By Leah Gerstenlauer.

The world of classical ballet in America is riddled with abbreviations, from the training level — SAB, JKO, CPYB — through to the highest echelons of the profession — NYCB, ABT, SFB, PNB… The ponderous list of schools, companies and styles could easily send a dance parent attempting to determine the educational and professional fate of an eager, talented child into an anxious state. After all, choosing the wrong training program could positively destroy a promising career, could it not?

One successful school in New York City is leading by example to oppose this narrow mentality. Founded by Rose Caiola as Studio Maestro in 1995, Manhattan Youth Ballet (a.k.a MYB) provides pre-professional classical education to young dancers from around the nation. Alumni have gone on to dance with companies such as American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theater, and Barcelona Ballet, among a wide range of others.

What makes MYB more than just another abbreviation for high-quality classical training? “We don’t try to be like any other school,” MYB Head Faculty Deborah Wingert says. “We just want the best out of our kids.” Wingert’s phrasing highlights a key aspect of the MYB ethos: talent, intelligence, and artistry all exist within the school’s students. The job of its teachers is to draw these possibilities out of their pupils — understanding that these possibilities vary from child to child — rather than impose a particular aesthetic or notions of right and wrong, good and bad upon them.

This open and encouraging atmosphere does not, however, bar the development of solid technique. MYB adheres to a clean, graded curriculum with a firm basis in the Vaganova method. But whether in the classroom or on the stage, students are reminded that ballet is not always black and pink, nor is it an insular, stagnant art form. “It’s important that our students get a strong base, but are well-rounded,” Director of Programming Erin Fogarty affirms. “Every company you see, from NYCB and ABT, to the Bolshoi and Nederlands Dans Theater — they’re all doing everything. The technical aspects of each style are so important and really relevant in today’s world.”

New York City Ballet’s Daniel Ulbricht leading a men’s class during the 2012 MYB Summer Intensive. Photo by Igor Burlak.

In light of this reality, MYB both nurtures individual aptitudes and nudges its charges in new directions, a strategy facilitated by the academy’s diverse roster of educators. The permanent faculty includes Wingert, NYCB alumna and Balanchine repetiteur; Fogarty, once a member of Carolina Ballet and Ballet NY; Head of Classical Repertoire Marina Stavitskaya, a former Kirov dancer and a graduate of the Vaganova Academy; Head of Primary Levels Natalia Boesch, whose performance resume features contracts with PNB, ABT, and Staatsballet Berlin; Artistic Advisor Daniel Ulbricht, a current NYCB principal and frequent MYB guest star; and Choreographer-in-Residence Brian Reeder, an internationally-respected dance-maker whose performing career spanned continents.

Given this all-star team of artists, one might imagine that MYB has more than enough resources to provide its students with a comprehensive, versatile dance education. Yet one of the school’s greatest assets, its leadership insists, is that it refuses to remain an island. “The fact that we have a rotating group of guest teachers that is constant and consistent is a huge help” in creating the ideal learning environment, Wingert says. “We [the faculty] also try to go out and teach various places… We share those experiences and inform one another of those different worlds.”

By reaching into the greater dance community, MYB is not only enriching life within its studio walls, it is building an extended family for itself — a family upon which Wingert and her colleagues frequently call on their students’ behalf. “We have students in companies around the country, and we stay in touch with them,” says Boesch. “Erin knows a lot of directors, I know a few… and we call them when we’re sending our kids out to audition.” It is this notion of palpable care for and pride in its student body that sets MYB apart from the region’s larger schools.

And that sense of care and pride is naturally non-discriminatory. Wingert, Fogarty, and Boesch speak about alumni who chose to pursue other interests upon leaving the school with as much respect and admiration as they express for those working as dancers. “Sometimes, the kids realize they’re not going to be dancers,” Wingert reflects, “and that’s okay with them because they know that what they’re doing is real.” Boesch adds, “It’s a professional level of training, whether they’re going to be professional or not.”

A crucial facet of that professional education revolves around attitude — how students behave with teachers, peers, and guests. The positive, familial philosophy surrounding MYB comes from the top down, according to Fogarty, who cites the magnanimity and vision of Executive Artistic Director Rose Caiola as an inspiration to the faculty and their ever-receptive pupils. “I don’t want to paint a perfectly rosy picture that there’s no competition [amongst the students],” Wingert admits, “but there is a sense of generosity and sharing, and they do look out for one another.”

As far as competition is concerned, none of the school’s dancers need fear that he or she will be left off stage. MYB presents shows throughout the year in the black box theater of Manhattan Movement and Arts Center (MMAC), the modern performing arts complex that the academy has called its home since 2008. Caiola’s vast experience as a producer in the performing arts world ensures that students will always have ample opportunity to learn and present classic repertory and to experience new works, often as they are being created.

