Intro: Alex Gonzaga

Alex Gonzaga is the founder/owner of Proteus Fitness, a cross-training platform for dancers. Several certified personal trainers (many of which are professional dancers or have professional dance experience) comprise Proteus Fitness, which aims to make the dance world healthier and more positive by providing affordable and accessible cross-training and injury prevention. We interviewed Alex Gonzaga to get the inside scoop on his cross-training philosophy.

1. What sets your cross-training platform apart from other cross-training platforms for dancers?

At Proteus, we pride ourselves on doing our best every day to support our dancers. Throughout their entire season, we are by their side, helping them navigate their bodies and their training. What sets us apart is our care and individual connection with each Protean.

2. What do you believe is the most beneficial method of cross-training for professional and pre-professional dancers?

I believe resistance training with components from stability, strength, and power exercises to be the best for cross-training, along with swimming, rowing, and hiking. This should not be confused with ballet conditioning.

3. Dancer schedules are often incredibly busy. How much time do you recommend they aim to set aside for cross-training?

It depends on their workload. Each role, performance, and dancer is unique. A common range is 2 to 5 days a week.

4. What is the most common strength deficiency you see among dancers?

The most common deficiencies are in the glutes, glute medius, turnout, and dorsiflexion. By improving these three areas, most dancers will avoid injuries and enhance their dancing.

5. How long does it typically take for dancers to start seeing results from training?

As early as one week.

6. What impact does cross-training have on injury prevention?

• Improves overall fitness
• Corrects muscle imbalances
• Reduces overuse injuries
• Enhances active recovery
• Increases proprioception

7. If you were to recommend one piece of exercise equipment for dancers to have at home, what would it be?

Resistance bands.

You can learn more about Proteus Fitness on Proteusfitness.net or @proteusfitness on Instagram.

Intro: Jake Vincent

Jake Vincent is a member of Paul Taylor Dance Company and a personal trainer. Jake received a BFA in Dance and Dance Education in 2014 from Montclair State University. He joined Taylor 2 in summer 2017. He joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company in winter 2020. We interviewed Jake about his top cross-training recommendations. 

1. What sets your cross-training platform apart from other cross-training platforms for dancers?

The major difference in cross-training is that it counters the movements that are in your everyday repertoire. I like to think of it as a personal program that is always ebbing and flowing. Almost responding to the requirements that you are asking your body to achieve within the repertoire.

2. What do you believe is the most beneficial method of cross-training for professional and pre-professional dancers?

Resistance training with a healthy progressive overload. Dancers have quite a lot of cardiovascular endurance; therefore, strength training with weights really helps balance out the scales.

3. Dancer schedules are often incredibly busy. How much time do you recommend they aim to set aside for cross-training?

Sticking to the theme of balance…it’s all about balance and listening to your body. I try to do at least 4 strength-based cross-training exercises a week. Sometimes if it’s a harder week at work, I will offset that with more active recovery like yoga and Pilates.

4. What is the most common strength deficiency you see among dancers?

Posterior chain! As dancers we are consistently moving in a forward motion. It makes sense since we perform to an audience in front of us. However this tends to over-develop the muscles on the anterior side (front).

For example, I would say most dancers tend to be stronger in their quads and very flexible in their hamstrings. A cross-training model would be to incorporate more strength-based exercises to strengthen the hamstrings (posterior) to balance out the quads (anterior).

5. How long does it typically take for dancers to start seeing results from training?

A lot of factors come into play with results. Age, diet, accessibility, schedule to name a few. But I would say if a dancer sticks with 3 to 5 cross-training workouts a week then they would feel a difference in 2 to 4 weeks, and then see a difference in 4 to 6 weeks. 

6. What impact does cross-training have on injury prevention?

Cross-training has been essential to injury prevention and recovery. Personally my journey to training was sparked during my recovery from a major injury. I became fascinated with how intelligently the body works. If you train underdeveloped muscles, then you will achieve a higher level of synergistic balance, which will allow for a healthier dance career.

7. If you were to recommend one piece of exercise equipment for dancers to have at home, what would it be?

I have a personal bias for kettlebell work. So a set of kettlebells would be my choice. One light-to-medium and one medium-to-heavy so that eventually you can incorporate an increased load as you increase your muscular endurance.

