On the surface, stillness is a simple concept. To be still, you just have to stop moving. In reality, though, stillness is much more than the absence of motion—it can have a range of qualities and compositional purposes, just as movement can. And to fully tap in to the power of stillness, dancers need to […]
Meditation is a tool that trains attention and awareness, improving mental clarity and ultimately helping dancers (and teachers!) get out of their heads and into the moment. But doing meditation right goes way beyond the typical sitting and chanting. Though an “om” every now and then doesn’t hurt, there are numerous other ways to tap […]
Throughout Susan Jaffe’s performance career at American Ballet Theatre, there was something special, even magical, about her dancing. Lauded as “America’s quintessential American ballerina” by The New York Times, Jaffe has continued to shine in her postperformance career, most recently as the dean of dance at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. […]
The pressure young dancers feel to succeed at competition can lead to unhealthy stress levels that take the fun out of performing. To help your students feel calm, cool and collected before dancing, teach them these three stress-reducing exercises to do before going onstage. Trust us, learning how to manage anxiety will benefit your dancers […]
Guess what, dance teachers. Today is the third annual International Yoga Day. In honor of the event, a special free yoga and meditation session will be held at Castle Clinton in Battery Park, NYC, 5–8:30 pm. To register, click here. The first 500 participants get a free yoga mat! For those of you not in […]
You know that feeling you get right before the curtain goes up—palms sweating and your heart pounding? Stress often accompanies performance, but it needn’t be debilitating. In a recent study, mindfulness meditation—actively tuning in to the body and breath in a still position—proved helpful in reducing stress reactions in athletes. Scientists measured the stress levels […]
Despite his busy schedule as principal dancer at the Colorado Ballet, Domenico Luciano makes time to meditate. “It’s part of my routine, my cross-training, my lifestyle,” he says. He first began meditating in yoga class on the weekends, doing a series of breathing exercises after the last poses of class. “It made me feel calm, […]