In June of 2012, MYB made history as the first school to perform Jerome Robbins’ jazzy Interplay. Earlier in the year, Wingert and Boesch collaborated to set A Midsummer Night’s Dream on their students, with Ulbricht guest starring in the role of Oberon. “We’re always lucky that we get beautiful Balanchine,” Wingert says, and with a full-length performance of Serenade in the works, this year is no exception. Selections from The Sleeping Beauty, set by Stavitskaya, will round out the spring season.

But before ringing in the New Year, MYB will revive a work that is rapidly becoming a local classic in its own right: The Knickerbocker Suite. Much more than a mere alternative to that other holiday staple, The Nutcracker, the hour-long Knickerbocker — scheduled to run from December 12 through the 16th at MMAC this year — presents a richly entertaining, family-friendly story set in culture capital New York City. The show gives kids and their parents something they can relate to, Fogarty and Boesch explain. It brings recognizable aspects of the city, like the Statue of Liberty, the angels at Rockefeller Center, and iconic sports teams, to the stage. The festive ballet even offers up a dancing posse of peculiarly coordinated pigeons. “Knickerbocker reminds our kids that art can be made out of what we live with every day,” Wingert asserts. “That’s the magic.”

For students at Manhattan Youth Ballet, such lessons about their practice are integral to the education they receive year round. The thriving school, fast approaching its 20-year anniversary, continually strives to address not only dance technique and artistry, but the intelligence and flexibility necessary to truly excel in the art form. And that type of three-dimensional training, Wingert says, “prepares you for life — it’s not just ballet.”

To read more about Manhattan Youth Ballet and it’s upcoming performances, visit www.manhattanyouthballet.org. For more information on Manhattan Movement and Arts Center, visit www.manhattanmovement.com

Top photo: Dancers perform in MYB’s June 2012 show. Photo by Erin Baiano

By Kristy Johnson.

They’re considered the best in the business, are often imitated but never equalled, and know how to work a crowd on the football field. Among 500 other gorgeous and talented girls, Aussie Angela Nicotera set out to audition for the most renowned cheer squad on the other side of the world, in Dallas, Texas. Having studied dance throughout her childhood and being a loyal cheerleader for Australia’s National Rugby League, Angela was determined to use her training and experience to earn the instantly recognizable blue and white uniform.

Now in her second season as a veteran for the squad, Dance Informa catches up with Angela to learn what it exactly takes to become a professional cheerleader.

How intense was the audition process?

The audition process is not only intense, but it’s long, strenuous, physically demanding and emotionally draining. The complete audition process takes twelve weeks. It’s like a version of Survivor for dancers!

What was involved in the audition during the preliminary stage?

During preliminaries you need to make an impression by dancing freestyle for 60 seconds, in groups of five. I was trying to forget there was a panel of fifteen judges, television cameras filming the reality show Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team, and that I was auditioning at Cowboys Stadium, on the other side of the world. I was auditioning for the most renowned cheer squad! With 500 gorgeous girls striving for one of the coveted spots as a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader and a multitude of rhinestones blinding sight, I started to doubt myself.

How hard was it to remain positive?

Somehow I made it to semi-finals, but it was still difficult to remain positive. Learning choreography and the world famous kick-line in one hour was tough. Then I had 45 minutes to not only redeem my appearance, disguising any signs of strenuous activity, but also perfect the choreography and perform in front of the judges.

What was involved in the final round of auditions?

They invite 60 new candidates to finals to join the re-auditioning veterans the following week. You have a 90 second solo and then perform the choreography and kick-line with veterans so they can compare your style of dance and flexibility to those with experience in the uniform. For the solo portion of the audition it’s important to portray individuality and present something the judges will remember.

From the 60 new candidates and the 25 re-auditioning veterans, 45 were invited to a training camp. It was a ten-week process of learning 30 new routines, adapting to different styles of choreography, photo shoots, five-hour rehearsals, fighting fatigue, high kicks and pushing through injury, all whilst keeping a smile on my face and performing.

How did you feel when you made the squad?

The 2011-2012 squad was announced on the very last night of training camp. When the squad was announced, the exhaustion and fatigue were all of a sudden overtaken by emotions of excitement and accomplishment. The punishing, rigorous hours invested had paid off.

What’s involved in training when you’re preparing for a game?

