Would You Like to be More Grounded As You Play or Sing?

Unlock Your Hip Joints!

There are many definitions for“grounded.” In my experience in playing, it is a condition where we embody a connection to the ground that allows us to move in small and dynamic ways. It is a term my students come to understand through experience. The movement pattern in this piece is a tool I use to help create the release and stability that grounding offers for musicians.

The hip joints connect the upper and lower body (torso & legs). They are an incredibly powerful place in the human body having the power to allow the body to be grounded or create a blockage that limits breathing, expression, and all movement. Which do you choose?

This movement will help you feel the movement of your hip joints and unwind the patterns that limit movement and expression.

First, a little anatomy. The hip joints are ball-and-socket joints. The socket is on the side of each pelvic bone, and the ball is the upper end of the thigh or femur. This is the junction of the torso and the legs.

We use hip joints to walk, run, jump, and move from sitting to standing. For those of us (everyone) who sit a lot (think rehearsals, commuting, classes, resting) or carry around stress, the hip joints can become tight and stiff which will carry into practice and performance.

Opening up the hip joints allows us to be grounded as we play/sing. Also allowing us to unlock coordination, and breathe more easily. This affects everything we do as musicians.

This simple movement facilitates opening up the connection between torso and legs and releases held tension. Give it a try! Next, take it into making sound. Don’t worry about the sound, instead focus on movement quality starting from the ground. Once you can make a sound, play a scale, then a phrase, then a movement, etc

Freeing the hips unlocks the way you move, and performing choreography. You will find confidence and soaring expression.

Be Curious!