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 museli bar, banana, dried fruit, nuts, and whole grain crackers 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.

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, 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: © Ivan Mikhaylov | Dreamstime.com

By Brian Nolan.

If there is one person who exemplifies a true Classical Diva of Dance then Audrey Nicholls is it. She hails from Townsville in north Queensland, but after training in Sydney and then furthering her training in London, our second diva made her home in Victoria.  (If you didn’t catch my interview with our first diva, Carole Oliver, click here)

In the world of RAD (Royal Academy of Dance) and in the performing arena Audrey Nicholls stands pointe shoes and tutus over the rest. She is renowned throughout Australasia and internationally for her contribution to the RAD and in 2010 was honoured by the board of trustees at the Academy headquarters in England with a Fellowship in recognition of her contribution and remarkable, dedicated service to the Academy.

Audrey Nicholls dances with Robert Pomie in the Pas de Deux from Don Quixote

With a career spanning 61 years, Audrey, along with Colin Peasley,  is one of the longest serving and dare I say one of the more ‘’mature’’ dancers still performing in Australia. As a valued guest artist of the Australian Ballet Company (where she has been guesting since 1992), Audrey is not only constantly performing character roles with them but still has roles created on her!

Audrey has had a very illustrious career and in her day she graced some of the world’s best stages. A soubrette, with a sensitive lyrical and artistic quality, coupled with assiduous attention to detail and a resounding technique, enabled Audrey to perform and portray a huge variety of roles.

Audrey commenced her career in 1950 where at the very young age of 16 she joined the Borovansky Ballet (now the Australian Ballet) as a member of the corps de ballet. In 1951, she won the inaugural Frances Scully Memorial Scholarship and travelled to London to further her studies. In 1952, she joined the Rambert Ballet as a soloist and in 1953 was promoted to a principal dancer. In 1955, she returned to Australia and rejoined the Borovansky Ballet as a senior soloist.  In 1958, the Ballet Guild of Victoria (Ballet Victoria) was her next stepping-stone with some outstanding principal roles especially in Giselle and Coppelia.

Audrey Nicholls performs 'Waltz' in Le Sylphides with the Ballet Rambert in London, 1954

A career in television from 1958 – 68 saw her immortalized on the small screen with both Channel 7 and Channel 2 (ABC). During this time Audrey commenced teaching the RAD Syllabus.

In 1973, Audrey Nicholls was appointed as a Graded Examiner of the Royal Academy of Dance. From 1982 to today, she has taught RAD teaching courses and classes throughout Australia. Audrey instigated the Victorian Grade Awards and was honoured when the awards were named after her this year.

Audrey is a truly remarkable lady, who is forever smiling. Her warmth and passion for the people around her and the art she loves is evident. When taking workshops or courses, teachers specifically ask for Audrey as they know that the students all come out of class beaming.

Audrey Nicholls FRAD ARAD

What influenced you to become a teacher?

I had been a professional dancer since the age of sixteen and continued until I was about 36. During this time at around 23, I was passionate about teaching ballet and wanted to give back to aspiring young students my love and experience in dance. Along with professional dancer Eve King, I began what was to become a long and rewarding journey of teaching ballet.

When you first started teaching what were your aims and ambitions?

To give the students a pure classical technique and to inspire their love of music. When I hear music, I immediately have a physical reaction to move and express myself and to bring out the artistry of the dance step. I also wanted to offer knowledge of other influential teachers and use the expertise of Martin Rubinstein (Maestro), Lynn Golding, Jack Manual and Christine Howard. We were very privileged to be a part of their education.

Have you achieved these goals?

I do feel a sense of achievement and feel rewarded to have trained many students who have gone on to wonderful professional careers not only as classical dancers but also qualified examiners, teachers, actors and stage managers. I have also trained Genee gold medallist Holly Smart and bronze medallist Pamela Smith, as well as several soloists in the Australian Ballet and Royal Ballet Companies including Delia Harrington and James Newman. One former student of note is Christine Howard who is the Character teacher at the Australian Ballet School (30 years).

What is your proudest moment in all your years of teaching?

Being recognized by my peers and having the honour to be awarded the Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Dance (2011). Also the achievement of 40 years of collaboration with Eve King and our teaching together in our ballet school.

