Third Shift Movement Shop
@thirdshift.bsky.social
After your first shift (being a dancer), and your second shift (your day job), spend some of your third shift (working for yourself) with other dancers learning Literal Technique and talking some shop talk.
Happy new year! There is no tutorial this week. Instead, I am reposting my newsletter from January 1. I join with everyone who believes that we must act to protect each other & our democracy. The events of the past few days only prove the urgency of our situation; every coming day will do the same.
2026
Around this time last year, I posted a poem written by my husband, James Redfern; this year, there are three and they are calls to action.
open.substack.com
January 4, 2026 at 6:21 PM
Happy new year! There is no tutorial this week. Instead, I am reposting my newsletter from January 1. I join with everyone who believes that we must act to protect each other & our democracy. The events of the past few days only prove the urgency of our situation; every coming day will do the same.
My thoughts for the new year and poems by James Redfern.
2026
Around this time last year, I posted a poem written by my husband, James Redfern; this year, there are three and they are calls to action.
open.substack.com
January 2, 2026 at 11:27 AM
My thoughts for the new year and poems by James Redfern.
When you look at the anatomy of the seven central muscles, do you notice any patterns? Where do they originate? Where do they insert? When they contract, what happens?
December 31, 2025 at 9:54 PM
When you look at the anatomy of the seven central muscles, do you notice any patterns? Where do they originate? Where do they insert? When they contract, what happens?
Hopefully this roundup inspires you to learn about Literal Technique. The seven muscles’ joint and simultaneous purpose is to align the 33 vertebrae. If we can use these muscles to maintain our alignment of the central bones while we move the vertebrae, we just might discover a new expressive power.
Seven Central Muscles Round Up (Video)
This tutorial is a roundup of the seven muscles central to our alignment.
open.substack.com
December 28, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Hopefully this roundup inspires you to learn about Literal Technique. The seven muscles’ joint and simultaneous purpose is to align the 33 vertebrae. If we can use these muscles to maintain our alignment of the central bones while we move the vertebrae, we just might discover a new expressive power.
Dancers, when you find the balance point for contraction of the Pec Majors, can you keep this balance when you flex, extend, and rotate the vertebrae? How does it feel?
December 24, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Dancers, when you find the balance point for contraction of the Pec Majors, can you keep this balance when you flex, extend, and rotate the vertebrae? How does it feel?
The Pec Majors can either stabilize or destabilize the vertebrae and the upper body. Practice your contraction: how much collapses the rib cage barrel forward? What happens to alignment of the vertebrae when the rib cage barrel collapses? How much contraction do you need to stabilize the upper body?
Introduction to the Pectoralis Majors (Video)
This tutorial is an introduction to the Pectoralis Majors.
open.substack.com
December 22, 2025 at 7:32 PM
The Pec Majors can either stabilize or destabilize the vertebrae and the upper body. Practice your contraction: how much collapses the rib cage barrel forward? What happens to alignment of the vertebrae when the rib cage barrel collapses? How much contraction do you need to stabilize the upper body?
The Pec Majors are primarily movers of the humerus but they have an impact on the 33 vertebrae because their contraction can move the rib cage barrel. A brief look at their anatomy shows how our use of these muscles when we dance will either stabilize or destabilize the vertebrae and the upper body.
Introduction to the Pectoralis Majors (Video)
This tutorial is an introduction to the Pectoralis Majors.
open.substack.com
December 21, 2025 at 5:49 PM
The Pec Majors are primarily movers of the humerus but they have an impact on the 33 vertebrae because their contraction can move the rib cage barrel. A brief look at their anatomy shows how our use of these muscles when we dance will either stabilize or destabilize the vertebrae and the upper body.
Dancers, have you been visualizing the Lats before your classes this week?
December 19, 2025 at 10:46 PM
Dancers, have you been visualizing the Lats before your classes this week?
Just like the Erector Spinae, Transversus, & the Internal Obliques, the Lats originate at the thoracolumbar fascia (TLF), which supports the lumbar and sacral vertebrae and, thus, the pelvic barrel. This is why these four muscles are central to our alignment & our dance technique.
Introduction to the Latissimi Dorsi (Video)
This tutorial is an introduction to the Latissimi Dorsi (Lats), one of the seven muscles central to our alignment.
open.substack.com
December 17, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Just like the Erector Spinae, Transversus, & the Internal Obliques, the Lats originate at the thoracolumbar fascia (TLF), which supports the lumbar and sacral vertebrae and, thus, the pelvic barrel. This is why these four muscles are central to our alignment & our dance technique.
