By Christine Dion of Mode Dion

It’s Recital Prep time!  Are you ready?  Preparation is the key to a confident and polished recital performance. You might have your costumes, music, lighting, and of course the right moves – but what about your makeup and hair?  Even the most seasoned performer should have a makeup and hair rehearsal.  Applying makeup together with fellow performers will help insure everyone is on the same page, in the right look, uniform and polished.

To help you out this season we have a few easy to follow stage makeup step by step application videos with stage beauty expert Christine Dion from Mode Dion. To learn more go to modedion.com.

A polished face is a must.
Here’s how to apply Foundation, Concealer and Powder like a pro:

Eyebrows frame your eyes and create balance.
Here are the steps to perfect brows:

Stage eye steps made easy:

False lashes are the Eye Openers:

Create lips that show off your smile and cheeks that are perfectly flushed
and contoured to perfection:

Era and Theme Makeup for Recitals

Recital make-up is important as it complements the costume and sets the mood of the dance piece.  Those little extras capture the era and style of the number.  Whether the dance is 1950’s Grease, a ballet classic, or futuristic pop, it’s the make-up and hair that finishes the look and creates the fantasy.

Here are a few make-up color rules to keep for the next time you create a fantasy face. Remember the theme of the look. Make-up changes every era just like fashion.

The make-up era looks that set the style in their day:

• In the1920’s black shadow across the lid and deep burgundy rosebud lips were the choice of every flapper girl.
• In the 1940’s liquid liner sweeping up only on the top lid, with rounded rich red lips were popular.
• In the 1950’s blue shadow and pink lipstick were the colors of the moment.
• The 1960’s saw heavy lined eyes, white shadow all over the lid and gray shadow through the crease.  The lips were washed out in light beige to keep the eyes the focus.
• In the 1970’s blue shadow was back in, but with frost for the lid and white shadow highlighted under the brow. The face was brightened with pink cheeks and pale pink glossy lips.
• In the 1980’s, the era of excess, we saw three colors of bright shadow, heavy brows, and bright lipstick.  Think Cindy Lauper.

When creating a fantasy, the era may not play a role at all. Instead you might want to play on the imagination of the audience.  Create magic by defining the character of the piece.

Fantasy character looks and the colors that make them come alive:

• The ShowGirl.  Feathers in the hair, big lashes and glitter everywhere. The brighter the colors the better.
• The Spanish Flamingo Dancer.  Heavy black eye liner sweeping up at the corners, red lips, and a split curl along the side of the cheek.
• The Cat.  Whether you choose a lion, a leopard, or a tiger, the drama is purr-fect for a feline fantasy. Use face pencils or greasepaint in black, brown, orange, yellow, white, and red/brown.
• Fairy Princess.  A favorite for classical pieces, this look is soft and sweet.  Use lots of glitter and sparkling shimmers, placed only on the key light catching spots.
• Man look.  This look includes a suit and tie with hair parted and slicked back, but the face is feminine.  Lips are red or defined with lots of gloss, cheekbones are contoured and eyes are shaded in browns with thick black lashes.
• Make-up to accent costumes.  Add rhinestones and glitter to the face in complimenting colors to draw attention to unique costume detail.  Other accents can include:
  Glitter, sparkling powders.  These light catching products can turn any look into a magical fairy princess or a futuristic intergalactic arrival.
  Wigs- Try a wig or hair piece.

RECITAL SPECIAL FROM MODE DION!

Special Discount Offer just for Dance Informa readers.
Mini Stage Kit with Professional Eye liner Brush.
Retails at $63.50, but Mode Dion is offering a Dance Informa Reader SPECIAL for only $48.00!
($15.50 off!)

The Mini Stage Kit contains the perfect stage makeup to create a polished and professional performance face. Rich high quality pigment, the 5 color eyeshadow pallet doubles as cake eye liners too, with a professional eye liner brush for flawless lining application. Two versatile defining eye shadow shades allow for multiple looks. Stage Red cheek color flushes cheeks to perfection and compliments the Stage Red long lasing lip color and liner for enhancing and shaping lips.
Phone 760.837.9433 to order

Christine Dion has worked internationally as a makeup artist in fashion, print, television and stage. She has been in the beauty industry for over 30 years as an artist and educator. Check out her website modedion.com for more information.

