with Olivia Mackinnon

New York City Ballet Dancer and Ballet Inspired Fitness creator Olivia Mackinnon shares how she is staying healthy at home during quarantine. Balance is key as well as recognizing that staying in performance shape isn’t necessarily realistic. Read on for some inspiration!

Of course there are some things we’re all collectively experiencing but what have been the most major life changes for you?

I’ve had to adapt to this new normal of not being able to dance with my company. This pandemic has allowed me to take a breath from my normal lifestyle I’ve had since I was 17. I’ve made many new relationships virtually, and discovered a new love for teaching, and creating.

How are you staying positive and motivated dancing at home? 

Having the ability to still connect with my colleagues each morning by taking class through zoom has helped continue my training, and keeps a consistent schedule each day for myself. I’m also able to see my pilates teacher each week. We work through ways of staying at my best even under the circumstances.

Have you made any adjustments to your meal plan? Any favorite quarantine meals or snacks?

Because I’m not pushing myself to the limits onstage, I’ve adjusted my afternoon regime by not eating as much throughout the day. I started making smoothies around 1:30-2:00pm filled with greens, collagen protein, and flaxseed to keep myself full until an early dinner.

As a performing artist I’m used to eating a light protein filled snack before the show, and then a large meal after performing late at night once I’m home. I’ve been enjoying this treat of eating dinner early, and retiring to bed at a decent time!

Are you coping with any anxiety or more challenging emotions? What are you doing to work through them?

I’ve grown so accustomed to my demanding schedule, and I have that type of personality that thrives off of staying busy, and fulfilled by work. As an athlete who’s career can go by quickly, it’s been difficult to have it put on hold for a year.

Instead of continuing to feel sad, I’ve tried to make my weeks filled with classes. Training for myself as well as teaching and helping others has helped.

Are you worried about staying in shape? What would you say to dancers who are concerned about losing technique or “getting out of shape”?

I have to remind myself that there is no way to stay in perfect performance shape without performing. However, there are so many other things I can do to keep myself in top form. On top of taking classes, and seeing my pilates teacher I’ve loved swimming!

I also launched Ballet Inspired Fitness in April. I’ve created classes for all levels that lengthen and tone the muscles. Teaching ballet privates, and group classes as well as teaching/creating my Ballet Inspired fitness has really kept me going.

Will you share about Ballet Inspired Fitness?

Once I started teaching ballet class privates I realized there was a need for a more inclusive way of exercising with a graceful quality.

There were so many ballet classes being provided online, but not many ways to help dancers condition their bodies in a way that translates into improving their everyday ballet class. I also wanted to make sure those who have never taken ballet were included, and that they would have the opportunity to learn positions and movements from the ballet vocabulary while moving their bodies.

All of the exercises elongate the body promoting long lines kindred to those of a ballerina. I started by teaching livestream classes on my instagram @oliviamackinnon and then transitioned to teaching Zoom based classes to build my clientele.

The Zoom classes provide my clients with more personalized attention, and it’s a fun way to meet and connect with new people from all around the world.

The goal is to have clients subscribe to gain access to a full library of classes. That way they can stream anytime, anywhere! I’ve also created tutorials explaining certain ballet movements you might see in my fitness classes. I want to make sure people understand how to perform them.

Follow Olivia Mackinnon on Instagram!.

Photos of Olivia by James Jin and Gabriela Celeste

The post NYCBallet Dancer Olivia Mackinnon “Healthy at Home” appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

Cross–training may or may not be a missing link for you as a dancer. It’s possible you’ve got your cross–training plan all figured out, but if you don’t, no worries, most dancers are a bit lost when it comes to cross–training.

To find the best way of eating for your needs, experimentation is required. This is true for cross-training as well. For some of you lifting weights will be ideal, for others Pilates or Pilates reformer sessions will work best, and for others yoga or cardio might be beneficial.

Things to consider for some of the most popular cross-training options…

1.Weight Lifting

• Studies have shown that resistance training can be used to help improve mood.1
• Frequency is often not a factor. The increase in strength is often similar whether you lift weights more or less frequently.2
• Don’t fear “bulking up.” Women don’t have the hormonal capacity to get “big.”

