Chilly ballrooms, hard floors, dozens of dancers going full-out all at once: The average convention room may be buzzing with excitement and creativity, but it can be a challenging dance environment. Dr. Alexis Sams, PT, NKT, and founder of AZ Dance Medicine Specialists in Phoenix, Arizona, says she often sees convention dancers with “back pain […]
Y’all, we get it. Dance is really, really hard. So what’s the harm in taking the easy way out on a technical correction? Answer: an increased chance of injury, and a whole slew of new technique problems that could take a loooooooong time to fix. Lucky for you, Dance Spirit has enlisted the expert help […]
If you’re one of the many dancers heading back into the studio soon, “excited” doesn’t even begin to cover it. You’ve missed dancing alongside your friends, you’ve felt the lack of IRL corrections, and you’re desperate to really jump and turn for the first time in months. (And if you’re not back yet, you’re probably […]
As dancers, we always want to be doing #TheMost—more turns, springier jumps, higher extensions. We want to cram as many technique classes as we can into our already-busy schedules. But our bones, muscles, and tendons can’t always keep pace with those ambitious training goals. That’s when overuse injuries (aka “the bane of any elite athlete’s […]
Former ABT principal and Tony nominee Ashley Tuttle—pictured here as the Sugar Plum Fairy for Evansville Ballet Theatre’s 2012 production of “The Nutcracker”—urges dancers to know their bodies, and do let them do their job. (Photo via Evansville Courier & Press) Getting injured can seem like the end of the world. As dancers, we’re hesitant […]
Speak up about any pain you might be feeling and get it checked by a professional. Photo by Nanette Grebe/Thinkstock Do you ever wonder if you are getting enough calcium? What about enough sleep? Did you know it’s possible overstretch your legs to the point of injury? Those were just a few of the topics […]
Sara Mearns and Chase Finlay in Polyphonia Photo by Paul Kolnik There’s a saying for dancers: Our bodies are our instruments. But what’s one thing dancers do that musicians rarely do? We beat up our instruments. We sometimes forget—or even neglect—the daily maintenance necessary for a long and healthy career. But we only get one […]
Pain, Pain, Go Away… Injuries: Many dancers accept them as a necessary evil, just “part of the job.” But what if they didn’t have to be? Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick, MA, has developed an injury prevention program in collaboration with doctors from Boston Children’s Hospital. Dance Spirit chatted with the school’s […]