Top photo: © Jorgosphotos | Dreamstime.com

Published by Dance Informa digital dance magazine – dance news, dance auditions & dance events for the professional dancer, dance teacher and dance students.

Dance Informa magazine is giving away cash to a lucky dancer and his or her studio. Imagine what you could do with $1000 cash. Imagine blessing your dance studio with $3000. Make dance dreams come true and enter today!
Just click on the image below.

Dance Studio Owners: Tell your teachers and students about this contest. The more entries for your studio, the greater your chances to win. How would you like $3000 towards renovations, new flooring, costumes, camps, audio equipment or whatever you need?

By Emily Cook Harrison MS, RD, LD.

The Glycemic Index is a tool that gives a numerical value to a specific amount of food based on how it affects your body’s blood sugar and insulin over a specific time period.  Foods with lower numbers don’t spike blood sugar as much as ones with higher numbers and provide more sustained energy.

Why does this matter to dancers?
Dancers who eat foods low on the GI tend to have more sustained energy overtime and more endurance. Not only can low GI foods improve performance, but when eaten before exercise they can help you feel more satisfied and may even help you burn more fat.  Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, and peas are all considered good choices.

How to keep a low GI diet
Consider the importance of lowering the GI of your entire diet as a whole instead of picking out foods individually. Basically that means eat more whole foods. When low GI foods are consumed as part of an overall diet, there is a lower insulin response and better glucose control. A low GI diet as a whole helps you feel more satisfied after eating and leads to less overeating.  It is also important to eat smaller more frequent meals for good blood sugar control, to feel great, and to dance stronger.

GI facts

• The GI is a numerical index used to describe how a carbohydrate is metabolized/ absorbed and its effect on blood glucose and insulin levels.
• Consuming low GI carbs before endurance exercise results in increased fat oxidation during exercise in trained men and women.
• Participants in a J. Nutr study reported feeling full following lunch in a low GI trial.
• Consuming a low GI breakfast increases fat oxidation during exercise and improves satiety during recovery.  (J. Nutr. 139: 890–897, 2009).

Low GI food choices (better choices)

Whole grain/ high fiber breads
Brown rice, basmati rice
Oatmeal
Quinoa
Bran/ high fiber, WG cereals
Pasta (especially whole grain)
Most fruits
Most vegetables
Beans/ legumes
Nuts, seeds
Milk, dairy, soy

High GI foods  (not the best choices)

White rice
White bread
Sugar, honey, candy
Cornflakes, Cheerios, Rice Krispies, Coco Puffs
Waffles, Pop-tarts
Baked potato, mashed potatoes
Pretzels
Baked goods, cakes, pies, muffins
Sugary drinks, sodas

Emily Harrison
Emily Cook Harrison MS, RD, LD
Emily is a registered dietitian and holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in nutrition from Georgia State University. Her master’s thesis research was on elite level ballet dancers and nutrition and she has experience providing nutrition services for weight management, sports nutrition, disordered eating, disease prevention, and food allergies. Emily was a professional dancer for eleven years with the Atlanta Ballet and several other companies. She is a dance educator and the mother of two young children. She now runs the Centre for Dance Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyles. She can be reached at emily@dancernutrition.com www.dancernutrition.com

Resources:
www.glycemicindex.com
www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Glycemic_index_and_glycemic_load_for_100_foods.htm
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/foods/grains/gigl.html

Published by Dance Informa digital dance magazine – dance news, dance auditions & dance events.

Top photo: © Dreamstimepoint | Dreamstime.com

By Chris Bamford.

Being a dance teacher is one of the most rewarding jobs in the world, but I might be a little biased as I am one. There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing a student improve, grow and reach his or her full potential in your class.

But what about the teachers? We place so much emphasis on the students’ conditioning, care and injury prevention, yet we have a tendency to forget about ourselves.

Long gone are the days where the teacher just sat in a chair with a cane and explained what the students had to do. We teach a lot more visually and practically these days. The teacher generally shows the wrong way and the right way to do steps and movements and goes to the extremes so students can see and understand the differences. This can put teachers at risk, especially when they may not be as fit and limber as they used to be.