2. Pilates Reformer or Mat Exercises

• Ideal if you need more focus on abdominal strength and trunk stabilization. An easy way to determine if your core is weak is to assess any back pain you experience.
• Pilates, especially reformer exercises, can help to balance out your muscles and physical proportions.
• The physical movement of Pilates can also have a positive impact on emotional well-being and self perception.3
• Again, pilates is not likely to be something you have to do every single day to reap the benefits. For most, 2-3 times per week would be beneficial.

3. Yoga

• For dancers, one of the greatest potential benefits of yoga is movement without a mirror. Taking the focus away from how you look and putting it instead on what your body can do is extremely positive.
• Combining the goals of strength and flexibility, yoga is supportive especially if you experience muscle tightness or want to improve stability.
• To go a little deeper into the benefits of yoga for dancers, check out this interview with Louisville Ballet dancer + yogi Leigh Anne Albrechta.

4. Cardiovascular Exercise

• Cardio can support your dancing, but it’s essential to find a balance.
• Hours of cardio each day can have the opposite effect leading to fatigue and less energy and stamina for class and rehearsals.
• High Intensity Interval Training isn’t shown to have a more positive impact on stamina and endurance than sustained cardio like swimming, running, or the elliptical.

Whatever you do for cross-training, you should enjoy it!

Dancers are consistent with dancing. It’s what you love to do, and it’s been drilled into your head that missing a day can be detrimental (not true, but that’s a topic for another day). Whatever you choose to do for cardio, find something you enjoy that you can stick to. Just like with food — that’s the only way you’ll see the potential positive impact in your dancing.

If you’re unsure where to start, pick one thing and include it in your schedule a few times a week. Stick to it for 2-4 weeks so you can see how it makes you feel and how it impacts your dancing.

Throughout your time dancing, it’s a good idea to switch up your cross-training and try new things. Keeping your body guessing can build strength and wake up your body in new ways that will help you to continue improving as an athlete and artist.

The post Improve your dancing with this missing link appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

Lauren Fadeley

Where do you dance?

Principal Soloist with Miami City Ballet

Share a bit about your journey in dance…

MCB is the third company I’ve danced with. Originally from Orlando, FL, I moved to NYC at age 15 to train at SAB. A year later I was asked to join New York City Ballet, where I danced for 2 years. That was a little too much for me too soon, so at 18 I choose to go to college at Indiana University. I graduated with a BS in Ballet Performance with an outside field in Kinesiology. From there I joined Pennsylvania Ballet, where I danced for 9 seasons and became a principal dancer.

What’s a challenge you’ve faced in pursuing dance professionally?

My body and being “in shape”. I am naturally very broad and muscular and when I’m not dancing a lot, I don’t always fit the ballerina body aesthetic. I got my first “fat talk” when I was 15 and my most recent when I was 32, so has always been a struggle.

How did you overcome it?

I never fully overcame it, but have tried to find balance and peace with my body. When I was younger, I resorted to unhealthy means to try to achieve the “perfect” body, but after breaking my foot I realized how unsustainable that was.

Studying nutrition, anatomy and physiology in college helped me gain a better understanding and as I get older in this career, I never take my body for granted. During long lay offs, I just have to be more aware of how I’m fueling myself and stay active even if not dancing everyday.

What does it mean to you to be a “whole” dancer?

To be strong and confident. Though I will never look as thin as most of the other dancers onstage, I take pride in my strength and power that come across in my performances.

Do you have any special self-care rituals that help you feel balanced?

Yoga and gyrotonics are both good for my mind, body and soul and I try to fit them in once a week. I also love unwinding with a face mask and essential oil diffuser.

What role does cross-training play in your life?

Cross-training as become even more important to me at this stage of my career than ever. Pilates and weight training have helped with injury prevention and cardio to keep my stamina up for shows. When on lay offs, I try to change up what I do everyday to not get in a rut and stay motivated.

How do you keep a positive relationship with food and your body in the face of aesthetic pressure in dance?

It is very difficult and some days are harder than others. Staring at a mirror 6 hours a day can do numbers on how you perceive yourself, but I try to remember how fortunate I am that I have a strong body that enables me to dance and do what I love. With food, I try to think of it as the fuel needed to perform and how it makes my body feel.

