Watching YouTube and viewing Instagram for tricks that you aren’t taught in class can be slightly dangerous. The reason for this being dangerous is that you aren’t shown the proper technique and the right way to build up to being able to achieve the step. This can also lead to incorrect technique and then lead into possible injury.
Although watching professionals dance on social media can be beneficial to the aspiring dancer, it can also be dangerous, depending on how or why you’re using social media. If you’re using social media to copy or mirror a dancer on YouTube, you could injure yourself because you haven’t learnt the proper technique. If you want to learn the step, you should either ask your teacher or someone professional for advice or ask to practice the step or pose under their watchful eye.
There are several different types of movement or poses that cause injury. One movement in particular is called the scorpion. Aaron Matheson, a previously injured dancer used to practice scorpions every day until one day when he was finally able to achieve the movement. However, the day he achieved the movement, he felt a twinge in his back until he collapsed to the ground and he couldn’t move until the pain went away. This movement resulted in a stress fracture (Robinson L., & Whyte S., 2015). Lisa Howell, a dance physiotherapist suggests that there has been an increase in leg and hip injuries due to dancers pushing their bodies farther than their ability (Frances R., 2015). Just because someone on YouTube or Instagram came perform these movements, doesn’t mean you can. Eventually these dancers you see that can put their legs behind their heads, will end up with leg and hip injuries.