Being a dance teacher, and especially a studio owner can be very stressful. You need to wear so many hats and manage many facets of a business from customer service, complaints, marketing and finances to general administration. Then add an annual recital to the mix, and maybe a summer school and competition, and let’s face it – we are stressed! So we don’t need to add injury to our lives.

What can dance teachers do to reduce the risk of injury? Let’s start by looking at what some of what the most common dance injuries are

• Muscle strain

• Joint sprain

• Bruising

• Muscle soreness

• Fractures

Understanding what these injuries are and what causes them can help identify problems early, as most teachers do with their students. But what about yourself? Let’s look at what can cause these injuries during the many hours of instructing and choreographing that each teacher does.

Excessive range: This applies to movement that forces a joint or body part beyond a safe range. For example, hyper flexion at the neck or over-arching the back.

Excessive load: Movement that places excessive weight on or through a joint or muscle. For example, knees bending below 90º when landing or straight leg sit-ups.

Ballistic: Repetitive dynamic movement that stretches muscle tissue beyond the normal range. This sort of movement is often explosive and uncontrolled. For example, bouncing (of knees, spine), overly repetitive kicks, leaps, head isolations and arm flings.

Sustained: The holding of a position that places excessive stress on a muscle group or joint. For example, a coccyx sit or balance on one leg for a long period of time.

Repetitive: Too much repetition can be dangerous. Even safe movements performed too many times can cause injury. For example, jumps, push-ups and lifts.

In my opinion, when you’re teaching for four hours in a row or more, you can’t avoid some of the above movement types, but it’s important to be aware of them and to think about how much we demonstrate a movement if we feel strain, pain or any warning sign. Injury and stress are always going to be in our lives, it’s the nature of the dance business, but here are some tips to help you reduce them:

• Remember occupational health and safety rules.
• Get a regular remedial sports massage or visit a physical therapist.
• If you have injured yourself, but still have to teach, use an assistant teacher or senior student for demonstrating until you have fully recovered.
• Keep up regular classes for technique and strength. We can get so busy, but we too must be in class regularly. I have heard of large dance studios holding a teachers’ class once a fortnight and rotating who from the staff takes the class. This helps the teaching staff to keep up their technique and fitness.
• Keep hydrated and eat a well balanced diet.
• Make sure to get plenty of sleep. You need energy to energize your students and a rested mind to be creative.
• If you are teaching for long period of time pace yourself and take regular breaks if you can.

At the end of the day, teachers need to remember to take care of themselves. We inspire and nurture talents, yet we sometimes forget to inspire and nurture ourselves. Start to look after yourself so you can continue to give to your students for years to come. Being a great dance teacher is just as important as being a great dancer.

Source: www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/primary/pdhpe/dance/dan004.htm

Photo: © Viorel Sima | Dreamstime.com

Published by Dance Informa digital dance magazine – dance news, dance auditions & dance events for the professional dancer, dance teacher and dance students.

By Laura Di Orio.

This summer, The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) USA will offer its first ever Performance Course, a two-week program that will allow students to focus on learning choreography and preparing for performance. The RAD USA will also offer additional summer programs for students and teachers following this course.

The Performance Course will be held at California State University in Long Beach, California, from July 9 to 21. This special program is designed to give students a taste of what it feels like to be a part of the creative process, as they will work with professional dancers and teachers to create original works in preparation for a public performance.

The RAD in London already holds a similar course each summer, and it has proven to be a very popular program, according to Patti Ashby, the National Director of the RAD USA.

The Performance Course will accept up to 80 students between the ages of 12 and 22, and classes will be limited to 25 dancers per class. Each day students will take classes in ballet technique, choreography/performance, musical theatre and modern. There will also be evening lectures on stage make-up and stagecraft.

“In the past, the RAD Summer School consisted of the typical summer school classes with a strong focus on improving technique – ballet, modern and jazz,” Ashby says. “While the classes will certainly emphasize clean technique, the focus will be on learning new choreography and performing.”