Photo Credits:

Dances at a Gathering by Daniel Azouley

The Four Temperaments by Alexander Iziliaev

Diamonds by April Singleton

The post Lauren Fadeley – Healthy Dancer Feature appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

Author of The New Rules of Cross Training for Dancers

Writing “The New Rules of Cross Training for Dancers” was a project that was very close to my heart. When I was dancing in college, I was constantly fighting with my body.

My professors would tell me I needed to lose weight, but I felt like no matter how hard I worked in the gym, I wasn’t seeing results. On top of that, I was frequently suffering minor injuries and was concerned about my ability to handle the workload of a professional dancer. I got really discouraged and started wondering if maybe I just wasn’t talented or disciplined enough to make it as a dancer.

I came across weight lifting somewhat by accident. I started dating the man who is now my husband and since I was trying not to go out to eat all the time, we would go on “gym dates” instead. He showed me how to use some of the free weights and machines, and it was a lot more fun than using the elliptical.

I started lifting weights with him a few times a week and within only a month, I saw drastic changes in my body. I hadn’t changed my eating, but I looked leaner and more defined.

I also saw improvement in my technique. My balances were more stable, my partnering was more secure, my jumps were bigger, and my extensions were higher. Over time, my injuries got fewer and fewer as well.

Although I was ecstatic to have found this magic cure-all, I had some questions. Why hadn’t anyone told me to do this? Why aren’t other dancers doing this? Unfortunately, there are still some myths around weight lifting that are preventing dancers from incorporating it into their cross training, the main one being that lifting weights will make them bulky.

The truth is, women don’t produce as much testosterone as men, so we don’t put on muscle like men do. Even when we do put on muscle, it looks different on us than it does on them. Putting on muscle means you’ll look more like a professional dancer, not like a bodybuilder. There’s no chance of you getting bulky by following the kind of program I’m recommending.

Another benefit of having more muscle is that it increases your resting metabolic rate, meaning you’ll burn more calories even when you’re not exercising. You would have to do twice as much cardio to burn the same number of calories as you would in a weight lifting workout.

Weight lifting makes it easier to maintain a lower body fat percentage without cutting calories. Dancers are athletes, and it’s important to fuel your body. If you’re continuously putting yourself in a caloric deficit, it’s just a matter of time before you get injured.

Many dancers use cardio machines with the goal of losing fat. After I became a personal trainer, I learned that this is not only ineffective, but may be putting you further from your goals.

Doing high amounts of cardio (e.g. 60 min sessions) sends a signal to your body that you want to get better at endurance activities. From a survival perspective, two things have to happen for your body to improve its endurance. First, it’s not advantageous for your body to have a lot of muscle for endurance activities, so you won’t put on muscle and may even decrease muscle volume. Second, your metabolism will slow down so you burn fuel more efficiently. If cardio is the basis of your cross training program, you would have to keep increasing the amount of cardio you do and keep decreasing your calories, which is a bad idea for dancers already engaging in high amounts of activity.

“The New Rules of Cross Training for Dancers” teaches dancers how to lift weights and incorporate cardio in a way that is relevant to the demands of dancing and will improve both aesthetics and performance. You will learn how to execute each of the six most important compound movements of weight lifting as well as how to structure your workout plan and track your progress. Detailed explanations of each movement and pictures are included to get you started correctly.

Another important aspect of training I discuss in the book is how to properly warm up. I completed a certification in corrective exercise that taught me a lot about muscular balance and how to create a routine based on the individual’s alignment to get the body ready to move. By using a routine like this regularly, you can prevent alignment issues from turning into an injury. The book goes in depth about the difference between under-active and overactive muscles and how to address both of these to restore proper movement patterns. These concepts were a game-changer for me, and I believe these can really help other dancers stay injury free as well.

My goal in writing “The New Rules of Cross Training for Dancers” was to help dancers transition smoothly into college dance programs and the professional world. Weight lifting can help you maintain the dancer aesthetic, improve technically, and prevent injury, all of which are some of the most common frustrations of dance. This is a method of training that completely changed my career trajectory and mindset, and it can change yours, too. Are you ready to take the next step in your training?

