Tag: mind

Keeping Pace

Deirdre Lewis loved studying ballet and jazz as a young teen, but unlike many of her peers at Dance Workshop of Hanover in Massachusetts, “dance was not my life,” she says. “I was a cheerleader, and was also very involved in school.” As her non-dance activities took up more and more of her time, she […]

Beat Bullying

Imagine that you’re in ballet class, working on your triple pirouettes. As your teacher watches you and gives you pointers, you look in the mirror and catch a glimpse of one of the other girls in your class exaggeratedly imitating your every wobble as her friends watch and quietly giggle. You feel your face growing […]

Perfectionism 101

For years, New York City Ballet corps member Megan LeCrone wanted her dancing to be absolutely perfect. She worked hard and was incredibly focused. But instead of concentrating on how much she was improving, she obsessed over her mistakes. “I constantly saw my weaknesses and flaws as something wrong with me,” she says. “In class, […]

Work Your Mind As Well As Your Body for Improved Performance

Do you hardly ever miss class, put all your effort into your dancing and strive to perfect your technique day after day, yet still don’t see the results you’d like? Well, it could be all in your head. Sports psychologists have discovered that athletes (including dancers) must train their minds as well as their bodies. […]