Students will work with the RAD USA’s faculty who are all former professional dancers who have also completed teacher training programs through the RAD. This year, the faculty includes: Tracey Alvey, artistic director of the Alabama Ballet; Nicholas Mishoe, a former dancer with Boston Ballet and Dutch National Ballet; Nichelle Bane, an award-winning choreographer; and Diana MacNeil, artistic director of PostHouse Dance.

Ashby says she hopes that students who attend the Performance Course will “come away with more self-confidence as a performer, feeling they have had a unique, challenging and enriching experience.”

From July 23 to 28, immediately following the Performance Course, there will be a six-day Vocational Graded Syllabus Intensive for students who are preparing to take vocational graded examinations. The intensive will be open for students ages 11 to 22.

“This is an opportunity for students to fine-tune their technique, work on picking up free enchainments quickly and also build strength and stamina through the daily classes,” Ashby says.

Each day, students will take classes in examination syllabus technique, pointe, free enchainment, Pilates and modern.

At the completion of the intensive, students may choose to take the RAD exam immediately following the intensive week or during the regular spring session. “Students who stay on to take the exam right after the session always say they feel confident and well-prepared after the six days of intensive coaching with our very highly-qualified faculty,” says Ashby.

The third of The RAD USA’s summer programs offered this year is the Courses for Teachers, from July 23 to 31, when participants will be exposed to the RAD teaching methods. They will have the opportunity to review the RAD examination syllabi, learn the new Grades 1-3 and study Benesh Notation.

Ashby expects about 50 teachers to attend the nine days of teaching courses this summer. The courses are open not only to RAD-registered teachers, who can fulfill their Continuing Professional Development hours that are required each year, but also to anyone who is interested in learning about the RAD teaching methods.

“For anyone who is attending to learn more about RAD, they will find that our teaching courses are possibly the most intensive they have ever attended,” Ashby says. “Our tutors are trained to go into depth about teaching technique, musicality and performance at every age.”

Teachers who attend the summer courses will receive a certificate of attendance from the RAD. In order to become certified through the RAD, however, teachers must complete one of the RAD’s certification or degree programs, which take at least two years of intensive study, according to Ashby.

The RAD USA does offer accommodation on the university campus for summer participants. There are also parent and teacher chaperones for students.

For more information on any of the RAD USA summer programs call 661-336-0160 or  visit www.radusa.org

By Emily C. Harrison MS, RD, LD.

One of the things we can be assured of is that there will always be a new food, diet or health fad. Gluten free is the latest trend. Well-meaning celebrities and food companies out to capitalize on the latest fad, complicate the minefield of misinformation surrounding the topic of gluten. I have even seen bottled water and shampoo recently labeled as ‘gluten-free’. What are we to make of this new fad? What is gluten and should dancers avoid it?

For the majority of people, gluten is not a problem and is part of a normal healthy diet. However, there is a small segment of people who may need to limit or avoid it all together.

What is gluten?
Gluten is a term that describes tiny parts (amino acids) of a group of proteins. Basically it is a naturally occurring protein found in rye, barley, triticale, spelt, kamut, bulger, oat bran, some oats, and all wheat products. Gluten is what makes bread tender and doughy. Other food products that may also contain hidden gluten are malt flavor/ extract, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, beer and ale.

Should dancers avoid gluten?
The answer for the vast majority of dancers is NO! Gluten is not a scary, artificial, or chemical additive that must be avoided. It occurs naturally in the whole grain products mentioned above. Whole grains are an important source of good, energy producing carbohydrates that dancers need to keep them going during class, rehearsal, or performance. Whole grain products contain fiber, B-vitamins, some iron, and some protein. Dancers who unnecessarily avoid gluten may become deficient in important nutrients. For most people, there is no reason to avoid gluten and there are many reasons to eat the healthy whole grains that contain this natural protein.

Is there anyone who should avoid gluten?
Yes. Going gluten-free is the best known treatment for anyone with celiac disease, an auto-immune condition in which the body reacts to gluten like it is a foreign invader. In these cases damage to the intestines results from eating gluten which causes pain, bloating and nutrient deficiencies.