Check out The New Rules of Cross Training for Dancers on Amazon

About the author: Annelise Eastes is a professional dancer with a BFA in Ballet Performance from Butler University as well as a personal trainer certified by the U.S. Olympic Committee and the American Council on Exercise. She is also a Corrective Exercise Specialist certified through the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

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This question comes up a lot. Am I going to get something from heading to the gym and pushing my body even if I’m exhausted?

You’re super active, taking class and rehearsing every day. Squeezing in that extra workout might not be the best choice. Watch the video, or read below.

When to rethink your workouts:

1.You’re getting less than 8 hours of sleep in a night…

Sleep really should be a main priority (especially if you’re still growing – but even if you’re not). If you’re waking up at 4am to get to the gym before company class you’re likely skimping on sleep. Finding the time for rest and relaxation should be a priority. When you overdo it with the workouts, you’re potentially taking energy away from class, rehearsals and performances. When you don’t get enough sleep, hormones are impacted.

Your body will overproduce ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and cortisol (the stress hormone) and underproduce leptin (the appetite suppressing hormone). Here’s a study that backs this up.

2. You have a really busy rehearsal or performance schedule.

When you’re crazy busy and you’re still trying to cram in gym time, it may just not be worth it. If you feel like you’re running around like a chicken with your head cut off, ask yourself : “Is it really going to be worth it to add something else to my plate?”

Remember that when you’re already dancing for hours, you’re using a lot of energy. If you add additional exercise to this, you’ll potentially get to a place where you need extra food to satisfy yourself. You might get home ravenous and lose control or binge.

What’s the cost vs. benefit of squeezing in that workout?

3. You have a side job where you’re also on your feet.

If you work in a restaurant or cafe or do something that requires you to be on your feet for more time after you’ve already been dancing, it might not be worth it to add in a workout. You have to include that on-your-feet time as activity and remember that after all that, it might be time to sleep.

Some days you might feel better than others in terms of doing something extra. Think about what you’re adding. After all that time on your feet, is it going to be helpful to go to the gym and knock out some cardio? Probably not. If you’re up for it, some weight training might be of benefit. But again, not if you’re spent.

4. You don’t have time to meal prep and prioritize healthy eating.

If the amount of running from one thing to another is preventing you from putting together healthy meals, it might be time to rethink your schedule. Food is more than 80% of the equation in keeping your body healthy and energized. It’s also the key component in weight loss or maintenance.

If you can’t meal plan or prep because you’re spending all your free time at the gym, something needs to be adjusted.

5. If you’re not taking a rest day at all…

You shouldn’t be exercising or training 7 days a week. If you’ve gotten in this habit, pick a day to let it go. If you still wish to be active on that day, go for a walk or do something outside with a friend.

6. You want your sleep at night to be consistent.

Sleep should be relatively consistent. You don’t want to go from going to bed at 8pm some nights to 11pm others and wake ups should be pretty consistent as well. If that’s being altered to allow for late night or early morning workouts, you’re doing more harm then good.

7. Pay attention to signs of fatigue.

If you’re in class and your muscles feel heavy and weighted and you don’t feel energetic, you might be getting fatigued.

An article in Time magazine discussed the sleep vs. activity question. “People who think they will operate well on little sleep, have usually gotten used to operating on little sleep.”

So it’s possible you’ll lose the connection to what it feels like to be truly rested and restored from a good night’s sleep.

8. What can you skimp on besides sleep?

If you’re determined to get those workouts in because you’ve found an activity routine that works for you and enhances your dancing, what besides sleep might you cut back on? Maybe TV or screen time could be cut back. Where are you wasting time that could be allocated to healthier habits instead?

Make a rule for yourself to put the phone away once you’re home. You really won’t miss much – I promise! Try one of those apps that tracks your screen time (I use one called Moment) and commit to turn the phone off once you’ve hit your daily quota.

The post When to Choose Sleep over Cross Training appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

As a dancer you have very specific needs and goals from a physical and training standpoint. It’s becoming much more popular to seek out a trainer to help you with cross – training. I’m hoping it’s also becoming more popular to find a Health Coach (like me!) to help you with nutrition and mindset around food and your body.

