Tag: mind

7 Habits of Highly Successful Dancers

The dance industry is overflowing with artists who have hit the big time, left their marks and made their wildest dreams come true. But how did they do it? You’ve likely heard of the best-selling book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen R. Covey. Well, we thought it was high time we […]

18 Ways College Dancers Can Practice Mid-Semester Self-Care

Many dancers are missing their spring breaks this year, as schools across the country have canceled their mid-semester break in attempts to prevent the spread of Covid. And while wellness days are well and good, they don’t offer the same relief as a full week off from classes. It doesn’t help that many dancers have […]

The Look-Back Trap: How Dancers Can Cope with Fears of Falling Behind

In February 2020, the Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker–choreographed production of West Side Story opened on Broadway. And in March, the world shut down. “The first email said we’d be back in two weeks. Then it was the end of the month. Then it was by the beginning of summer. Then it was the fall,” recalls […]

The Dancer’s Guide to Getting Through the Holidays

“The disappointment hits in waves,” Calista Jones says of this year’s canceled production of The Nutcracker. A high school senior who performs with the Appalachian Ballet Company in Maryville, TN, Jones was excited to be cast in soloist roles this year: the Raggedy Ann doll in the party scene, as well as the lead Russian […]

Get Cozy with the Dancer's Guide to Hygge

We’ve all heard plenty about how hard this COVID-era winter is going to be. The days are shorter, the weather is colder, and many of us are back on lockdown. And while we’re probably going to spend most of the winter months counting down the days until a vaccine is widely available, we might need […]

All the Feels: How to Give Yourself Space to Deal With Hard Emotions

Have you ever smiled through a show even though your heart wasn’t in it, or put on your game face in class despite feeling tired or out of sorts? Dancers are performers, and performing positivity is a skill that can get you through tough moments without anyone knowing you’re upset. But that doesn’t mean it’s […]

Real Talk About How Body Dysmorphia Affects Dancers

Though candid conversations about eating disorders are (thankfully) becoming more common in the dance world, one struggle continues to plague dancers at an alarming rate: Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). In an industry centered on physical appearance, BDD—more commonly known as body dysmorphia—can sometimes feel hard to avoid. But there’s hope, and help, for those in […]

Surviving Peer Pressure

“I feel so fat! Let’s go gluten-free for a while.” “Come have a cigarette with us.” Sound familiar? Many dancers encounter peer pressure. Whether your classmates are trying new diets or smoking and drinking, you might feel left out if you don’t follow the crowd. But giving in to social pressures can result in unhealthy […]