You can find Jake at @sliceofjake on Instagram. 

Intro: Francesca Dugarte

Francesca Dugarte is a ballerina with Ballet Met, an NASM certified personal trainer, an indoor cycling instructor, and a mom. Prior to joining Ballet Met, Francesca danced as a principal dancer with The Washington Ballet. We talked to Francesca about the cross-training services she provides, as well as her top tips for effective cross-training.

1. What sets your cross-training platform apart from other cross-training platforms for dancers?

My online platform definitely has a variety of training. Strength training, stability, mobility, and agility. All of the above are greatly beneficial for dancers but also a general audience. I love that social media allows trainers to share their work. 

That being said I also have in-person and one-on-one dance clients (pre-professionals and professionals) who I am very passionate about. The biggest perk for me is that I get to see their progress closely in dance, and part of my assessment is based upon what I see in their dancing. This way I get to tailor their training based on their weaknesses. It really makes me so happy to see them improve. 

2. What do you believe is the most beneficial method of cross-training for professional and pre-professional dancers?

Definitely a combination of strength training and stability. Challenging proprioception — I have found this to be very rich in bringing awareness to weak muscles that are difficult to engage just with ballet class (most of the time it’s not the usual big muscle group). Adding to this, resistance with weight or bands will trigger a response and a strengthening process will begin. I have seen improvements in dancers with this method. 

3. Dancer schedules are often incredibly busy. How much time do you recommend they aim to set aside for cross-training?

At least twice a week and completing sessions with 5 to 6 exercises with enough repetition and sets. (It always depends on the muscle groups highlighted for the day.) I would say this will take around 30 to 45 minutes. 

4. What is the most common strength deficiency you see among dancers?

Weak hips, weak pelvic floor, weak core. This will translate to an unstable adagio, trouble maintaining fifth throughout, heavy petite allegro, lack of explosiveness in grand allegro. 

5. How long does it typically take for dancers to start seeing results from training?

Dancers, being high-level competitive athletes, will feel results even going through sets of the first training session. They are so in touch with their bodies. They will have awareness of what that weakness is, and guaranteed after 4 to 6 sessions, they will feel a difference in their dancing. 

6. What impact does cross-training have on injury prevention?

The most important reason for cross-training is this. Strong body will prevent muscle imbalances from overworking. Muscle imbalance leads to an injury. Dancers should cross-train on a weekly basis. Ballet is such a competitive and demanding field where we expose our bodies to high intensity daily. Strength and muscle awareness will lead movement to go through the right path in an organized manner. 

7. If you were to recommend one piece of exercise equipment for dancers to have at home, what would it be?

Hard question. There are so many I believe are fundamental. Assuming that every dancer will have therabands in their dance bag that they can use for resistance, I would say a Swiss ball. There are so many incredible exercises that will challenge the body greatly. My favorite exercise that you can do only with a Swiss ball is standing single-leg RDL. Start with the ball behind you reaching one of your legs over the Swiss ball bringing two knees together so the back leg has a 90-degree angle. Bring your hips back and bend the standing leg (not like a plié but hinging back from your hips), extend the leg into a turned-in arabesque, find the maximum extension of the hip flexor. Make sure your standing knee is not going over your toes when it’s bent. Bring it back to the starting pose and repeat 6 to 8 times with each leg. Take a little rest and complete 3 sets. Great exercise to challenge stability and achieve a great burn! 

You can find Francesca on Instagram at @francescadjordan 

Cross-training is an essential part of injury prevention and a healthy dance career. If you are ready to discover how cross-training can serve you and your dance career, I highly recommend you check out these resources. Big thanks to Alex, Jake, and Francesca for their knowledge and insight!

The post For Your Dance Cross-Training Needs appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

To have greater, more sustained success in dance, it’s so important to bring supporting people onto your team. Many of the dancers I work with are looking for additional support to use their bodies to the highest level. While nutrition, health, and lifestyle coaching covers a lot of bases, I am not an expert in effective cross training and creating an impactful movement support plan outside of the studio. Luckily, you can reach out to an expert like Leah Bueno for that exact need.