There are many hours of practice that contribute to performing at a game. Our performance is a part of the Cowboys game day experience. We perform the traditional pre-game routine to AC/DC Thunderstruck at every game, as well as four routines throughout the game. Rehearsals leading up to a game will typically last anywhere between three to five hours, five nights a week. The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are well known for precision and perfect timing. The long rehearsals ensure that we not only know the routines and our spacing, but also perform with confidence to the crowd, television cameras and photographers, to maintain the high standards of the Director Kelli Finglass and Choreographer Judy Trammell.

How much dance training is expected if you want to be an NFL cheerleader?

Dance training is not essential for cheerleading, but without a dance background there is no way I would have made it through the audition process. The dance and cheerleading industry is very competitive so I would definitely recommend maintaining your dance technique and performance experience.

How important is flexibility?

Flexibility is a key component of the technique expectations from the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. It doesn’t have to be the best, but it must be workable. The DCC are one of the only professional cheerleading squads that still perform their world famous kick-line and jump split at every pre-game performance. It is phenomenal and the crowd love it. If you have never seen it, I encourage you to look up videos on youtube.com

How important is good diet and exercise when you’re a cheerleader?

A good diet and exercise are integral to cheerleading. Our uniform is very unforgiving and shows even the slightest fluctuation in weight loss or weight gain. We have such a busy schedule so it is difficult to eat regular meals, but after a year, I have adapted my habits to ensure I always consume sufficient carbohydrates and protein. Stamina and nutrition play an important role in your performance on and off the field. It is easy to burn out, or lose energy after two hours of practicing the same routine, and we dance for four hours at a game.

Besides dancing, what other forms of exercise do you do to ensure you’re in peak condition?

In addition to our rehearsals every night, I squeeze three to five sessions of weight training or boxing into my workout regime. Boxing is by far my favourite way to burn calories whilst having fun and punching out any frustration or stress.

What’s the best thing about being a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader?

The best thing about being a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader is earning the uniform. It is a recognisable icon and a part of history and tradition. Through the hours invested in the intense audition process, and the long rehearsal hours, I just remember the feeling of the first time I tried on the uniform. Words cannot describe how incredible it is. I still get goosebumps every time I tie my top, buckle my belt and put on my white Lucchese cowboy boots. I have been so blessed with this opportunity to carry the tradition as one of America’s Sweethearts: ‘The Often Imitated, Never Equalled, Internationally Acclaimed, Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’

You can follow Angela on Twitter @DCC_Angela

Photos of  Angela Nicotera courtesy of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders

We always hear about the importance of what you eat, but could when you eat be just as important?

By Emily C. Harrison MS, RD, LD.

What’s the secret for dancing stronger, improving body composition, building muscle, having more endurance, and improving performance? Energy Balance.  Backed by sound science, the concept of energy balance is all about timing healthy meals and snacks to work for you.  Managing your energy balance can even play an important role in injury prevention.

What is Energy Balance?

Energy Balance is eating exactly the right amount of fuel for the activity you are about to do.   It is meeting and adjusting your body’s energy (calorie) needs as they change throughout the day depending on how hard you are working.   Let’s say you are going on a road trip….
Which option would you choose?

1. Ok car, I’m not going to give you any fuel now, but when we get there I’ll give you all the fuel you need?
2. Ok, car, I’m going to give you all the fuel you need for the trip now, but you have to figure out where to store it?
3. Or…Ok car, I’ll fuel you up now for the next 2-3 hours and then I’ll stop and fuel you up again when you need it?

Obviously, we should choose option 3, but all too often dancers choose option 1 or 2.  Providing enough calories from healthy foods at carefully planned intervals when dancing gives the body the fuel it needs to perform its best.  When athletes have enough fuel, preferably from carbohydrates, they have been shown to have higher jumps and more endurance. Also, when dancers eat regular healthy snacks they tend to not overeat later.   If a dancer gets extremely hungry because he or she hasn’t eaten in a while, he or she tends to overeat more than needed within a certain time frame and those extra calories get stored.  Some is stored as a much needed type of fuel called glycogen which is easy to access when dancing the next day, but some is converted to body fat.  This is why eating smaller more frequent meals not only leads to better performance but also to more muscle and less fat.   We all know that working in an aesthetic art form means that we have to be judicious about what we eat, but planning meals and snacks wisely throughout the day can actually lead to better, stronger muscles and lower body fat percentage.

Whether someone dances two hours a day or ten, in order to perform their best they have to provide exactly the right amount of fuel to their system at the right time.  Going for too long without eating can backfire by forcing the body to come up with fuel from somewhere. When running on empty, the body breaks down muscle tissue and converts it into a type of fuel that the muscles and brain can use.

