Balancing Food Freedom with Food Intolerances
Dance Life
by Rachel Fine
3y ago
I recently authored an article for Dance Magazine about the risks dancers face when self-diagnosing food allergies and/or food intolerances. Since dancers are at a unique risk for falling into restrictive eating styles due to the unequivocal pressures of body aesthetics, it can be tempting to use such a diagnosis as a socially acceptable means to control body weight. But it’s important to realize that many dancers do not fall under this category. In fact, the prevalence of food allergies and food intolerances continues to rise. As a result, many dancers struggle with balancing a lif ..read more
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How To Stop Comparing Yourself To Other Dancers
Dance Life
by Rachel Fine
3y ago
As dancers, we’ve all done it: you’re in a room, surrounded by mirrors, with others working towards the same performance goals. How can we not compare? Looking at the dancer across the room might motivate us to work harder so, technically, isn’t it a good thing? The problem with the mirror game is when the comparisons involve more than just performance goals. With bodyweight, body shape, and eating behaviors often at the forefront of a dancer’s mind, it’s common to use the mirror as a tool for impractical comparisons that leave us feeling like we’re not enough. To better utiliz ..read more
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A Dancer’s Guide to Boosting Energy
Dance Life
by Rachel Fine
3y ago
Dancers are artists. They’re also athletes and as a result, must actively stay ahead of their schedules in order to promote long-lasting energy for hours of rehearsals and performances. From what foods you eat to how you eat throughout the day, there are several factors that can impact or impede your energy levels. Let’s discuss a few tips to ensure that you’re building a high-powered performance throughout the day. Consider Quality Over Quantity First, you’ll want to build balanced meals and snacks that incorporate a source of each macronutrient: carbohydrates,  ..read more
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Managing Time Away from the Dance Studio
Dance Life
by Rachel Fine
3y ago
Movement is my psychologist. It clears my mind and energizes me for the day ahead. I thrive when I incorporate exercise throughout my day. From Pilates and ballet to swimming and walking, motion is my lotion (#cheesypun!) My Type A personality and history with over-exercising, however, once led me in a direction where exercise was no longer my stress relief. Overnight, exercise went from being a fun hobby to a demanding dance career that offered no time off (or so I thought). Luckily, I sought balance and created a sustainable lifestyle that now allows for the return of joyful exercise. Simil ..read more
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Encouraging Body Positivity in Dance
Dance Life
by Samantha Irizar
3y ago
A Chat with #BopoBallerina Colleen Werner When she was a baby, Colleen Werner understood dance as nothing but a feeling of joy and positivity. One of her favorite things to do was to put on her tutus and dance around the house. Naturally, Colleen’s mom decided to enroll her in her first dance class at the age of 3. But as Colleen got older, her love for dance began to change. For 10 years, Colleen struggled with an eating disorder, something that warped her relationship with dance and herself. “Dance became something that was about compensation and changing my body, rather than something that ..read more
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Finding Healing through Art: New York City Based Dance Company Hosts a Showcase in Honor of National Eating Disorder Week
Dance Life
by Katarina Bennicoff Yundt
3y ago
As we come to the end of National Eating Disorder Week, it is important to reflect on the devastating effects of eating disorders on the dance community. The culture of dance remains one of perfectionism and body image– a precarious recipe for potentially developing an eating disorder. In fact, it’s extremely likely that either you or someone you know has suffered from one. According to scientific studies, at least 30 million people of all ages and genders suffer from an eating disorder and every 62 minutes at least one person dies as the direct result of an eating disorder in the United Stat ..read more
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Dance Studio Owners: Here’s How to Boost Studio Moral!
Dance Life
by Steve Sirico
3y ago
Being a studio owner involves the constant juggling of many hats; often all at the same time. Certain seasons and groupings of dancers lend itself to everyone being connected, excited and full of team spirit. However, that sense of camaraderie and team focus doesn’t always surface and if it does, can dwindle; only to have to be rebuilt all over again once a new season begins. I began to think that perhaps the biggest hat studio directors have to wear is that of cheerleader. If we were to look at the role as the “team captain,” it really does start with keeping motivation and momentum going in ..read more
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Audition Preparation Tips
Dance Life
by Geraldine Rojas
3y ago
NYC and the rest of the country is in full swing for audition season!!! For the most part that means attending auditions every week and sometimes multiples times a day! It can start to feel intense and overwhelming very quickly! So how can you prepare accordingly in order to shake some of that anxiety going in?! Here are some tips to keep in mind for this new audition season! Prepare, Prepare, Prepare, Prepare! Here are some tips straight from the Audition Method course to help guide you to be your best when its time to show your best self in that Audition room! Before you go: (preparing your ..read more
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Reintroducing Trigger Foods
Dance Life
by Rachel Fine
3y ago
Most “Type A” dancers have something in common when it comes to his or her relationship with food. Especially for those with a sparked interest in nutrition: Type A dancers love sticking to safe foods. Often times, these are highly nutritious, plant-based, and minimally processed (like the ones I mentioned above).  There’s absolutely nothing wrong with eating these foods. In fact, minimally processed plant-based foods are chock full of nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. Also, they supply our body with fiber, which promotes a healthy gut, stabilizes our blood suga ..read more
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Dance Teachers Do This to Help Your Beginner Students Retain Choreography!
Dance Life
by Angela D'Valda Sirico
3y ago
When young, beginner dancers are learning choreography, whether as a class exercise or in rehearsals, they can sometimes become overwhelmed when trying to pick up material. Keeping in mind that picking up choreography is a skill and can be challenging for even the most seasoned professional, it’s important to pay attention to where they are currently and aim for them to work effectively. The tips below offer a few important ideas that have helped my own dancers in class and rehearsal and even helped in terms of increasing retention as the year progressed. Short phrases: Young students have m ..read more
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