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Energy Enhancers Eat breakfast. This may seem like the oldest piece of nutrition advice, but it’s also one of the hardest to follow. Skipping this meal really does make it hard to keep energy levels high during a full day of teaching. Breakfast should consist of carbs, protein and fiber. Traditional oatmeal (there’s not much […]
While teaching jazz at Gus Giordano Dance, sometimes Lauren Giordano Curran forgets she’s not a student. “You have to listen to your body. I have to know I can’t do a full-out battement because I’m going to tear my hamstring,” she says. “Teachers forget that and go right into it, and you find yourself, like, […]
As a dance teacher, you’ve almost certainly had to talk to a student about her or his weight, at one point or another. (You may have even had memorable conversations or situations in your own dance training—or maybe it’s something that affected you as a teacher.) It’s a conversation that requires sensitivity, so that your […]
What happens to your perfect ballet posture can be alarming. Anneliese Burns Wilson, founder of ABC for Dance, recommends accepting the inevitable and offers some help for two common changes. Your butt sticks out and your lower back sways As the baby develops, it shifts forward in your pelvic basin, and your pelvis develops an […]
In our January 2017 health column registered dietitian Emily Harrison and Manhattan Youth Ballet head faculty Deborah Wingert offer seven tips for helping students build positive relationships to food. One step you can take is to talk privately with students about any body concerns. Don’t draw attention to a dancer’s body changes in front of […]
It’s important to keep a student with a chronic health condition safe and happy in class. One step you can take is to understand that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all plan for dealing with chronic illness. Part of the reason it’s important for you and your staff to read up on the illness and to communicate […]
Biking develops strength in the quadriceps and glutes. Working at a lower resistance will enable dancers to avoid building bulky muscles. An elliptical gives you an intense cardio workout without the impact on your joints. Adjustments to the incline and resistance can add variety to the workout. Pilates stabilizes the core and targets specific muscle […]
A fitter for 25 years, Carpenter learned her craft under a Repetto master fitter. In our November health column we share 3 pointe shoe safety tips from pro fitter Mary Carpenter. One of her best pointers is that a too-big shoe is just as bad as one that’s too small. “I get asked a lot […]
Now that fall has arrived, there are some fabulous fruits in season. Here’s what they can do for a dancer’s diet. Portable and delicious, apples are full of fiber. One medium-size apple provides nearly 20 percent of the USDA’s recommended daily fiber intake. Pears are best eaten when soft to the touch. In October, they’re […]
Dancers can train themselves to do many things—dance on pointe, bust out 32 fouettés, lift other dancers. But can a dancer, or anyone for that matter, train herself to need less sleep? According to sleep expert Dr. Sigrid Veasey, the answer is no. Studies show that people don’t actually adjust to decreased sleep. The deprivation […]