Dance training often becomes more intensive as students reach their mid- to late teens. This is the time when, in many cases, a dancer’s commitment is increasing and they may be considering the move from part-time to full-time training. It is a transition that can prove exhausting and problematic if they do not know how to take care of themselves. In addition, the increasing physicality and athleticism required of them by teachers and choreographers place ever-growing demands on dancers’ bodies and stamina. If dancers do not know how to manage their health and wellbeing, they often pay the price with illness, injuries and time off for rehabilitation.
Andrew Fee, the artistic director of Raw Dance Company in Brisbane, recognised the need for a targeted “wellness” program to help his Cert IV Dance students deal with the move from part- to full-time training. Twelve months ago he engaged the service of a personal trainer and sports science specialist Ryan Scott (Bsc Hons and Director of Fitklub) to help with the development of such a program.
Wellness programs are focussed on the wellbeing of an individual and usually incorporate a range of health and fitness strategies, covering all aspects of health from the psychological to nutritional. According to Ryan, “[I work] with the dancers for two hours each week through specific modules of a performance manual which I put together. The subjects include Conditioning for Dance, Nutrition for Dance and Detoxification for Optimum Health”.
Injury Prevention
In terms of physical costs, injuries can be very frustrating for dancers, often sidelining them for weeks at a time. This was one of the issues that Raw Dance Company faced with its full-time Cert IV Dance students. “Repetitive strain injuries (RSI’s) are very common.” Scott explains, “– inflammation of ankles, shins, knees and hips due to performing similar movements over and over again. Lower back strains along with knee ligament damage are also common. However these can be prevented by performing specific conditioning and weight training programs.”
A well-designed weight and resistance training program can reduce the risk of injury by targeting areas of weakness and in-balance in the body. “Everyone has a dominant and stabilising side to their body.” Scott says. “Put simply, we favour one side, and when this occurs, our opposite side stabilises the movement. Over time, if dancers doesn’t participant in a specific weight training program, they will create imbalances and muscles in key areas will become weak. This is ultimately where injuries will occur.
A specific resistance training program prevents this and in fact improves the strength, power and balance of the body – which in turn makes for better dancers.”
Raw Dance Company has a purpose-built personal training studio decked out with all the latest weight training equipment. “The dancers often use this studio to develop the aesthetic look that they want including shaping and toning muscles,” Fee says, “– but it is also be used for rehabilitation and dedicated resistance training sessions”.
In addition to a conditioning program, dancers need to understand the importance of adequate time for warm up, cool down and rest as fundamental components of injury prevention.
A Healthy Mindset
Dancing can challenge students’ perceptions around body image. Scott believes that maintaining a balanced outlook, as well as a commitment to health and fitness, is a mental exercise. His program helps the students to develop a positive attitude as well as a healthy body image.
There is no longer (except perhaps for classical ballet) an expectation that dancers must conform to one particular body type. Dancers need to appreciate that different dance styles require diverse body shapes and they should learn to celebrate their uniqueness rather than succumb to unrealistic, unhealthy and often unachievable body expectations.
Dancers also need to have some good (but healthy) stress relief activities for their down time. It is also very important that they maintain their friendships outside the dance world, to help them keep their training in perspective. Students need to let their hair down and relax away from the intensive world of training. Families can help their children keep some equilibrium in their lives.
Cross Training
It is increasingly recognised that just attending class is no longer adequate for dancers to maintain their bodies at optimum fitness. Dancers need to develop a more holistic approach to their training and attend a variety of classes and activities to maximise strength, flexibility and stamina. A cross training program
can help build aerobic capacity as well as introduce students to different dance styles, Pilates, yoga and/or strength classes.
In addition to the benefits to health, the versatility required by dancers to ensure a sustainable career is one of the reasons for dancers to cross-train. If they want to be attractive to employers, dancers must be prepared to move across various genres. Cross training teaches dancers to engage their bodies in different ways and discover more about their capabilities. But dancers also need to appreciate that different ways of moving place demands of different muscle groups and loads on different parts of the body. Dancers who are not maintaining a core fitness program risk injury and time out.
Food for Fuel
Nutritional education is one of the central components of the wellness program offered at Raw Dance Company. Students are required to learn about the physiology of the body as well as the impact of food on their body and energy levels. They learn about how to regulate their bodies and weight in terms of input (food) and output (energy) and they also study the balance of carbohydrates and fats required to get the most out of their bodies. They learn that what they put into their bodies is what they get out.
According to Scott, “Dancers should observe and maintain a healthy diet that includes the right amount of carbohydrates, proteins and fats daily, along with at least 51% raw food, lots of water and supplements where needed. They also should observe the importance of avoiding highly toxic and synthetic foods such as alcohol, soda, caffeine, processed foods, sweets and additives. Tying exercise, nutrition and detoxification together on a daily basis will result in optimum health”.
Both Scott and Fee recognise that at times students are not terribly responsible about how they treat their bodies. To raise their awareness about what they consume, students at Raw Dance Company are initially required to keep a food diary. Each week they are answerable for their health and nutrition and undergo a BMI (Body Mass Index) test twice a term. “They learn that information is power and that they require this information to make positive changes to their diet,” Fee says.
Results
The results of the Wellness Program at Raw Dance Company have been significant. “The results over 12 months have been spectacular!” Scott says. “The students are better prepared and their have improved technically. They have avoided injuries and fluctuations with their body weight.” Says Fee: “Teachers have certainly noticed a significant change in the energy levels and appearance of the dancers.” He adds that the program provides lessons that the dancers can use throughout their lives.
A strong body and mind is desired by most dancers. Encouraging dancers to take responsibility for their own health and well-being should be one of the primary aims of a wellness program. It seems that the dancers at Raw Dance Company are well on the way to achieving this goal.