There are several problems with the all too common dancer strategy of not eating before and during classes/rehearsals/shows and waiting until later to eat: The body lowers your metabolic rate to adjust, the body burns muscle for fuel and thus makes you weaker and more prone to injury.  The brain has a harder time concentrating with no fuel, so choreography is harder to pick up and ultimately you end up with a higher body fat percentage and less muscle. Eating a small snack would have been a much more efficient source of fuel.

Here are my top 10 energy balance tips.

1. Eat breakfast!
2. Have a 100-250 calorie morning snack especially if you have rehearsals
3. Provide some calories every 2-3 hours during your day
4. Eat smaller more frequent meals
5. Plan a 100-250 calorie afternoon snack around 3:00-4:00pm to stave off hunger
6. Eat a reasonable dinner with carbohydrate, protein, and some healthy fats
7. Do eat after dancing, but don’t overdo nighttime snacking
8. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate all day
9. Sip on a sports drink if dancing for a long time and eating isn’t possible
10. Focus on fruits, veggies, and whole grains when meal/ snack planning – these carbs are good!

Pack a snack in your dance bag like a granola bar, banana, dried fruit, nuts, and whole grain crackers and peanut butter or make a wrap with hummus, veggies and rice. Make some pasta salad with whole grain pasta, black beans, tomatoes, corn, and red peppers – yum!  Planning is the key to making healthy food convenient.

Want to know more?
Here is some additional info:
Working muscles require calories in order to provide enough readily available energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and creatine phosphate (CP) particularly for the short, high intensity bursts of activity that we dancers do in class and in performance.  Longer bouts of exercise (Swan Lake for example) require the use of stored glycogen and fats. The body adjusts what it uses for energy based on the intensity of work and level of training. Providing calories before exercising preferably from carbohydrates, results in better performance and helps preserve muscle mass.  For longer shows, sipping on a sports drink or having a granola bar during intermission will help dancers finish strongly.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, “Inadequate energy intakes can result in loss of muscle mass, menstrual dysfunction, loss or failure to gain bone density, an increased rate of fatigue, injury, and illness”.  Injuries or illness can greatly affect a dancer’s training.  Dancers can have fewer injuries and illnesses by managing their energy balance.

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: © Ivan Mikhaylov | Dreamstime.com

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

La Scala dancer fired after speaking out about anorexia.

By Rebecca Martin.

As a ballet dancer, the pressure is always on. Get your legs up, turn more, jump higher, be thinner, be stronger, turn out, rehearse harder. We look at ourselves in full length mirrors in the studio wearing next to nothing and criticise every arm, leg, foot, and miniscule bulge. For dancers, there is no such thing as perfection, so the quest is endless. Add to that the pressure of teachers and directors and the desire to get a certain part or role.

It’s no surprise then, that young dancers – particularly students – are susceptible to eating disorders. They often think that if they are thinner, they will be better or more successful. If they are thinner, they will get cast in the lead role. If they are thinner, no one will notice their bad feet or their height. Female dancers need to look a certain way and maintain a comparatively lower body weight than non-dancers, not only for the aesthetic of the art form, but for the safety of the male dancers who have to partner them.

However, dancers need to eat. With punishing rehearsal schedules and endless shows, if they don’t eat, they won’t be strong enough to perform at their peak. Dancers certainly need to monitor what they eat, but mainly for overall health and peak performance. It’s like the old adage of putting fuel in the car. If you don’t put fuel in, the car won’t start. If you put the wrong fuel in, performance will be sub-par.

Ballerina Mariafrancesca Garritano

So, unhealthy thought patterns about weight and eating is not unexpected and definitely not uncommon in the dance world. Teachers need to foster healthy body image and eating habits so that students can develop into well adjusted dancers. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. During my time at a full time ballet school, some of the girls in my class were told on a Friday to lose weight by Monday, “whatever it takes”. Drugs and starvation were advocated in these cases, with another student being told to exist on a diet of broccoli and steamed fish in the lead up to a performance so she looked good in a unitard.

This unhealthy weight obsession has been highlighted over the past few months by Mariafrancesca Garritano, a ballet dancer with the famous La Scala in Italy. Mariafrancesca was fired from the company after repeatedly speaking out about what she labelled an “anorexia epidemic” within La Scala. Garritano first raised the issue of the eating disorder in a book called The Truth, Please, About Ballet that was released in January 2010, followed closely by media interviews, in which she said her weight dropped to 43 kilograms as a teenager after teachers called her ”mozzarella” and ”Chinese dumpling” in front of other students. Both the theatre and Mariafrancesca’s former colleagues have denied all claims. Dance Informa spoke to Mariafrancesca after her sacking to discuss the issue of eating disorders amongst dancers…

What inspired you to speak out about the problem of eating disorders at La Scala?
I talked about eating disorders, both within and outside the dancing world. By sharing the experiences of my own illness during my time at La Scala Ballet School, as well as the similar experiences of some of my classmates, I have reinforced that eating disorders are a real problem that affects people everywhere, including here in La Scala. My sole objective was to raise awareness about eating disorders, in order to help young people learn how to spot pitfalls and how to heal.