The prevalence of gluten allergy has grown over the years. We are now more aware of it than ever. There may be cases of a more mild gluten intolerance that cause bowel discomfort, eating issues, and even behavior problems, particularly in young children. Good scientific evidence in this area is in its preliminary stages. There is not enough evidence to suggest that avoiding gluten can help with autistic spectrum disorders.

If you suspect a gluten sensitivity talk to your physician or dietitian. A blood test can detect antibodies formed as an immune response to digested gluten.

Going gluten free requires careful reading of food labels and planning ahead if one is going out to eat. There are phone apps that help track the gluten content of many food items that can help with the confusion. Seeing a registered dietitian is very important if one suspects a gluten allergy or intolerance. Some gluten-free alternatives are corn, corn flour, quinoa, quinoa flour, rice, potatoes, soy flour, arrowroot, amaranth, flax, millet, bean flours and Jerusalem artichoke pasta. A gluten free diet can be healthy if planned well. In some cases a vitamin/ mineral supplement may be necessary.

Emily Harrison
Emily Cook Harrison MS, RD, LD
Emily is a registered dietitian and holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in nutrition from Georgia State University. Her master’s thesis research was on elite level ballet dancers and nutrition and she has experience providing nutrition services for weight management, sports nutrition, disordered eating, disease prevention, and food allergies. Emily was a professional dancer for eleven years with the Atlanta Ballet and several other companies. She is a dance educator and the mother of two young children. She now runs the Centre for Dance Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyles. She can be reached at emily@dancernutrition.com www.dancernutrition.com

Top photo: © Irochka | Dreamstime.com

Published by Dance Informa dance magazine – dance news, dance auditions & events.

By Steve Sirico of Dance Teacher Web

For most studios in the United States your season comes to an end in May or June. Now is a good time to look ahead and organize your schedule up to the end of the current season. For those of you in other countries whose season is just beginning, you can start to map out your year and build in the ideas I will present in this article.

Listed below are topics that I recommend you address and have a definitive plan for at this time.

Distribution of costumes

With costumes being quite expensive it is important to have an organized way of distributing them. If you just hand your clients a bag with the costume rolled up inside, the perceived value will be less. I recommend that you get garment bags, (with your logo printed on them) and hand them out to each student’s parent with any pertinent instructions attached to the costume. If a student is in several numbers you can put them all in one bag on hangers. If you are looking for hangers go to your local large clothing stores as they are usually happy to give them to you by the box full. They will probably be throwing them out if you don’t take them.

If you can get someone to do your alterations that is always best. Parents are busy and either don’t want to or don’t know how to sew! I recommend that straps, hems and hooks are all sewed on and ready to go before you hand the costumes out. This will mean that you need to try each costume on every student and pin any adjustments that need to be made once they are delivered to you. When the client opens the garment bag they should be able to take the contents out and hang them up in their closet without any additional worries.

How to get organized for your recital

Many studio owners know in their minds how they want everything done for their recitals. That can be a big mistake! It is really important for your piece of mind to write things down. Start to make a journal on how you are going to proceed. Make lists of everything, from who will be assisting you backstage and front of house, to who will be helping you on the tech side. Write down how much time you think you will need to load in and out of the theater and who will help you with that. Make a schedule for yourself and any assistants with exact times and days. Make sure you have contacted your videographer and given him or her their schedule. Set your dress rehearsal times and make a note to firm up the people to help on that day. Make time to meet with your program designer and know the exact dates that you need to have choreography completed and the running order for the show ready. I recommend that you create a definite time line of when you want everything ready to go. Then get help to get organized. Remember, the way that you run your events will leave a lasting impression on your clients. Every year we try to find a better way to do things. We document each event and build each one into our year end planner with the necessary changes.

Marketing to your current customers

What you start to put in place now will be a determining factor as to who will register for next season. If you do not have a system in place to get your clients to register in the coming months for your upcoming season, I recommend that you do so today! Keep in mind that if your clients sign up for dance classes before they sign up for any other activity they will build their child’s after school schedule around their dance classes. Best of all you will have a good idea of which classes are full and which ones you need to market over the summer.

When a current customer does not re-register it also gives you time to find out why. You may find that just taking the time to call them personally will make the difference as to whether or not they sign up again. There is nothing like the personal touch to keep your customers around. While most of our marketing dollars are spent on getting new clients, I recommend that you spend a fair amount on keeping the clients you currently have and ensuring that they will return time and time again. If you want to build your school, this will be a huge contributing factor.