This tutorial is a brief discussion about what the Lats do for our dance technique. They may move the humerus, but they are also one of the main stabilizers of the spinal column as well as movers of the vertebrae. In Literal Technique, they are one of the seven muscles central to our alignment.
Introduction to the Latissimi Dorsi (Video)
This tutorial is an introduction to the Latissimi Dorsi (Lats), one of the seven muscles central to our alignment.
open.substack.com
December 14, 2025 at 5:31 PM
This tutorial is a brief discussion about what the Lats do for our dance technique. They may move the humerus, but they are also one of the main stabilizers of the spinal column as well as movers of the vertebrae. In Literal Technique, they are one of the seven muscles central to our alignment.
Dancers, are you visualizing the External Obliques before your classes every day this week?
December 11, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Dancers, are you visualizing the External Obliques before your classes every day this week?
Remember: to stabilize the vertebrae, contraction of the Externals must create an muscular balance between the rib cage barrel and the pelvic barrel. The balanced contraction you create will stabilize the 33 vertebrae, which will stabilize the rib cage barrel and the pelvic barrel.
December 9, 2025 at 11:22 PM
Remember: to stabilize the vertebrae, contraction of the Externals must create an muscular balance between the rib cage barrel and the pelvic barrel. The balanced contraction you create will stabilize the 33 vertebrae, which will stabilize the rib cage barrel and the pelvic barrel.
The External Obliques are stabilizers and movers of the vertebrae, so they are central to our dance technique. This tutorial is an introduction to their anatomy so you can get a basic idea of where they are and how we use them to align and move the central bones. Replace guesswork with knowledge.
Introduction to the External Obliques (Video)
This tutorial is an introduction to the External Obliques, one of the Four Abdominals and one of the seven muscles central to our alignment.
open.substack.com
December 7, 2025 at 5:25 PM
The External Obliques are stabilizers and movers of the vertebrae, so they are central to our dance technique. This tutorial is an introduction to their anatomy so you can get a basic idea of where they are and how we use them to align and move the central bones. Replace guesswork with knowledge.
Movements we dancers call “curves” and “twists” are really lateral and forward flexion and rotation of the vertebrae. We use the Internal Obliques to do all three of these movements of the vertebrae. Knowing the anatomy of this muscle will only improve our technique.
Introduction to the Internal Obliques (Video)
This tutorial is an introduction to the Internal Obliques, one of the Four Abdominals and one of the seven muscles central to our alignment.
open.substack.com
December 5, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Movements we dancers call “curves” and “twists” are really lateral and forward flexion and rotation of the vertebrae. We use the Internal Obliques to do all three of these movements of the vertebrae. Knowing the anatomy of this muscle will only improve our technique.
Are you visualizing the Internal Obliques in your classes this week?
December 3, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Are you visualizing the Internal Obliques in your classes this week?
We use the Internal Obliques in each and every movement when we dance. This tutorial walks through the anatomy of the Internals to show us where they are in the body and explain what they do for our dance technique. The Internals are another key muscle in the seven muscles central to our alignment.
Introduction to the Internal Obliques (Video)
This tutorial is an introduction to the Internal Obliques, one of the Four Abdominals and one of the seven muscles central to our alignment.
open.substack.com
November 30, 2025 at 6:30 PM
We use the Internal Obliques in each and every movement when we dance. This tutorial walks through the anatomy of the Internals to show us where they are in the body and explain what they do for our dance technique. The Internals are another key muscle in the seven muscles central to our alignment.
Dancers, have you been visualizing Rectus Ab before your classes this week? Visualization can change your technical habits. If you can visualize a muscle and visualize its contraction and visualize it aligning and stabilizing bone, you can change your technique and your movement.
November 28, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Dancers, have you been visualizing Rectus Ab before your classes this week? Visualization can change your technical habits. If you can visualize a muscle and visualize its contraction and visualize it aligning and stabilizing bone, you can change your technique and your movement.
Rectus Ab plays a key role in helping us stabilize two of the places where alignment tends to break. For it to do this, we have to maintain its contraction all the time and everywhere. Test your technique – do you fall in and out of contracting Rectus Ab when you dance?