I came across Leah on Instagram (@thepilatesdancer). Honestly, one of my favorite things on IG is finding inspiring, dance-support accounts to follow and share. If you’re looking for an approach that can help you excel in new ways, check out Leah’s offerings. She will help you find greater confidence in how you use your instrument. That kind of shift is valuable beyond words.

Prior to developing your brand, The Pilates Dancer, you were an accomplished performer and teacher. What made you decide to move towards the dance wellness side of the field? How was your transition? 

I think this was a natural progression from my dance upbringing. My mentor Maria Vegh was recruited, along with David Howard, early in her career to be co-director of the Harkness House in New York City. Their mission was to bring in kinesiologists and physical therapists to the studio to help create a modern approach to dance training. I grew up hearing about anatomy in the studio and fell in love with the science of dance. After teaching for professional companies/schools for over a decade, I was interested in continuing my mentor’s legacy, so I received my full certification in Pilates. From there, I went on to become a Post-Rehab Specialist, Instructor Trainer, and member of the International Fascial Research society. I love to learn! 

What are the most common trouble spots you see dancers dealing with? Why do you think this is? 

Definitely the areas in our bodies that require the most movement when dancing. Dancers often have issues with their hips, low back, knees, and feet. When we require a joint to move beyond its normal range of motion, it is important to have an equal amount of strength. If this balance is not achieved, we start seeing injuries and reduced performance in that area.

What are your thoughts on massage tools, such as foam rollers, tennis balls, massage guns, etc.  Do you have recommendations for dancers on these items, or do they even need them? 

Manual therapy is an art form. I think there can be a lot of benefit from self-release techniques if used properly. Unfortunately, dancers often use these types of tools too aggressively or for the wrong purpose. I personally am a big fan of cupping! In my experience, myofascial decompression is a really valuable tool versus using a hard roller which can add compression. 

What are your thoughts on stretching tools? Foot stretchers, stretch bands, etc. Do you have recommendations for dancers on these items, or do they even need them? 

This is where I draw a line in the sand! These are outdated and dangerous tools. They have been used by dancers, including myself, for decades. However, it comes with a big cost to your physical health. These types of tools stretch the connective tissue that is made to protect your joints. If these protective capsules get stretched out, there is no way to repair the damage that has been done, and this can lead to injuries, osteoarthritis, and even a shortened career. There are much better methods, and I advise staying away from these tools. 

Why do you think stretching is the first instinct dancers have before dancing? Why isn’t this first instinct actually warming up the muscles? 

I think part of it is the culture of dance. This is what we were taught to do and what we see from our peers. The other reason is aggressive stretching can make you feel really stiff the next day. When you stretch too far, which is common among dancers, our body needs to take a day to heal. This gives the sensation of being tight, and the obvious solution is to stretch. A better solution is to make smaller mobility gains each day and actively warm your muscles up before dancing.

Take us through an ideal pre-show warmup you might prescribe to a dancer.

Pre-show is all about preparing for what you are about to do. Every warmup should start with 10 minutes of actively warming up your body. This should include full body movements at a moderate pace so your core temperature is slightly elevated. 

Then I like dancers to think about what is involved in their performance. If they are doing mostly slow adagio movement, some stabilization exercises are helpful. If you have a powerful allegro performance, it is important to wake up the muscles that create these movements. Single leg jumps, squats, and planks are a great way to fire up the bigger muscles.

You talk a lot about how stretching too much can sabotage your flexibility and strength goals. Can you share a personal story of how focusing too much on stretching backfired for you?

Yes! I was not flexible when I was a teenager. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was growing and that was affecting my flexibility and I stretched ALL THE TIME. Unfortunately, this led me to become very weak. Any overstretched joint is a weak one. Because I became hyper-mobile in certain areas, other parts of my body had to make up for this instability and became tight. I didn’t understand what was going on, and this cycle of “too loose” then “too tight” continued throughout my career.   

How does the work you do help dancers struggling with body image?

As dancers, we are in the business of people talking to us about our bodies. It is important for us dancers to feel good in every part of our skin. If we feel like our feet are not good enough or our extensions are not what we want them to be, this can greatly affect how we view ourselves. It makes me really sad when people tell dancers that they cannot make improvements in their bodies.

