Tag: body

Breathe Easy: Top Tips for Catching Your Breath

Timing’s everything when it comes to dancing—right down to the timing of your breathing. And when the choreo you’re performing calls for one quick, demanding sequence after another, you need to be sure you’ve caught your breath before you take the stage again. But that’s easier said than done! Dance Spirit spoke with Alexis Robbins, […]

What I Love About My Body

P retty much every dancer has looked in the mirror and thought, “If only this one thing about my body were different…” But the most successful dancers are those who can take a not-quite-ideal body part and turn it into a secret weapon. We asked six professionals to talk about the features that might not […]

Let's Get Things Straight: Dancing with Scoliosis

You’re at a checkup with your doctor, and she asks you to roll down and touch your toes. When you straighten up, she tells you there’s a curve in your spine—she thinks you have scoliosis. Don’t panic! Having a curvy spine, or even wearing a brace, is rarely a reason to stop dancing. Case in […]

The Whole Dancer

We all know that pursuing a professional dance career comes with a dose of healthy competition. But sometimes that competition isn’t so healthy. Whether it’s against others, or against yourself, it can feel too easy for a positive drive to spiral into a negative fixation. Enter, The Whole Dancer Program. Designed by health coach and […]

Conquering Stage Fright

It’s the day of competition. You’ve practiced your solo hundreds of times; you hum the music constantly, and you dream about the steps. But as you approach the wings, an unsettling feeling begins to set in. Suddenly you can’t remember what comes immediately after the aerial. You can remember, all too clearly, that week of […]

Ouch! What Was That?

The worst has happened: You landed a jump and felt an oh-so-terrifying pop in your ankle. As your friend rushes over with an ice pack, your entire dance career flashes before your eyes. All you really want to know is how bad it is—and how long you’ll have to stay off your toes. Dancers endure […]

Studio Suppers

Back-to-school season means the return of long nights at the dance studio. When rehearsals go as late as 9 or 10 pm, waiting until you get home to eat dinner isn’t a good option. But chowing down on fast food or snack bars between classes could leave you feeling sick to your stomach. How do […]

I Dreamed a Dream: Decoding Your Dance Dreams

The night before every big competition, 14-year-old Tessa Wilkinson, who dances with Plumb Performing Arts Center in Scottsdale, AZ, has the same dream: “I’m onstage performing, and then I either mess something up or completely forget part of my choreography,” she says. “I usually wake up worried—and immediately start going over that section of my […]