I’ve heard from many dancers that they’ve worked with nutritionists before who didn’t have a dance background. They felt like those nutrition professionals weren’t understanding of their goals as dancers. Non – dancer’s are not going to fully understand the demands of the dance world.

This applies to trainers as well. If you find any run of the mill trainer who has no knowledge or background in dance then they’re not going to understand your goals. Check out this video or read on for more!

Utilize the internet.

We no longer have to find someone who lives within driving distance to work with them. Trainers can work with you by skype or video call – they can still assess your alignment and how you’re working.

You already have body awareness so you shouldn’t need someone checking and manipulating your body into proper form.

Get specific needs met by specific people.

Personal trainers often have a specific way of eating that they promote to clients. Eat this “high-fat, low carb” style and you’ll definitely reach your goals. However, when you work with someone who is focused only on the nutrition perspective they’ll usually help you work through different eating styles and support you in finding what works for your personal needs.

Have a team of people that you work with.

You have the technical and training aspect down (if you don’t, seek out better dance training). If you need physical therapy for injury prevention then seek it out. If you aren’t sure how to address your weaknesses in dance with your cross training, find a trainer to help. If you’re looking for support in fueling yourself and maintaining a positive lifestyle, seek out a Health + Lifestyle Coach to support your goals.

Athletes work with a host of different professionals and you’re putting the same (if not more) pressure on your body to perform. Why wouldn’t you need and benefit from the same support?

Is this an investment? Yes. So think about how you can make it work for you. Maybe choose 1 professional to work with at a time. Find a trainer, have them help you develop training plans for a few months, then move on to a nutrition professional. You might find that you need to or want to spend more time with one person to really work deeply on one area.

Think about the area that you think needs the most immediate attention. Maybe set up a free chat or session with different people who might be able to help! Interested in exploring Health/Lifestyle Coaching? Set up a clarity session with me! Fill out this form:

[powr-form-builder id=9aa5c7e3_1524403840]

If I think we’re a good fit, I’ll reach out to set up a FREE Clarity Session!

A personal trainer should…

See you dance. If they have a dance background and danced professionally, they’ll see what you might be able to work from and how you’ll benefit from personal training. They should be able to provide you with a clear plan of action and detail what changes you’ll see in your body and dancing from your working together.

If it’s not clear how things can change or improve, they might not be a good fit for you. If you need trainer suggestions, reach out to me and I’ll refer you to someone!

The post What to Look for in a Personal Trainer appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

with Louisville Ballet Dancer/Yogi Leigh Anne Albrechta

Yoga is associated with flexibility much more so than strength. Therefore, it’s easy for dancers to write it off as something they could too easily master or something that might not be super beneficial to their dance goals.

When you look at yoga from an insider’s perspective, it’s much more about the components of control and strength to support your flexibility. As a dancer, this could be an essential support for your dancing.

I sat down with Leigh Anne Albrechta in The Whole Dancer Facebook Group to discuss the benefits of this practice for dancers. Leigh Anne dances with the Louisville Ballet and has been teaching and practicing yoga for many years. In our chat, she pinpoints the ways this form of cross – training can support you not just in flexibility but also in the building of your strength in dance. Check out our chat here:

Beyond the physical benefits, it might provide dancers with significant psychological and emotional benefits as well. My personal experience in yoga provided some of the first times I was appreciating my bodies abilities beyond how it looked. I was able to turn inward and feel my strength without worrying about creating a perfect shape. It took lots of trial and error and exploration to find classes and instructors I enjoyed but the journey was well worth it.

For many dancers, the mental calm that yoga might provide could be a missing component in not just your dancing but your life. It might allow you to relax into yourself and find greater physical awareness than you might gain from dance alone. The benefits are many.

Have you tried yoga yourself? What was your experience? Share in the comments!! I’d love to hear from you.

The post Yoga as Cross Training for Dancers appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

Adjust Your Cross-Training to Match Your Goals

It’s helpful to re-evaluate what you are actually trying to accomplish with your cross-training from time to time. Whenever your goals change, your cross-training needs to change, too. It can be tempting to just do the same routine over and over again because it is familiar and it is what got you results at one point or another, but that may actually hinder your progress as your life evolves and situations change.