Where do you think ballet is headed in the next 10 years?

Supply & demand – we have the supply of many talented dancers, choreographers, designers, composers and of course teachers! Dancers today have the opportunity to receive excellent training with technical ability being pushed beyond their boundaries. Contemporary and classical demands the utmost from the dancer- today there is no limit to where and what will happen in the next 10 years.

What do you think is the most important thing that has happened or influenced dance in the last 10 years?

Televised live broadcasts of performances reach thousands of people who might not normally have the opportunity to see a ballet. In addition, one of the biggest of all: YouTube

What is your favourite ballet?

I am a bit of a traditionalist, so I will say Giselle. I love the first act, the communicative story telling in the demi character style, told with drama and heartfelt emotion especially with Giselle’s acting in the ‘mad scene’.  Then the pure classicalism of Act 11, the choreography raises so many sentiments and reactions that enable the dancers to put their hearts on the line. It is a wonderful vehicle for the dancer.I grew up on Giselle, starting in the corps de ballet, then Pas de Six, Peasant Pas de Deux, Queen of the Willis and eventually the title role of Giselle.

Who is your favourite dancer?

There are three exquisite women and it is impossible for me to choose between them, they are: Natalia Makarova, Darcy Bussell and Natalia Osipova – for me they are the epitome of dance.

You are an RAD examiner. Why did you choose RAD and do you still examine?

My original teachers were Gwen Hardie and Ann Roberts FRAD, ARAD who both taught the RAD syllabi.  I found the syllabi structure and exam preparation beneficial and certainly challenging. Therefore, when I commenced teaching, the transition to RAD was a natural progression. Becoming an RAD examiner seemed to follow automatically.

I will always be grateful to Martin Rubinstein for his mentoring and guidance when I was becoming an examiner in those early days and to this day. I loved examining, meeting the different teachers and exchanging ideas. I enjoyed helping to sort out problems and addressing the needs of the country teachers where little access to examiners or experienced teachers was available. I have travelled internationally and throughout Australasia for 33 years as an examiner. As an examiner, we all were continually updated with education in dance, psychology, syllabus and new methods. It has been a very rewarding career and I continue as an RAD tutor on different faculties for courses, workshops for teachers and students, and as a Juror for RAD events.

How would you like to be remembered?

Fondly – I hope!  But also for my lifelong love of dance and my devotion to my husband David and my family.

Top photo: Audrey Nicholls in the Pas de Trios from Swan Lake – Ballet Rambert 1954.

Published by Dance Informa dance magazine – everything dance in Australia – dance auditions, dance news, dance events and resources for dance teachers.

How much do you know about jazz dance icon Bob Fosse?

By Rain Francis.

1. Which of the following characters would you NOT find in Chicago?

a) Mary Sunshine
b) Roxy Hart
c) Lilli Vanessi
d) Billy Flynn

2. In the 1972 film Cabaret, Sally Bowles is a performer at what club?

a) The Kitten Klub
b) The Kit Kat Klub
c) The Top Kat Klub
d) Top Hats ‘n’ Kats

3. The 1953 film Kiss Me Kate was inspired by which Shakespeare play?

a) Romeo and Juliet
b) The Taming of the Shrew
c) Much Ado About Nothing
d) Othello

4. The video for Beyonce’s Single Ladies was inspired by what Bob Fosse number?

a) All That Jazz
b) I Gotcha
c) Mexican Breakfast
d) Bye Bye Blackbird

5. Rich Man’s Frug is a number from which Fosse film and stage show?

a) Sweet Charity
b) Pippin
c) The Pajama Game
d) Damn Yankees

6. In the semi-autobiographical All That Jazz, who plays the elder “Joe Gideon”, the character based on Bob Fosse?

a) William Shatner
b) Michael York
c) David Hasselhoff
d) Roy Scheider

7. As a Choreographer and Director, Fosse won nine Tony Awards and one Academy Award. What film was the Oscar for?

a) Cabaret
b) The Little Prince
c) Lenny
d) Kiss Me Kate

8. In the 1969 film Sweet Charity, who played Charity Hope Valentine?

a) Gwen Verdon
b) Shirley MacLaine
c) Liza Minnelli
d) Ann Reinking

9. Which of the following is NOT a number in The Pajama Game?

a) Steam Heat
b) Hernando’s Hideaway
c) Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, Mo
d) Small Talk

10. What moniker is given to Amos Hart in Chicago?

a) Fred Casely
b) Mister Cellophane
c) Pal Joey
d) Mr. Applegate

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

Top photo: The Female Ensemble in Australia’s Chicago. Photo by Jeff Busby, 2009.