I tell my dancers that if someone tells you “you can’t” they are showing you their limitations not yours! It is really empowering to know that your physical goals can be met with the right tools. I want all dancers to love the image that they see in the mirror. 

Where can people find you and learn more about your work?

Feel free to reach out to me on Instagram @thepilatesdancer. My website is www.thepilatesdancer.com, and you can check out my past articles for Dance Magazine at https://www.dancemagazine.com/u/leahbueno.

You mention on your Instagram page that you are an advocate for dancers weight lifting. What advice do you have for dancers who are afraid of weight lifting? Where is an easy place to start?

If you are afraid of lifting weights because you think that you will bulk up, DON’T BE. I have worked with Fitness Professionals for Post-Rehab services, and these people work really hard for their muscles. If you would like to start lifting weights, I recommend starting light and feeling comfortable with what you are building. 

In the summer, what advice do you have for dancers who have a break? How long should they rest? Do they need to stretch every day?

Summer is a great time to reset before the next season. This can look different for everyone. The main thing I advocate for is that you will not lose what you have gained if you take a break. Studies have shown that professional athletes have better seasons when they have a longer off-season. Dancers are not great at taking breaks. I tell my dancers to listen to what their bodies and minds need. 

Do you have any stories about comments on your own flexibility and how you dealt with them during your career?

When I was dancing, I put a lot of focus on my flexibility. Because it was not something that I had naturally, a lot of my self-worth as a dancer revolved around my flexibility. Looking back, I wish I would have celebrated other parts of my dancing. 

At The Whole Dancer, we talk a lot about how long-lasting change takes time. When you are working with a dancer, how long does it really take to see change in their flexibility and strength? 

If someone has unused potential, that can happen quickly. For some people, they see immediate results with strength and flexibility because all they needed to do was learn how to use the strength and flexibility that they already had. However, lasting flexibility gains take 6 months, and the right kind of strength can take months to develop. That may seem like a long time, but it is really short when you think about how long your career as a dancer is.

Can you share a success story about how your work has helped dancers through injury recovery? 

Yes, one of my favorite stories is from a dancer I worked with at The Joffrey Ballet. He had access to amazing PTs, but he had a chronic hip injury that was possibly going to ruin his career. During our first session, I noticed that he was so mobile in his hips that every time he did a Grand Battement, his hips were slightly subluxating. This is when a bone moves partially out of the joint. It was really slight, but I am trained to see the little things. We worked on building deep strength in the hip and correcting his movement. By the third session, his pain was gone, and we continued to build his strength from there.

A lot of what I do is figuring out the root of injuries that keep coming back. He was simply putting a bandaid on the problem, and I was so happy that we could find the root of his problem!

If you’re in need of support, check out Leah’s resources and get in touch!

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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.

Your expectations of yourself are likely high. That’s a natural dancer tendency. If you’re ready to dig a little deeper into what can get you to work harder and smarter, this post is for you.

In Gretchen Rubin’s book, Better than Before: Mastering the Habits of our Everyday Lives, you can find a lot of insight to help you master your work ethic as a dancer and a person. Here are the types of people and how you might capitalize on them.

Rubin separates people into four main categories: Obliger, Rebel, Upholder or Questioner.

An Obliger:

Someone who is motivated by external incentives (this one is very common — it definitely is the one I relate to most, and I can see this being true for many other dancers as well). Obliger’s are not as easily able to meet expectations they’ve placed on themselves, instead they’re motivated by external validation.

If you’re an Obliger, you may work harder with certain teachers than others depending on who gives you more feedback.

You’re not in a bad spot if you identify with “Obliger.” You can definitely create situations with external validation to propel you forward.

In the area of cross-training, an Obliger should probably work one-on-one with a coach or trainer, or take group exercise classes where you’re able to get the outside validation that you crave.

Even working with a friend whom you’re set on impressing would help you to work harder in a cross-training or practice situation.

Maybe try taking barre, pilates, or yoga classes with instructors who give lots of personal attention and validation.

I’m definitely an Obliger. In college, I was able to work on partnering outside of partnering class only because someone else was there with me. For variations, I had to enlist a friend to come watch and give me feedback. I definitely needed that external validation, but clearly, there are ways to create it for yourself.

