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The rib cage has 12 pairs of ribs. (Yes, men and women have the same number of ribs.) You can view the skeleton in Chapter 3 to see that the first seven pairs of ribs are connected to the sternum, and the next three ribs are connected to rib No. 7, to make the curved shape in the front of the rib cage. The last two ribs aren’t attached in the front of the rib cage; these ribs are called floating ribs.

You don’t have to remember the number of ribs, but you want to remember that the top of your rib cage has more movement from front to back in your body and that the lower ribs open more laterally, or out to the side of your body. Knowing how your ribs move, you can visualize the side-to-side opening near the bottom of your ribs to get the most air into your body quickly. And if you’re a dancer, you want to know how to quickly open the upper ribs and your back when you’re dancing across the stage.

You may be asked to sing and dance at the same time. Because dancers have to keep their body moving while singing, they can’t always let their abdominal muscles release. But dancers can allow the ribs to open when breathing. If a dancer allows their ribs to open upon inhalation and slowly lets them close upon exhalation, they don’t have to worry so much about letting the abdominal muscles be loose. When you understand the way the body was designed to breathe, take it a step further and practice working with your ribs for dancing while singing.

Move your arms in the following exercise so that you can feel the opening of your chest and ribs:

1 Raise your arms over your head.

2 Take a breath and feel your ribs open.Keep your chest stable. You don’t need to raise your chest; merely let it open. Repeat several times to feel the movement of your ribs.

3 Put your arms down and place your hands on your ribs.Place your palms against your lower ribs with your thumb facing forward and fingers pointing to your back. To feel the movement higher in your rib cage, turn your hand the same way with the thumb facing forward, or cross your arms so that your right hand is on your left ribs and your left hand is on your right ribs.

4 With your hands on your ribs, open the ribs slowly to feel the stretch of the intercostals — the muscles between the ribs.Repeat several times.

5 Send air to your ribs or flex open your ribs as you inhale.

6 As you exhale, allow your ribs to gradually move back in.

If raising your arms over your head isn’t comfortable, you can lie on your side. Putting your arms above your head is ideal, but you can get the same sense of movement in the ribs with your arm bent at the elbow or extended in front of you. Other positions you can try are standing with your arms extended straight out on each side. Position the arms just slightly behind your body so your chest is open. In this position, you may especially feel the opening of the upper ribs. When your arms tire, you can put your hands on your hips and continue exploring the opening of the ribs. You can practice with your hands just above your hips to remind you to open your sides and ribs. When the opening is familiar, you can put your arms down by your side and find the same opening.

If you’re really confused right now or feel short of breath, that’s okay. Feeling short of breath when you begin working through these exercises is normal. Be patient, and you’ll begin breathing efficiently. Creating a new habit in your body takes a while, and breathing for singing is definitely new. Your inhalation was perfect when you were a baby. If you watch infants breathe, you can see that they know exactly what to do. As people age, they start to carry unnecessary tension in various parts of the body, which can prevent efficient breathing. The body gets stressed out. But not in this book — stress busters are on the way!