You say 1 in 5 dancers have anorexia. Is this problem worse than before or has it always been this bad?
I spoke about my personal experience, 16 years ago – but I did my research and discovered that eating disorders are constantly rising in our society, both here in Italy and abroad. If we don’t encourage people to talk about this issue, we’ll never be able to know how serious this problem is.

Ballerina Mariafrancesca Garritano

Do you believe the problem comes from the ballet schools where the dancers train or is it the pressure of being in a company that makes them anorexic?
I believe teenagers are vulnerable, and to keep them in an isolated environment where they’re exposed to inappropriate language runs the risk of aggravating a predisposition to eating disorders. Those in a position of responsibility must be trained to behave in a way that protects young people from eating disorders.

Why do you think your fellow dancers have not supported you regarding your allegations?
I heard they were offended by my statements – this is a shame, as it wasn’t my intention to offend, but to raise awareness about a problem.

La Scala had hinted that if you continued to speak about the topic, you would be fired. Did this worry you? Was getting the message out more important than your contract?
There is much suffering behind eating disorders and I would have never thought that I’d be ostracised for talking about them. My life, other people lives, are too important for me not to fight this battle. I regret that I had to lose this much, but my motivation came from the bottom of my heart.

Do you intend to continue dancing?
Yes, I really hope so!

What do you think needs to be done to address the problem of eating disorders in ballet schools and companies?
There’s a need for experienced professionals – diet experts, psychologists, and so on – to follow both students and teachers. A full staff backed by appropriate resources is a good start for any school or company.

Occasionally the enthusiasm for dancing is such that dancers neglect their quality of life. For instance they may skip meals due to tight rehearsal schedules, and eventually skipping meals becomes the norm. Dancers should be trained and monitored in this respect – many already know how to look after themselves, but many others don’t. I hope things can get better for every one of us.

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

By Laura Di Orio.

For dancers, who are so in control of their body and used to being intensely self-focused, the idea of a dramatically changing body and shift in priorities may seem like a shock. For dancers who have faced these changes and now have a young life to add to their own, however, the journey is well worth it. Nowadays, more and more dancers have found that, with some hard work and patience, it is possible to raise a family and return strong to their performing careers.

New York City Ballet Principal Jenifer Ringer, who is already a mother of a young daughter and is almost eight months pregnant with a little boy, says the most important thing for pregnant dancers is to listen to their bodies. During each of her pregnancies, Ringer’s doctor ensured her that any activity her body was used to doing would be safe and healthy, as long as she felt comfortable. For Ringer, that meant performing up until about three months into her pregnancy, but even now, she continues to take partial ballet class.

NYCB Principal Jenifer Ringer in The Four Seasons. Photo: Paul Kolnik

“I cut back depending on how I feel,” Ringer says. “I’ve heard of some dancers doing grand allegro up until they give birth, but I was never comfortable with that. Now, I’m basically just doing barre and then adagio and tendus in center and then I’m done.”

Each dancer’s body will feel different during this time of change. Laura Tong, a soloist with The Australian Ballet, whose son Henry is about six months old, performed until she was 19 weeks pregnant and took class or barre in some form until she was 8 months along. “In the later months, I spent most of the time giggling about my attempt at an arabesque and the fact that I’d forgotten what a stomach muscle was,” Tong says, “but it was nice to still be able to spend that time in the studio with my friends and colleagues.”

Tong also recalls the last partnering role she performed while pregnant, as Kate in Madame Butterfly, at about 15 weeks. “Poor Rudy Hawkes had to lift me above his head and twirl me around,” she says. “I think that pas de deux work during pregnancy is sometimes more daunting for the man, as they feel completely responsible for the safety of all three of you!”

Abby Silva Gavezzoli, a dancer with Parsons Dance, worked together with her doctor (she had to promise to wear a heart rate monitor during physical activity), company directors and fellow dancers to ensure she could safely tour and perform with the company for as long as possible during her pregnancy. At the time, Parsons Dance was preparing for their season at The Joyce, and while some of Gavezzoli’s more rigorous parts were understudied, she said she still danced a good bit.

Abby Silva Gavezzoli of Parsons Dance, backstage with her son, Marcello, during Parsons' 2012 season at The Joyce.