November 25, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Rectus Ab plays a key role in helping us stabilize two of the places where alignment tends to break. For it to do this, we have to maintain its contraction all the time and everywhere. Test your technique – do you fall in and out of contracting Rectus Ab when you dance?
Rectus Abdominis is one of the seven muscles central to our alignment. This tutorial shows where Rectus Ab attaches to the rib cage barrel and the pelvic barrel. It stabilizes the vertebrae and the pelvic barrel and flexes the vertebrae forward. Like Transversus, it is key to our dance technique.
Introduction to Rectus Abdominis (Video)
This tutorial is an introduction to Rectus Abdominis, one of the Four Abdominals and one of the seven muscles central to our alignment.
open.substack.com
November 23, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Rectus Abdominis is one of the seven muscles central to our alignment. This tutorial shows where Rectus Ab attaches to the rib cage barrel and the pelvic barrel. It stabilizes the vertebrae and the pelvic barrel and flexes the vertebrae forward. Like Transversus, it is key to our dance technique.
Coming Sunday, November 23!
Introduction to Rectus Abdominis (Video)
This tutorial is an introduction to Rectus Abdominis, one of the Four Abdominals and one of the seven muscles central to our alignment.
open.substack.com
November 22, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Coming Sunday, November 23!
Dancers, are you visualizing Transversus in class this week? Transversus attaches to the lumbar vertebrae by way of the thoracolumbar fascia and to aspects of the rib cage barrel and pelvic barrel. These are the central bones. Transversus aligns, stabilizes, and moves the central bones.
November 21, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Dancers, are you visualizing Transversus in class this week? Transversus attaches to the lumbar vertebrae by way of the thoracolumbar fascia and to aspects of the rib cage barrel and pelvic barrel. These are the central bones. Transversus aligns, stabilizes, and moves the central bones.
Dancers, use Transversus to stabilize the lumbar vertebrae and the pelvic barrel when you use the Erector Spinae to lengthen the vertebrae into and out of lateral flexion and extension and back to neutral. Where are these muscles and how do you use them in your technique?
November 19, 2025 at 3:57 AM
Dancers, use Transversus to stabilize the lumbar vertebrae and the pelvic barrel when you use the Erector Spinae to lengthen the vertebrae into and out of lateral flexion and extension and back to neutral. Where are these muscles and how do you use them in your technique?
In this tutorial: Transversus Abdominis is the deepest abdominal muscle and one of the seven muscles central to our alignment. It attaches to the 33 vertebrae, the rib cage barrel, and the pelvic barrel. It stabilizes the lumbar vertebrae and the pelvic barrel and is key to our dance technique.
Introduction to Transversus Abdominis (Video)
This tutorial is an introduction to Transversus Abdominis, one of the Four Abdominals and one of the seven muscles central to our alignment.
open.substack.com
November 16, 2025 at 4:04 PM
In this tutorial: Transversus Abdominis is the deepest abdominal muscle and one of the seven muscles central to our alignment. It attaches to the 33 vertebrae, the rib cage barrel, and the pelvic barrel. It stabilizes the lumbar vertebrae and the pelvic barrel and is key to our dance technique.
This Rebel Massage video about the Erector Spinae is a favorite of mine. These muscles are magnificent.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=I94c...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=I94c...
Anatomy Tutorial: The ERECTOR SPINAE GROUP!!
YouTube video by Rebel Massage
www.youtube.com
November 11, 2025 at 11:57 PM
This Rebel Massage video about the Erector Spinae is a favorite of mine. These muscles are magnificent.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=I94c...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=I94c...
This tutorial introduces the Erector Spinae muscle group by showing where its three muscles attach to the 33 vertebrae, the skull, the rib cage barrel, and the pelvic barrel. Seeing the expanse of these muscles helps us understand why they are one of the seven muscles central to our alignment.
Introduction to the Erector Spinae (Video)
This tutorial is an introduction to the Erector Spinae, which is one of the seven muscles central to our alignment.If you’re a dancer and a geek, help me grow our community by sharing!
open.substack.com
November 9, 2025 at 4:51 PM
This tutorial introduces the Erector Spinae muscle group by showing where its three muscles attach to the 33 vertebrae, the skull, the rib cage barrel, and the pelvic barrel. Seeing the expanse of these muscles helps us understand why they are one of the seven muscles central to our alignment.