Determine which faculty members and staff you will bring back

Every year things change. People change, schedules change and your business operations will change. We have had faculty and staff who were big assets to our business one year only to turn into big problems later. When this happens you have two choices, try to determine what is going on and see if the issue that is causing the problem can be resolved or move in another direction. It is as simple as that! I know change is hard, especially if someone has been with you for a long time. The key thing to remember here is that you are running a business. If someone is not helping in the growth of your business or even worse may be detrimental to your business then you need to do something about it – sooner, rather than later. You can start by assessing the overall production of each person you employ. I recommend that you have a yearend meeting with each individual working for you to review the good and the not so good. It will also give you a chance to hear what they have to say about your business and how you can do things better. I don’t recommend that you tell anyone that you are not bringing them back until classes are over. It is cleaner that way for everyone involved.

When you prepare for the coming months you can take as much guess work out of the equation as possible. This way you will have everything planned out and your stress level will definitely decrease. Now how good does that sound?

Steve Sirico
Steve studied dance initially with Mikki Williams and then in New York with Charles Kelley and Frank Hatchett. He appeared in a number of theatre productions such as “Damn Yankees”, “Guys and Dolls” and “Mame” in New York and around the country and in industrials and television shows. He was contracted to appear as the lead dancer in the “Valerie Peters Special” a television show filmed in Tampa, Florida. After meeting Angela D’Valda during the filming they formed the Adagio act of D’Valda & Sirico appearing in theatres, clubs and on television shows such as David Letterman, Star Search and the Jerry Lewis Telethon. In 1982 they were contracted to Europe and appeared in a variety of shows in Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland and Italy before going to London, England where they appeared as Guest Artists for Wayne Sleep (formerly of the Royal Ballet) in his show “Dash” at the Dominium Theatre.

Steve and Angela have owned and directed their dance studio in Fairfield, CT for the past twenty five years. Author of his Jazz Dance syllabus and co-author of a Partner syllabus both of which are used for teacher training by Dance Educators of America, Steve continues to adjudicate and teach for major dance organizations.

He recently has taught at the Interdanz Conference in San Jose, Costa Rica and at The International Dance Teachers Conference in London at the Royal Ballet School. He choreographs for theatres, television and conventions and D’Valda & Sirico recently choreographed the opening to the National Speaker’s Association convention on Broadway in New York City at the Marriott Marquis.

Steve is president and director of the website Dance Teacher Web, designed as an online resource and training tool for dance teachers and dance school owners worldwide. Dance Teacher Web produces a yearly conference in Las Vegas where hundreds of teachers learn from the top master teachers and business coaches in an intimate setting unlike any other dance teacher event. Next year’s conference will be held at the Red Rock Resort August 6-9 2012. For more information visit www.danceteacherweb.com

Published by Dance Informa dance magazine – dance news, dance auditions & events.

By Kristy Johnson.

He’s worked for the likes of Britney Spears and Jason Derulo, yet LA based hip-hop and house choreographer Tony Czar remains a teacher at heart. Dance Informa caught up with the in-demand choreographer, fresh off the 2011 Source Dance Hollywood Tour, to talk teaching and career highlights.

Your experience as a choreographer is impressive, having worked with some of the best names in the business. Do you ever stand back and think ‘wow, am I really doing this?’

I have always believed in what I do. In addition, I have been working with the right people at the right time to be given these opportunities.

Are there any music artists that are on your choreography wish list?

Missy Elliot, Beyonce, and up and coming Rye Rye!

Your workshops are always a great success. What do you enjoy the most about teaching?

I love having fun and passing on my passion of dance. I love watching the students when they have the ‘aha’ moment and get what I am teaching both physically and mentally.

Reality television has made a huge impact on the dance industry. Given the chance to have your own show like The Dance Scene, would this be something that interests you?

I am a teacher at heart so my favourite jobs are always going to be teaching jobs.

What’s next for you? What projects are you currently working on?