“I toured and performed until I was about six months along,” says Gavezzoli, whose son, Marcello, was born in August 2011. “I took full class, including jumps and pirouettes, which were hilarious, until seven months. I remember at the end of that month just feeling like, ‘Okay, enough!’ I just wanted to sit in my new rocking chair and read with a fan blowing on me!”

As dancing gets harder further into the pregnancy, dancers often rely on lighter activities, such as yoga, walking and some Pilates, to keep themselves in shape.

Gavezzoli says she did a lot of walking and core-stabilizing exercises like planks. She also went to prenatal yoga up until the week she delivered. “That was great for meeting other expectant mothers and to share what we were experiencing,” she says. “It focused more on getting you ready for the delivery, which I was having so much fear about.”

Once an expectant mother does give birth, it is important that she talks with her doctor about what’s healthiest during her return to the stage. Dancers should embrace the process, which will most likely be a gradual one, as it takes time for a woman’s body to recover. And again, each dancer’s experience will be different.

Ringer says her first child hardly slept, so that left no time for exercise for the first three months, but her physical therapist recommended waiting that long anyway. After six months, Ringer was back on stage, although she says she wasn’t at her optimum performance weight until about one or two months after that.

Tong started her rehab with Pilates about six weeks after giving birth, and she progressed to simple barre exercises a few weeks later. She will return to the stage in May, when she performs Onegin at the Sydney Opera House.

Gavezzoli says she felt anxious to move her body after giving birth and that her family had to remind her to not push herself. Once she did get the all clear from her doctor, she went back to the studio in November (she brought Marcello along every day) and performed in Parsons’ season this past January.

Laura Tong, soloist with The Australian Ballet, with her son Henry. Photo courtesy of The Australian Ballet

Aside from the process of getting the body strong and in shape again, a struggle for many new mothers is the time away from their baby.

“Ballet class is in a lot of ways a very self-involved thing,” Ringer says, “and I had been giving so much love and care to this baby, it felt strange to go back and do something that was so self-focused. It didn’t feel as important as raising a life.”

“I was always active, not only dancing but also running, swimming and doing yoga,” adds Gavezzoli, who says that a 10 a.m. ballet class can no longer be her first priority. “It’s hard not being able to just drop everything and go for a run. I miss that freedom sometimes, but then there’s a little giggle or smile from Marcello and the feeling passes.”

Ringer says that her realization of what is most important in her life has actually translated into making her a better dancer. “There’s something really freeing about dancing now for me because it’s not the most important thing in my life,” she says. “My children are the most important thing in my life, and now when I dance it feels like a joy and a privilege to do, and I give myself more of a break. I allow myself to make more mistakes, and I think that’s made my dancing better because I don’t worry about being perfect all the time.”

As far as advice for other dancers who want to have a baby and return to stage careers afterwards, all of these women say to go for it.

“It’s a beautiful thing,” Ringer says. “Seeing my body change and gain weight over these 40 weeks is a miracle. So embrace it, enjoy it and know that you’ll be able to get your body back with just a little bit of hard work and time. It’s all worth it.”

Top photo: A pregnant Laura Tong, soloist with The Australian Ballet. Photo by Jasmin Tulk
Published by Dance Informa dance magazine – dance news, dance auditions & dance events.

By Emily Harrison MS, RD, LD.

Have a 100-200 calorie snack before class or rehearsal to give you energy, but not weigh you down.

100 Calorie Snacks
1½ slices of wheat bread
1 medium banana
½ plain whole wheat bagel
2 fig type cookies
20 mini-pretzels
1 piece string cheese and 5 crackers
1 cup orange juice
½ banana with 2 tsp of peanut butter spread on it
20 yogurt raisins
1 large grapefruit
1 large apple
3 small peaches
25 seedless grapes
½ cantaloupe with large spoonful of whipped topping
½ cup sweetened applesauce with ¼ cup berries
½ cup cottage cheese with ¼ cup fruit
6 oz low fat yogurt (120 cal)
½ cup (4oz) ice cream (110 cal)
4 squares of graham crackers
1 large orange (2 clementines)
5 dried apricots
1½ cups regular microwave popcorn
1 cup sweet red pepper slices with 3 tbs hummus
1 cup baby carrots with 1.5 tbs of ranch dressing
1½ cups white rice with 10 endamames and soy sauce
12 almonds
20 peanuts
5 Triscuits

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

By Rain Francis.

Test your knowledge of cultural dances from around the world.

