Abominable abdominals.

Call it your center. Call it part of your area of placement or alignment, or just call it your stomach muscles. Whatever your perception of this vital group of muscles that covers the body's largest cavity, below the thorax and separated by the diaphragm, it is the group--the abdominals--that supports movement in all forms of dance. Strong abdominal muscles increase the safety and freedom of your movement. Fortunately, lax abdominal muscles can be strengthened with perseverance.

The Lotte Berk Method, based upon ballet, modern dance, Hatha yoga, and orthopedic back exercises, developes strong, long, and lean muscles. Elisabeth Halfpapp, director of the Lotte Berk Method, a teacher for fourteen years and instructor of Berk teachers, is a former member of Hartford and Princeton Ballets. In the following exercises for the abdominals, she instructs Donna Lee, a former student of Erick Hawkins, who holds an M.A. in dance education from Temple University in Philadelphia. Halfpapp emphasizes the importance of executing these exercises correctly, slowly, and in a controlled manner on a daily basis for equal and complete strengthening.

1 WARM-UP: Warming up the body is essential when beginning these exercises. Alternating legs, lift the knees to the chest briskly one hundred times. Arms swing in opposition and effort is energetic. 2 ABDOMINAL CURL POSITION: Sitting on the edge of the surface of a towel, mat, or carpet, and resting on elbows, palms up, press the small of the back to the surface and pull in the abdominal muscles. 3 ABDOMINAL CURL: In Lee's curl position, Halfpapp checks to see if buttock and inner thigh muscles are engaged as abdominals remain pulled in. Curl up holding outer thighs, elbows open and shoulders down. Maintain this position for sixty seconds; relax to elbows, then curl up to the same position in sequence five times. ADVANCED AB CURL: While maintaining the same basic position, with hands on outer thighs, let go of the hand support for sixty seconds, making sure back of waist is firmly on the surface. Replace hands to outer thighs, then repeat holding and letting go five times. 4 CURL WITH BALL: Place an eight- and one-half-inch playground ball between inner thighs and hold. Keeping hands on outer thighs, elbows up, shoulders down, hold for sixty seconds. Rest on elbows, then repeat five times. 5 STRAIGHT LEG CURL: From abdominal curl position, extend one leg directly above hip, forming a ninety-degree angle. Hold leg with hands, elbows lifted, shoulders down but shoulder blades off surface. Curl fibs to waist fifty times. Exchange legs and repeat exercise. 6 FLY-UPS: Place legs, knees straight, on wall or barre five to six inches apart. Hold outer thighs, elbows lifted, shoulders down, abdominals pulled in. Let go of hands and curl ribs to waist fifty times. Rest by holding legs. Repeat without holding and curling to waist fifty times again. 7 SPINAL STRETCH: Lying face down, place elbows on floor and lift head, neck, and upper back off the surface. At first, keep elbows on floor; then repeat with elbows off floor, arms stretched in support (as shown). Hold lifted pose thirty seconds, then lower entire body to surface. Repeat twice more, being aware of weight pressing into lower back, chest lifted. 8 PELVIC TILT: Lying on back with knees bent, feet hip-width apart, place arms on floor along hips. Keeping shoulders down, lift buttocks off floor without arching lower back. Hold thirty seconds. 9 BACK BRIDGE: In the pelvic-tilt position, and keeping feet on floor, place hands under shoulders and lift body forming a bridge from feet to hands. Hold thirty seconds, then tuck chin to chest, bend elbows and lower slowly to surface. 10 TORQUE STRETCH: Lying on the back, interlace fingers behind head with elbows on surface, chin centered. Cross right knee over left, bringing both knees to chest level. Keeping elbows on surface, drop legs in upward direction to fight, dropping only as far as possible with elbows remaining on surface. Hold thirty seconds, then untwine legs and bring to chest as rest. Repeat stretch to left side.