Dance Anatomy & Kinesiology

482 Dance Anatomy and Kinesiology

put the hip flexors in a better position in terms of

their length for force generation, excessive backward

lean is undesired from an aesthetic perspective. In

terms of special considerations, if the movement

is performed rapidly, there is likely use of the hip

TABLE 8.4 Anatomical Analysis of a Front Kick (Grand Battement Devant) From a Lunge
(hip, knee, ankle-foot, shoulder)

Movement phases Joint movements

Contraction

type Prime movers: muscle group (sample muscles)

Up-phase

Subphase: A to B

Right hip Hip flexion

(Hip external rotation maintained)

Concentric

Isometric

Hip flexors (iliopsoas, rectus femoris)

Hip external rotators (deep outward rotators)

Right knee (Knee extension maintained) Isometric Knee extensors (quadriceps femoris)

Right ankle-foot A-F plantar flexion Concentric A-F plantar flexors (gastrocnemius, soleus)

Left hip Hip extension

(Hip external rotation maintained)

Concentric

Isometric

Hip extensors (hamstrings, gluteus maximus)

Hip external rotators (deep outward rotators)

Left knee Knee extension Concentric Knee extensors (quadriceps femoris)

Left ankle-foot A-F plantar flexion Concentric A-F plantar flexors (gastrocnemius, soleus)

Right shoulder Shoulder flexion Concentric Shoulder flexors (anterior deltoid, pectoralis major)

Left shoulder Shoulder flexion Concentric Shoulder flexors (anterior deltoid, pectoralis major)

Subphase: B to C

Right hip Hip flexion

(Hip external rotation maintained)

Concentric

Isometric

Hip flexors (iliopsoas, rectus femoris)

Hip external rotators (deep outward rotators)

Right knee (Knee extension maintained) Isometric Knee extensors (quadriceps femoris)

Right ankle-foot A-F plantar flexion Concentric A-F plantar flexors (gastrocnemius, soleus)

Right shoulder Shoulder flexion Concentric Shoulder flexors (anterior deltoid, pectoralis major)

Left shoulder Shoulder flexion Concentric Shoulder flexors (anterior deltoid, pectoralis major)

A B C D E

extensors eccentrically to help decelerate the leg

toward the end of the up-phase. There is also likely

use of the hip extensors concentrically at the end of

the down-phase to help close the leg back into the

starting position.