg will bend.  It is referred to as the “Fencing Pose” for this reason.

Hand-Eye Coordination begins, as does the differentiation between right and left sides of the body.

 How does it Show Up in Dancers?

• Neck and shoulder tension
• Difficulty spotting
• Inability to hold the arms up in 2nd, especially with the proper inward rotation of the humerus
• Lack of stability standing on one leg, especially if the head moves
• Confusion of Right and Left
• Find turns like chaines to be very challenging
• Inability to hear the beat of the music

Spinal Galant

What is the Spinal Galant Reflex?

This reflex is response to stimulation on the side of the spine, causing the body to curve away from the touch.  It is useful during the birth process and for preparing creeping and crawling.

How does it Show Up in Dancers?

• Curvature of the spine, including a diagnosis of scoliosis
• Tension in the lower back and hips, making proper pelvic placement very challenging
• Tension can lead to torquing of the pelvis and clicking hip syndrome
• Dislike of anything on the waist, including the tights or other costume bits
• Inability to develop proper core support and extension through limited access to the psoas
• Lack of ballon through lack of hamstrings connection
• Lack of support in lower back during extensions, like arabesque
• Difficulty keeping hips level in retire

Infant Palmar Grasp Reflex

What is the Palmar Reflex?

When the palm is stimulated with a light touch or pressure, the fingers will tightly close causing a grasp position.  This reflex helps to develop hand strength for grasping objects.

How does it Show Up in Dancers?

• Gripping of the hands leading to tension in the shoulder girdle
• Inability to have expressive ports de bras
• Stiff arms; inability to have gradated rotation
• Lack of peripheral space in ports de bras

Rooting and Suck Reflex

What is the Rooting/Suck Reflex?

This pair of reflexes enables the baby to nurse.  With stimulation on the cheek the baby will turn its head towards that side.  With stimulation of the lips, the mouth will open and tongue will protrude to prepare for feeding.

How does it Show Up in Dancers?

• Tension in the mouth, jaw, and neck
• Tongue sticking out when stressed, especially adage and pirouettes
• Lack of length to top of the spine
• Coordination to have harmonious full body lines, including head, very challenging and unnatural
• Unwillingness/inability to smile when performing
• Challenges with facial expression in general

Infant Plantar Reflex

What is the Plantar Reflex?

When pressure or touch occurs on the ball of the foot, the toes will curl and grasp.  This develops strength to the foot and allows a baby to cling and grasp with both hands and feet.

How does it Show Up in Dancers?

• Curling toes and weight back
• Stiff plie
• Awkward over
• Can’t lengthen foot for a full pointe
• Unstable demi-pointe position
• Inability to roll through feet to/off pointe
• Gripping in the hips
• Inability to be grounded and relaxed and dynamic through the arch; therefore poor balance and ballon

Babinski Reflex

What is the Babinski Reflex?
This reflex is a response to stimulation on the sole of the foot, in particular the lateral edge.  In response the toes fan out with the big toe going upwards as well.   In a strong response, the leg will also retract back into the body, with the knee and hip both flexing.

This reflex is the counter to the Infant Plantar and prepares the baby to be able to belly crawl building creeping and crawling skills.   Ultimately, the foot is prepared to accept weight for walking, including the development of the arch of the foot.

How does it Show Up in Dancers?

• Knees bending especially on a rise
• Flat Feet/Fallen Arch
• Weight back
• Tendency towards hyperextended knees
• Inactive hamstrings with dominant quadriceps which grip
• Tension up the front of the shins and quadriceps
• Vulnerable to shin splints
• Difficulty keeping legs stretched when standing
• High arches that are unstable and susceptible to injury
• Turn-in/pigeon toed
• Or conversely, excessive outward rotation that tenses the tensor fasciae latae and pulls the patella off line
• Chondromalacia patella
• Lack of ballon and elevation

• Difficulty keeping legs stretched when standing
• High arches that are unstable and susceptible to injury
• Turn-in/pigeon toed
• Or conversely, excessive outward rotation that tenses the tensor fasciae latae and pulls the patella off line
• Chondromalacia patella
• Lack of ballon and elevation

Bridging Reflexes

 Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex

What is the Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex?

The STNR is another neck reflex.  At this stage the lifting of the head, causes the arms to stretch and the legs to bend, getting the baby into a position to be able to send up to hands and knees to prepare for crawling.   When the head goes down, the arms will bend and the legs will start to straighten.   The eyes will learn to move from near to far and back again.

How does it Show Up in Dancers?

• Lack of connectivity of the upper and lower body, showing as lack of coordination and elevation
• Slumped posture
• Stiff legs and knees hyperextend when arms bend  ie. first position
• Poor eye focus/spotting
• Tension in neck and shoulders
• Arms disconnected from back and core
• Major difficulties with weight on hands, such an inversions or somersaults
• Pigeon toed
• Knock Knees or Bow Legs

Landau Reflex

What is the Landau Reflex?

Also called “The Superman Reflex”, this reflex helps to support the developing coordination of the upper body and lower body along with increasing tone in the back of the body muscles.

How does it Show Up in Dancers?

• Hyperextended Knees
• Weight back on heels
• Tension in the back muscles
• Toe walker as a baby and if retained, leads to tight calf muscles
• Tension in hip flexion; limited ability to use the psoas
• Challenges with extensions in all directions
• Tension in performing plie, especially with ease and ballon
• Arms carried behind the body

Signs that your Dancers are in the

Stressed Brain State/Homolateral State

Locked into the Right Hemisphere:

• Lack of musicality/ability to hear the beat

Locked into the  Left Hemisphere

• Lack of connection to story, lyrics, context, metaphor
• Can’t put it all together

Next Steps

Once you begin to see the effect of reflexes on dancers, you will no longer be able to un-see it.  This is natural.  That means you are now probably starting to want to know how to help dancers.

There are 2 Types of Students with Retained Reflexes

A) Reflexes which are Active all or most of the time

These students require one on one support by the right professionals. 

Resources you can check out to find local consultants are:

•  Blomberg Rhythmic Movement Training
•  Rhythmic Movement Training International
•  Breakthroughs International/Brain Gym consultants
•  Brain Gym: Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc.

**Mariah-Jane is qualified to work on integration of reflexes, in person or online.

See form below and submit to start the process of scheduling a private session. 

B) Reflexes which are Active ONLY during times of stress and new learning

Both types of students will benefit from the enhancements to the learning environment that address the Learning Brain State.

By learning how to set the learning state at the beginning of class, (and backstage) you are giving your students the chance to learn in an unstressed state allowing the reflexes to remain calm.  This means students will learn without stress and be able to gain strength, coordination and flexibility as well as develop musicality and performance skills.

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