Let us know how many answers you get right on Facebook. Just ‘Like ’ us and then post your score on our wall at facebook.com/danceinforma

What style of dancing would you most likely be doing if you were at a Milonga?

a) Salsa

b) Tango

c) Polonaise

d) Krumping

In what country would you most likely be if you saw a Haka performed live?

a) Australia

b) Papua New Guinea

c) New Zealand

d) Peru

Which of the following is not a popular Latin ballroom dance?

a) Salsa

b) Ballet

c) Samba

d) Rumba

Which of the following are not traditionally used in Morris dancing?

a) Handkerchiefs

b) Broomsticks

c) Swords

d) Bells

Which instrument would be most likely to accompany Highland dancing?

a) Panpipes

b) Banjo

c) Bongo

d) Bagpipes

What name is best associated with Irish dancing?

a) Michael Flatley

b) Paddy Brennan

c) Peter Martins

d) Mikhail Baryshnikov

The Mazurka and the Polonaise are traditional dances of which European country?

a) Germany

b) Finland

c) Poland

d) Romania

Billy Ray Cyrus is a name best associated with what style of dancing?

a) Breakdancing

b) Highland dancing

c) Square dancing

d) Line dancing

With which country would you associate Butoh?

a) Thailand

b) Japan

c) Scotland

d) China

Originating from Vienna in the late 17^th century, The Waltz is a popular dance in which time signature?

a) 3/4

b) 4/4

c) 6/8

d) 2/4

Answers: 1 – b, 2 – c, 3 – b, 4 – b, 5 – d, 6 – a, 7 – c, 8 – d, 9 – b, 10 – a

Photo: © Anky10 | Dreamstime.com.
Dragos Ana/Diandra Iles, ballroom dancers, 4th place at the Romanian National Contest (Cupa Romaniei), standard section, 12-13 years old. 25 Oct 2009, Timisoara, Romania

Commit to eating better this New Year. Here are some tips and ideas to help you stick to your New Year’s resolution to eat right.

By Emily Harrison MS, RD, LD       

For busy dancers, eating healthy might seem overwhelming.  Busy schedules, long days in the theater or studio, and tight budgets can make meals and snacks challenging.  Here are a few suggestions for making healthy options easier and more convenient.

Planning! (I know, I know…hard, but worth it)
Spend a quick 15 minutes a week before you go grocery shopping and write out what you are going to make (or reheat) for dinner each night. Then you are not stuck at the end of a long rehearsal day saying to yourself “I’m exhausted and I have no idea what to make for dinner”.  A short time planning means that all the ingredients are already there in your kitchen and you know what to make.  I write a little list with each day of the week and stick it to the fridge on Sunday.  

Do some of the prep work ahead of time
Pick a day that isn’t as busy and spend a little time doing food preparation for the week. Wash and chop the veggies and store them in reusable containers in the fridge. Having washed, chopped veggies ready makes them easy and convenient to just pull out and do a quick sauté or steam.  If I need chopped onion for chili on Monday and for burritos on Thursday, I go ahead and chop two of them up at the start of the week.  Spending just 15 extra minutes today prepping food, will make your day less stressful tomorrow. And if you do the prep work yourself, you save money!  

Some prep tips:

Rice: Make a big pot of rice and store in the fridge for up to 3 days to cut down on cooking time.  Brown rice is healthy (and cheap) and works well for stir fry or for filling in wraps or burritos.  

Quinoa: Another quick and easy grain that can be made in advance is quinoa. It cooks in only 20 min, absorbs flavors well, and is rich in protein. 

Couscous: If you are really pressed for time, cous cous cooks in only 5 minutes.  Cook with veggie broth and throw handfuls of veggies in the pot while it cooks.  They will be lightly steamed and full of flavor.  This is a dish in less than 10 minutes with only one pot to wash.  Make double portions to freeze for quick meals later.

Frozen is fine
Don’t have time to prep fresh veggies? That’s ok, I know we are all trying to eat local produce, but hey sometimes you have to keep it simple and just microwave some frozen veggies.  Studies show that frozen veggies can actually have higher nutrient content than ones that have been on a truck for days from across the country.  Sometimes you can find organic frozen veggies for cheaper than fresh.  Just try to aim for the general rule that all lunches have at least one vegetable and all dinners have two.

Make healthy snack options convenient

• Wash those grapes and put them in a bowl at eye level in the fridge.
• Have a full bowl of fruit out in a visible place.
• Buy a box (or 10) of whole grain granola bars for easy snacks. Keep a box in your locker at the studio.
• Buy whole grain tortillas, you can hide a truck load of veggies in those and they’re easy. Plus wraps or burritos can be eaten one handed if you are racing out the door.
• Make a big bowl of cold pasta salad with microwaved frozen veggies, cheese bites and your favorite salad dressing. Put in small, reusable to-go containers for grab and go snacks/ meals.
• Pack your dance bag the night before with a healthy 100-150 calorie snack that doesn’t need refrigeration like dried fruit and trail mix, a granola bar, or a banana and peanut butter.    