I was never the person who could just go to a studio and work super hard on my own with no one around. And you know what? That’s totally OK. Just identify what you need.

The Rebel:

Hates being told what to do and resists both external and internal expectations. I’m sure you can think of at least one ballet Rebel that you know, but this one is not common among dancers.

As a Rebel, you’d be best served to find ways of improving your dancing in your very own methods. You might look more analytically at technique or strengthening in order to identify what makes sense to you (and possibly no one else).

The Upholder:

Is able to reach both external and internal expectations. These are probably the friends whom you’re most inspired by. The ones who seem to work so hard all. the. time. Even when no one is watching. (I always wished this was me; however, I really needed the feedback from teachers to feel like I was accomplishing anything).

As an Upholder, you’ve got a lot of options in the areas of cross-training and improvement as a dancer. You can work out on your own and create exercise plans that you’ll likely stick to even if no one else has any idea what you’re doing.

Upholders can go for a swim, do some cardio, weight train, or work on the pilates reformer independently and still work their hardest and see improvement.

Finally, the Questioner:

Resists outer expectations but meets inner expectations. If you’re a Questioner, you have a lot of drive but likely always take corrections or outside feedback with a grain of salt.

Questioners can certainly be great dancers, but they might butt heads with artistic staff or choreographers. They have a lot of internal preferences and want reasons why a movement might be done a certain way.

Rubin suggests that rather than try to change your natural tendency, you should acknowledge it and work within your inclination.

Be true to who you are. When I work with dancers to reach health and body goals, considering the natural mindset tendencies is key. You might thrive when you create your own plan or you might do better with some set “rules” from me. To reach your personal best body goals, honor what you need and seek out the support that will get you where you wish to go.

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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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Dancers are a restless creature that are incapable of sitting still. But what do you do when you’re injured? We feel stir crazy sitting on the sidelines watching rehearsals while your injury heals. You worry about losing strength and technique and wonder how long it will take to get it back.

With all of these questions in mind, I talked with Dr. Elizabeth Barchi, Staff Physician at the Harkness Center for Dancer Injuries in New York City about how she creates a cross training plan with her patients while they are recovering from an injury.

“An injury can be a blessing in disguise,” says Barchi. Because dancers are told by teachers every day what to do, as a young dancer, you sometimes struggle with figuring out how to take care of yourself (both physically and mentally) when a teacher is not instructing exactly what to do. The one positive to injuries that Barchi points out is: “Injuries force dancers to learn the responsibility of taking care of your body.”

Many of her patients feel like it’s the end of the world when they are injured and have to take time away from dance. However, she quickly reassures them that an injury doesn’t always mean a complete shutdown. “An injury can be a reset button with your technique,” says Barchi. She works with her patients to find body weaknesses that caused the injury and strengthen it.

“I have the dancer work everything else in the body but the injury,” says Barchi about creating a recovery plan for her patients. “If we isolate an injury, why not work everything else?” She advocates dancers doing cross training methods such as Pilates, gyrotonics, and floor barre that allow patients to strengthen while isolating the injury and putting less stress on the body.

“I have my patients start cross training right away, unless its burnout syndrome or anorexia, or issues that have to do with the entire body,” says Brachi. She will often prescribe physical therapy to her patients, but also gives them freedom to do cross training they are familiar with.

When first starting recovery cross training, use light or no resistance for your exercises from physical therapy, Pilates, or gyrotonics, focusing on correct placement and alignment. Gradually, as you build strength add more weight or resistance. Your physical therapist or instructor will be able to help you with creating a plan gradually increasing the resistance.

For cardio, Barchi is a huge fan of swimming: “You can change up the strokes to work different parts of the arms. You can use a kickboard, or swim just using your arms.” She cautions: “Don’t push off too hard on the wall if you’re recovering from a foot, knee, or ankle injury.” The elliptical machine and stationary bike are other forms of cardio that Barchi recommends. Dancers can also use the rowing machine for cardio, unless they are recovering from a back injury.

I asked the polarizing question: should dancers run? “The last thing you want to do is add more impact, especially if you have a stress fracture or stress injury. Don’t run until you’ve built up the proper mechanics,” says Barchi. She believes it’s a great form of exercise and good cardio, but you have to make sure you’re doing it properly, so you do not cause further damage to your body. Barchi advises not running if you already doing rep with a ton of impact in your season or semester.  