My schedule is fully booked with teaching jobs all over the world. I teach in Poland, Taiwan, Russia, Japan, Korea, and Guam, to just name a few of the places I will be going.

Stress, dance and diet.

By Paul Vander Straaten

What is stress?

According to Dr. Tamara Hunter*, “stress is the emotional, mental and physical state resulting from an imbalance between your perception of the demands being placed on you and your perception of your own abilities to cope with the demands.” (Juice Plus Health Education Series, Stress Less Live Longer 2007). In this regard stress is different for everyone and the way we handle our stress is very significant in terms of how it impacts on our health.

Not all stress is bad. Dr Tamara Hunter believes there are three main types of stress.

1. Eustress is the good stress such as getting a new job, getting married or beginning a sporting event. This is the type of stress that prompts us to succeed in task performance.
2. Hypo stress is the type of stress that gives us low levels of arousal and manifests in poor performance and / or procrastination.
3. Distress or being ‘stressed out’ is when our negative emotional state has us believe that our ability to cope with a given situation is inept. This is the bad stress in which most of the time we melt down and fail in task performance.

Some of the physical responses to stress include:

• Muscle tension increases
• Immune responsiveness decreases
• Respiration, circulation and perspiration increase
• Blood pressure, blood fats and blood sugars increase
• Gastro intestinal function decreases
• Saliva production decreases

As a dancer, if your muscles are over tense and your circulation is too high, you just won’t achieve peak performance and can injure more easily. If you find yourself in this state then it is fair to assume that your mental state is not ideal either.

When your immune system is not functioning adequately your risk of sickness is increased. In turn your risk of missed dance opportunities or poor performance also increases.

It’s sometimes hard to know whether stress is responsible for immune suppression or whether it is the actions we take when we are stressed that are responsible. Dr Tamara Hunter has theorised the COPS behaviours (Caffeine, Overeating, Pick me ups, Smoking). These are things we do in times of stress that are bad for us and only challenge our long term health.

Hypertension, stroke, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and Alzheimer’s are just some of the long term negative effects of today’s stressful lifestyles. When we are stressed our body’s cellular oxidation increases. In fact, stress actually increases free radical damage to brain cells and a life time of stress can increase the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia.

To combat cellular oxidation we need to load our body up with antioxidants. Antioxidants slow down cellular ageing and prevent disease. We find antioxidants in fruits and vegetables. Oxidative stress conquers and leads to disease when we do not have enough antioxidants in our body to offset the cellular rusting.

Fruits and vegetables are nutrient dense and contain thousands of phytochemicals. Good sources of antioxidants include tomatoes and watermelon which contain lycopene (a powerful antioxidant for the brain and for the prevention of prostate and cervical cancer). Sweet potato, carrots and pumpkin are good sources of beta-carotene. Blueberries, broccoli, apples and onions are all rich in flavonoids. It is the wide selection of plant food colours that give our immune system a fighting chance.

The reality is that in the western world we are all too busy. Although we all have different things going on in our lives the one thing we have in common is stress and a lack of time. To help reduce your stress you may consider yoga or breathing exercises (see our article on Yoga for Dancers). Also set aside some time for the things you love doing. And, of course, feed your body with what it needs to grow and perform.

Don’t let stress be the cause of your poor health and rob you of your love for dancing. Be sure to make the most of every meal and incorporate lots of fruits and vegetables into your daily nutritional plan. If you want to take a simple, convenient and affordable step towards improving your base line nutrition please visit www.fruitandvegwithjuiceplus.com to get started on Juice Plus whole food based nutritional support.

Give your body what it needs to be stress free and dancing with ease.

By Paul Vander Straaten
Health & Fitness Consultant
Director of Healthaddiction Personal Fitness Training

Paul has been working in the fitness industry for 9 years. His focus for the last 6 years has been on nutrition and how important it is in achieving optimal health. He believes that nutrition is vitally important when it comes to good health and that a plant based diet must rule our daily nutritional plan if we are to live long and strong. Good health is easy and Juice Plus just makes it even easier.

* Dr. Tamara Hunter is an Exercise Physiologist and Registrar in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Sort after speaker in the areas of stress management nutrition, women’s health, body image and exercise physiology.