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, USA. 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: © Dml5050 | Dreamstime.com

The School of Visual, Media and Performing Arts at Brooklyn College is partnering with the Martha Graham Dance Company to offer two unique and intensive classes at the Brooklyn College campus in Flatbush, New York, January 9-26, 2012.
 
The two classes, ‘Technique’ and ‘Composition,’ will give undergraduate students of Brooklyn College and other institutions an opportunity to immerse themselves in the dance technique of the legendary Martha Graham. Each of the classes will accrue three credits. Faculty from the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance will work alongside guest artists to introduce students to the basics of the Graham technique and how to construct a dance.
 
The technique class runs Mondays through Fridays, 9 a.m.-noon. The composition class runs Mondays through Fridays, 2 pm-5 pm. These two winter intensives are specifically designed for students who wish to progress rapidly in the Graham technique. Classes may be taken concurrently or separately. Registration is open to undergraduate students from Brooklyn College and other colleges and universities.
 
The Martha Graham Dance Company, which will be practicing for its next tour at Brooklyn College’s Walt Whitman Auditorium during the week of January 23, has agreed to open its rehearsals to students every day that week. The general public will also have an opportunity to attend rehearsals on Tuesday, January 24, from 2 pm to 3:30 pm and on Wednesday, January 25, from 10:30 am- noon.
 
For tuition information or to register, students can visit www.brooklyn.cuny.edu or call 718-951-3180.

By Katherine Moore

Established in 1978 and currently under the direction of Chan Han Goh, the former Prima Ballerina of the National Ballet of Canada, the Goh Ballet Academy is one of the premier dance institutions in Vancouver for ballet. With wide-ranging educational programming and performances, Goh Ballet plays an integral part in Vancouver’s dance scene, as well as in the international ballet community.

Not only does Goh Ballet provide high-caliber, classical ballet training for ages 4 and up, but they also offer educational outreach classes and performances throughout the Vancouver area. These programs help educate and create a solid, family-oriented audience for Goh Ballet’s biggest production of the year, The Nutcracker, which they just presented during the Christmas season.

Artistic Director Goh said, “The Nutcracker is a family-oriented production; we aim to make the show appealing to the whole family. The show is full of classical ballet for dance enthusiasts, heart-warming comedy and acting, and delightful costumes and scenery, so this production really suits all ages.”

Goh Ballet Academy's "The Nutcracker" 2011

In addition to being family-friendly, Goh’s production of The Nutracker is both professional and collaborative. Using over 200 performers of all ages, Goh brings together ballet dancers, gymnasts, magicians, acrobats, ballroom dancers, and even untrained people to create a magical performance with full sets, costumes, and lighting.

This past production, Goh Ballet brought guest dancers Michele Wiles and Corey Stearns from ABT into the mix. Goh felt fortunate to have principal dancers from New York City in their production.

“They bring top-class performance to our stage and inspire our entire performance team, ” she said.

Goh Ballet’s commitment to professionalism and cultural exchange does not end with The Nutcracker. It extends throughout the year with the training of young ballet students, especially through their comprehensive 4-week International Summer Intensive.

Every summer, Goh Ballet attracts diverse students from all over the world, including the USA, China, Japan, and Brazil, in addition to local students in Vancouver and other parts of Canada. While the program focuses primarily on classical ballet technique and partnering, Goh Ballet also believes it is important for dance students to gain exposure to other dance and movement forms, such as contemporary, musical theater, and pilates, in order to succeed in the dance world.

Similarly, Goh Ballet brings in an internationally-renowned faculty to teach during the intensive, making it an alluring program to young dancers. Emily Grace Simpson, a former participant of the summer intensive, said that this, in conjunction with the variety of dance styles taught, was instrumental in her decision to attend the intensive.

“[The] teachers are sought after around the world, and many of them are dancers that students look up to and admire. This inspires young dancers to keep going until they are able to achieve their own dreams,” Simpson said.

Students’ dreams are clearly at the forefront of Goh Ballet’s mission as they educate students in their Academy and the Goh Ballet Youth Company, which just returned from a tour in China. International exposure is a crucial element to a Goh Ballet professional education, and Goh even encourages students to do international exchanges in other programs to gain this experience.

“Our goal is to give students the tools and knowledge to become the best dancers they can be,” said Goh.
 
For students and audiences alike, Goh Ballet supports classical ballet at its best: high-caliber dance performance and training within a culturally-enriched, global community.

Photos: David Cooper Photography, courtesy of the Goh Ballet.