Published by Dance Informa dance magazine – everything dance in Australia – dance auditions, dance news, dance events and resources for dance teachers.

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 an Australian 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 dance magazine – everything dance in Australia – dance news, dance auditions & dance events.

By Emily C. Harrison MS, RD, LD.

The Glycaemic 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 fibre breads
Brown rice, basmati rice
Oatmeal
Bran/ high fibre, 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, lollies
Cornflakes, Cheerios, Rice Bubbles, Coco Pops
Waffles, Pop-tarts
Baked potato, mashed potatoes
Pretzels
Baked goods, cakes, pies, muffins
Sugary drinks, soft drinks
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, 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

Resources:
www.glycemicindex.com
www.health.harvard.edu/newswee /Glycemic_index_and_glycaemic_load_for_100_foods.htm
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/foods/grains/gigl.html

Top photo: © Dreamstimepoint | Dreamstime.com

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

By Rain Francis

1. Who choreographed the Australian production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies?

a) Graeme Murphy
b) Tim Harbour
c) Jerry Mitchell
d) David McAllister

2. In 2011, who won the Australian Dance Award for Outstanding Achievement in Choreography?

a) Stephen Page
b) Luke George
c) Stephen Agisilaou
d) Rafael Bonachela

3. Garry Stewart is the Artistic Director and Choreographer of which Australian dance company?

a) The Australian Ballet
b) Dancenorth
c) Expressions
d) Australian Dance Theatre

4. Which choreographer does NOT have a work in The Australian Ballet’s 2012 production of Infinity?

a) Leigh Warren
b) Gideon Obarzanek
c) Graeme Murphy
d) Stephen Page

5. A fusion of which two dance styles best describes the work of Bangarra Dance Theatre?

a) ballet and hip hop
b) ballet and contemporary
c) contemporary and Indigenous Australian
d) Indigenous Australian and hip hop

6. Which of the following is NOT a work by Gideon Obarzanek for Chunky Move?

a) Glow
b) Mortal Engine
c) Human Interest Story
d) Connected

7. Australian Dance Theatre and Leigh Warren and Dancers are both based in which Australian city?

a) Melbourne
b) Adelaide
c) Sydney
d) Perth

8. Which work did Tim Harbour choreograph for the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School in 2011?

a) Carmen and Jose
b) The Story of Clara
c) Halcyon
d) Songs of Light

9. Which work by Phillip Adams for BalletLab featured in the 2011 Melbourne Festival?

a) Aviary
b) Miracle
c) Amplification
d) Origami

10. Who is the current Artistic Director of Queensland Ballet?

a) Raewyn Hill
b) Natalie Weir
c) Li Cunxin
d) Francois Klaus

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

Photo: Australian choreographers Graeme Murphy, Gideon Obarzanek and Stephen Page with Lana Jones of The Australian Ballet. Photo by Georges Antoni for The Australia Ballet’s Infinity programme.

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

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 concert to the mix, and maybe a summer school and eisteddfod, 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 the physio.
• 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 dance magazine – everything dance in Australia – dance news, dance auditions & dance events.

Dance Teachers – need a little inspiration this competition and eisteddfod season?

These costumes could be just what your dance troupe needs to get the attention of the judges. They can also double as gorgeous concert costumes.

The companies included in Dance Informa’s Inspiring Costume Guide are some of Australia’s best costume suppliers. Make sure to visit their websites and check out the range of designs and accessories.

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 labelled 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 fibre, 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 coeliac 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 behaviour 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, 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: © Irochka | Dreamstime.com
Published by Dance Informa dance magazine – everything dance in Australia – dance news, dance auditions & dance events.

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 – everything dance in Australia – dance news, dance auditions & dance events.