In other words, don’t get caught in the trap of working out just to work out. Work out with a purpose. And, depending on what that purpose is…that is what should determine your workout design.

For example, this summer I had a goal of gaining as much muscle and strength as possible (just as a fun experiment on my body…and because I enjoy feeling invincible). Since my companies were all on break, I had an opportunity to adjust my training regimen to support this goal. While it was a fun and successful experiment, I can’t keep up with that training routine now that my ballet season has picked up.

If I kept training the way I did over the summer, I wouldn’t be able to handle the demands of my dancing. I want the majority of my energy and focus going towards mastering the multiple variations and ballets I’m learning. Plus, my goal is no longer gaining muscle, but trimming down to my “fighting weight”- the ideal ratio between power and size (you can read more about this here).

My cross-training routine looks completely different now that I’m dancing 25-30 hours a week.

The bottom line is that you have to consider what your goals are when you train. Dancers are notorious for driving ourselves into the ground with the physical demands we place on our bodies.

But, more is not always better…especially when it comes to cross-training. If you want to be a CrossFit champion…go ahead and work out like a maniac. If you want to be a dancer…keep in mind that your workouts should help you dance better, not leave you so destroyed that you can barely get out of bed in the morning.

On the other side of the spectrum, you don’t want to avoid all cross-training like the plague. That scenario has its own downfalls, the most nefarious being weakness and susceptibility to injuries. The sweet spot lies in doing just enough to challenge your body to maintain & enhance strength…but not so much that you risk stealing precious energy away from your dance art.

The post Guest Post – Adjust your Cross – Training to Match your Goals appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

As a serious dancer, many of the options out there are silly to me. Most of them claim to have ballet influences however, I’ve definitely taken barre classes where the only ballet influence was the fact that there was a barre attached to the wall.

I’m not going to give you an overview of all barre classes but rather I’m going to share one that I’ve found that speaks to my sensibilities and abilities as a dancer – because it can do the same for you.

As I’m retired from dance and have struggled with pain from my ankle injuries I don’t take ballet classes regularly anymore and even some workouts cause issues for me.

In August, I started teaching and taking Xtend Barre regularly. With Xtend Barre, I’ve seen a steady increase both in my ankle strength and stability as well as increased flexibility and overall body strength. I got my ballerina arms back (there’s even an exercise in the arms section called “black swan arms” – a personal fav.).

The class starts with a dancey warm up followed by arms, barre – targeting thighs then glutes, Pilates inspired abs and a final push through seat muscles before ending class with a stretch.

Xtend Barre provides a big cardio element, something you don’t get in all barre classes or a ballet class with all the stopping and starting. It’s high energy and provides a really great balance of movement and sculpting.

Instructors use actual ballet terms to take you through class – 1st and 2nd position plies, tendus, battements, port de bras, attitude, passe. And, there’s a focus on alignment – with familiar cues like shoulders over hips, knees tracking over 2nd and 3rd toes, belly button to spine, ribs knitting in – the familiarity is really comforting and you’ll feel right at home.

You’ll likely find a more balletic class with a former dancer and you can read instructor bios right on each studios website to see who you’d like to work with.

Last week I went back to a ballet class for the first time in over 6 months. In the past when I’ve gone to class after being away for that long it felt nearly impossible – even when I was incorporating other exercise or barre classes.

This time, however, I was able to control my breath from all the cardio I had gotten used to. I noticed right away the strength I had from Xtend Barre and my extensions were close to where they were when I was dancing professionally. Even more importantly, my ankle felt awesome throughout the entire class and I was able to jump – I haven’t done that in nearly 3 years!

I wanted to share Xtend Barre with you because it’s on 5 – continents, it’s growing, and I think it’s a great way for dancers to cross train – you’re working your muscles the way you’re supposed to but with a different intensity and energy. It can improve strength, flexibility and stamina.
If you’re in the Burlington, MA area you can come check out my class – I’d be SO thrilled to meet you in person!!

I’d also love to hear your experience with Xtend Barre or another barre class you’ve tried. Share your thoughts in the comments below!

photo: Sydney Rose Photography

The post A Barre Class that Speaks to Dancers? appeared first on The Whole Dancer.