Imagine this . . . it’s an exciting day – you’ve got pilates at 8:30am, a tune-up with the physio at 10am, followed by a trip into the theatre for warm-up and the first matinee of the season.
If you’re lucky, you’ll be able squeeze in a quick Skype call to some friends back home – and don’t forget to send some flowers to Mum, it’s her birthday!
This month we asked some of our country’s top professional dancers some questions about what they eat for breakfast and why, for them, it’s such an important part of their performance, health and wellbeing.
I was so impressed to hear that these dancers really made the effort to make the first meal of the day a top priority – to fuel up ready for a class, rehearsal or show.
What you’ll notice is that, firstly, they are all so different! There is no one “perfect” breakfast, although certainly there are some foods that provide more awesome nourishment than others.
You’ll also notice that some of our dancers are incredibly creative, and very clever in the kitchen. Watch out in particular for Travis Kahn’s home-made salsa and Julia George’s buckwheat pancakes – mmmmmm, they sound so delicious!
I also adore Gretel Scarlett’s new words – “hangry” describes how she feels when she goes too long without eating and “linner” is what she calls a “late dinner.” Brilliant! I’m sure she won’t mind if we borrow them to add to our own vocabulary?
Here’s what they had to say:
Travis Kahn (‘King Kong’)
Currently I eat a mixture of oats and grains for breakfast. I take low GI cereals that have slow energy release and make my own mix in a container. I add almond milk with organic vanilla bean yoghurt. I top this off with mixed berries.
My other favourite breakfast is an egg white omelette with a homemade salsa mix of red onion, tomato, capsicum, coriander and basil. I also like egg whites on rye toast with salmon and avocado with fresh lemon juice squeezed on top.
I wasn’t always a breakfast eater – I’d rush out the door having eaten nothing and then would wonder why I felt so lethargic around mid-morning!
I became really aware of this when I started working out with my personal trainer two years ago, which changed the way I think about breakfast.
I now know that by having breakfast it gets my body systems all up and operating which helps me with the high demands of my day.
I try and keep a very well balanced diet no matter what is happening, ensuring all meals have a balanced amount of protein, vegetables and carbohydrates.
I aim to eat four good meals in the day with snacks and protein shakes throughout, because not only do I have to do eight shows a week (plus rehearsals), but I also maintain my gym routine.
On performance days the only change that I make to my diet is eating well in advance of a show so that my body has had time to digest the food.
I always make sure I’m hydrated in the lead up to and during a show, with a protein shake after the show.
The advice I would give to young dancers would be simple – eat breakfast! People will make excuses (like I did!) that they don’t have enough time, but you have to make time.
Find ways to make it easy for you – prepare things the night before if you have to. It will save you time and ensure you get the nutrients you need for the high demands of your day.
Gretel Scarlett (lead female role of Sandy in ‘Grease’)
My top three breakfasts are:
1. Poached eggs on toast with a side of haloumi, tomatoes, spinach or mushrooms – yes, I’m vegetarian – always with a fresh OJ!
2. Bircher muesli with nuts or fruit salad
3. The simple Vegemite and Nuttelex on spelt bread toast – with a green smoothie (mango, spinach, kale and coconut butter). Delicious!
I have always been a breakfast eater – I can’t start my day without food! I physically cannot leave the house without breakfast, or if I do, it’s to go directly to a cafe!
I refer to myself as “h-angry” when I don’t fuel my body. I lose the plot. Ha!
It’s really important for me to eat breakfast because you can’t dance or sing on an empty stomach. My body requires food and if I don’t start with breakfast, my energy levels decrease incredibly fast and makes it difficult for my body to get the most out of my lunch and dinner.
On the day of a performance, the only thing that changes is the times I eat. I aim for lots of nutritious snacks. As we perform at night (excluding matinees), finishing the show and getting home around 11pm makes my bedtime between 1-2am.
I’ll wake up anytime after 10am, so breakfast becomes brunch, and lunch becomes “linner”! Then after the show I always have a small meal and a cup of tea. Plus lots of snacks in between – especially on a two-show day!
If I could offer any advice to young dancers is would be that I feel there is an unspoken belief, even when I was studying full-time ballet, that less food is how to keep your body in shape.
I’m 100 per cent against this myth. When our bodies begin to dance and perform, they need every bit of sustenance possible. Therefore, starting a dancers day with a well rounded breakfast is essential, as it is the most important meal of the day in order to kick-start our digestive system and keep our metabolism,
and ourselves, in peak performance.
Mitchell Rayner (Australian Ballet)
For breakfast, I usually have two pieces of toast with Philadelphia, a coffee and a banana or yoghurt most mornings, but I do really enjoy having eggs on toast with avocado or an omelette from time to time.
I’ve almost always eaten breakfast, mostly because when I wake up I’m usually pretty hungry! If I don’t (which has happened if I’m running late because I slept through the alarm) I haven’t had nearly as much energy as usual to get me through the morning, which can be a real struggle, especially when lunch can feel like an eternity away!
If I have a matinee performance that day, I’ll usually have my morning breakfast but add in an Up & Go (Sanitarium protein/vitamin milk drink) just to give me an added boost for the day. I find it helps me to have that extra bit of energy in the morning, especially when combating the fatigue of a long season of performances.
I really do believe that it’s important for all dancers to try to always eat breakfast because it really does help to give you a good start to the day and will definitely help you maintain focus and concentration so that you can get the best out of your daily performance in class and on stage.
Miwako Kubota (Australian Ballet)
My absolute favourite breakfast is muesli, and banana with milk. Since I was little I always ate breakfast every morning; it gives you great energy at the start of the day.
Breakfast in Japan is a bit different – in Japan I usually eat rice and miso soup with fried egg and small piece of fruit or salad, while in Australia I eat more eggs on toast or will have an omelette.
On days that I’m performing I usually eat very similarly to other days but I sometimes eat scrambled eggs on toast to give me an extra boost.
I do think that breakfast is the best meal you could have in the day. If you’re dancing all day it will help your energy and concentration levels and keep you going until your next break.
Amber Haines (Australian Dance Theatre)
I begin every day with a kale, lemon, apple and ginger juice. I try to always use organic local produce and only use organic, ethical yoghurt and eggs.
My three top breakfasts are:
1. Mashed banana mixed with coconut flour, chia seeds and vanilla essence. I then sprinkle with crushed linseed and top it with yoghurt and agave.
2. Buckwheat pancakes (buckwheat, eggs, cinnamon and water) topped with linseed, fruit and yoghurt
3. Scrambled eggs with coriander, topped with fresh baby spinach and sunflower seeds.
I have always been a fan of breakfast. When I was younger it was simply my favourite meal of the day and now being a full-time professional dancer I have come to understand the importance of a nutritious kick-start to the day and have fine-tuned my recipes to offer a balanced healthy and ethical repertoire.
Breakfast provides the day’s building blocks for physical and mental energy. When performing I will simply space out my usual meals of the day to co-ordinate with performance schedule.
I would recommend avoiding overly processed foods and eat the foods that feel right to you. Listen to how your body reacts with different foods and choose a meal that makes you feel satisfied and energised.
This article was first published in the August-September 2013 issue of Dance Australia magazine.