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By Emily Yewell Volin

Teachers, you know the look.  It comes from that student who is hungry for more information about everything dance.  Perhaps this student is a beginner or maybe he or she is an accomplished dancer looking for a fresh perspective.  Either way, it’s essential for teachers to have quick access to resources that inform this curiosity and growth.  That’s where a solid dance library comes into play.  Here is a listing of the 10 books I reach for most when that eager learner shows up at my door. 

Technical Manual and Dictionary of Classical Ballet by Gail Grant – Dover Publications (1982)  ISBN 0486218430
Could I have started anywhere else?  It’s the consummate guide for ballet technique and essential for every library, if not every dance bag. 

Ballet-Student’s Primer:  A Concentrated Guide for Beginners of All Ages by Kay Ambrose in collaboration with Celia Franca- Random House Value Publishing ISBN 0517669137
A solid guide for the beginner student and an essential teacher resource when developing a beginning ballet class.  A tremendous illustrated ‘first steps’ guide with a sense of humor and strong sense of responsibility.

Jump Into Jazz:  the basics and beyond for the jazz dance student by Minda Goodman Kraines, Esther Pryor (2004) ISBN 0072844043
The brief and accurate history of jazz dance informs the beginning jazz dance student of the genre’s diverse styles.  The book is full of useful illustrations to assist in the explanation of basic jazz dance concepts, exercises and short combinations.  Students relish the ‘ah-hah’ moments reflected by class work mirrored in the book.

The Dancer Prepares by James Penrod, Janice Gudde Plastino – McGraw-Hill ISBN  0072557265
This book has it all.  There are clear explanations of how to engage in dance, as a dancer or a viewer of dance as well as information about basic anatomy, injuries and diet.  It concludes with concise attention to the history of and choreographic approaches to dance and a brief overview of how to critique dance.

Dynamic Alignment Through Imagery by Eric N. Franklin – Human Kinetics (1996) ISBN 0873224752
Eric N. Franklin has authored many books I consider essential to my library.  His creative visioning allows the dancer to process information about alignment in a non-traditional and highly effective manner.  The visualization exercises are categorized into improvisation, technical and performance related content.  Students respond to Franklin’s approach and the resulting growth in alignment and performance are often staggering.

Prime Movers:  The Makers of Modern Dance in America by Joseph H. Mazo – Princeton Book Company ISBN: 0871272113
The personal and creative histories of American Modern Dance pioneers come alive in this entertaining read.  And, the reader realizes we dancers are a community; no matter our differences in aesthetics, backgrounds and creative approaches.  History and inspiration go hand in hand.

The Art of Making Dances by Doris Humphrey, Barbara Pollack (Editor), Stuyvesant Van Veen (Illustrator) (1991)  ISBN: 0871271583
Originally written in 1958, just before Humphrey’s death, this guide remains the absolute go to publication for beginning choreographers; especially the hesitant ones.  Its practical approach provides comfortable ‘how to’ parameters.  This structure grants the reader a recipe of sorts.  Once accomplished, the knowledge of that recipe allows for greater independent choreographic exploration.  A very good place to start.

Writing about Dance by Wendy Oliver – Human Kinetics (2010) ISBN 0736076107
Writing exercises, rubrics and checklists; a logical guide for the beginning dance writer and observer.  This resource is clearly organized, easy to read and encouraging.  The ‘Class Observation Form’ is particularly useful in technique classes.  I credit it for facilitating meaningful experiences for students observing class due to injury or illness.

Psychology of Dance by Jim Taylor, Ceci Taylor – Human Kinetics (1995)
ISBN 0873224868
Plateaus in training and performance happen.  This book provides insights and exercises to help students and teachers actively address the psychological origins that may contribute to these rough spots.  Another practical guide that has helped many students navigate to their next level in both technique and performance aptitude.

Poor Dancer’s Almanac:  Managing Life and Work in the Performing Arts by David R. White, Lise Friedman (1993) ISBN 0822313197
As relevant now as ever.  Dancers frequently achieve great technical and performance ability.  However, many frequently do not have the knowledge of how to manage life and career within the field.  This non sugar-coated guide is an essential read for the student seeking longevity and independence in the world of dance.