What blew me away was her prescription of one exercise every dancer should do while recovering from any injury: self reflection. She has dancers ask themselves: “What it is you love about dance? The way you feel, the music, the feeling of being in a tutu? Boil it down to the specifics. You can carry that feeling on to your next career when you retire.”

Barchi focuses on mental health, not just physical health, when working with dancers. She works with patients on developing new thought patterns of being positive. Barchi feels creating positivity in dancers is important: “Because we are raised being yelled at, it has a profound affect.”

As an exercise, Barchi has her patient watch a video of themselves performing and asks them to list 10 things they liked about their performance. Sample responses are: I liked my musicality, I like how I finished my pirouette, my smile was beautiful, my transition steps were clean, I liked the epaulement I used.

“Knowing your positive qualities helps you know what to sell at auditions, instead of being nervous thinking I hope they like me. It’s taking control of circumstances,” says Barchi.  

About Elizabeth Barchi, MD, Staff Physician at Harkness Center for Dance Injuries

Dr. Barchi is a board-certified pediatrician with an added qualification in pediatric sports medicine. Her early career with Brandywine Ballet sparked both her passion for dance medicine and her career in the innovation of medical care and training of dancers. During her fellowship training at NYU School of Medicine, she studied dance medicine under the mentorship of Dr. Rose and Dr. Weiss. She is thrilled to be a part of the groundbreaking medical and research teams at Harkness Center for Dance Injuries.

Note: ALWAYS TALK TO DOCTORS FIRST AND DO NOT SELF DIAGNOSE. WORK WITH YOUR DOCTOR TO CREATE AN INJURY RECOVERY PLAN DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR YOU AND YOUR INJURY.

The post Cross Training while Injured appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

“Send you knees over your toes in plie.”

“Hips stacked on top of your knees, stacked on top of your toes.”

“Don’t let your knees roll in.”

How often have you heard teachers say these phrases (or something similar) during class regarding lower leg alignment? All the time. Teachers spend so much time teaching their students the importance of proper alignment, not just for proper classical ballet technique, but to prevent injury.

For classical ballet, or any dance for that matter, knees must track over the toes while in plie. Your feet cannot be more rotated that your knees.

“Weakness in the hip and lower abs show in the lower leg,” says Sarah Edery-Altas, DPT at the Harkness Center for Dance Injuries at NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital in New York City. This weakness is found in dancers who force their turnout from their ankles instead of the initiating turnout from the rotator muscles (Gluteus Medius and Gluteus Maximus) in the hip.

Since this is common issue in the ballet world, I talked to Edery-Altas to ask her how she helps dancers rehab from lower leg injuries and how to improve leg alignment.

Of the patients that Edery-Altas sees at the Harkness Center, a majority of the injuries she sees are the lower extremities. Of the majority, half of them are knee and ankle issues. Many of the chronic injuries she sees are from improper alignment.

“Many dancers have difficulty with 20-25 repetitions of releve on a single leg, which is an objective measure that is expected in order for a dancer to return in full to dance,” says Edery-Altas. “In addition to those weaker stability and rotational muscles (gluteus maximus and medius, deep external rotators, posterior tibialis, and foot intrinsics) many times the planarflexors tend to lack the strength required for the load many dancers are asking of themselves.”

When Edery-Altas starts working with new patients, often she starts with hip exercises. “The hip controls the foot and the foot informs the hip what is happening.”

She likes to start with a Sarhmann Progression exercise that she calls: hip drop and recover with ball on wall.

1. Start perpendicular to the wall with the exercise ball pressing into the hip closest to the wall. The leg closest to the wall is extended in front, just off the floor.
2. Drop the hip closest to the wall down as far as you can go.
3. Pressing into the floor with the standing foot and lengthening the trunk of your body, relevel pelvis back to the original position.
4. Do three sets of 10.
5. As you advance, you may add releve to the exercise.

This exercise reteaches dancers how to use the tripod of the foot: putting equal pressure on the medial(towards the midline) and lateral (away from the midline or on the outer side of the body) sides of the ball of the foot and the heel. Putting equal pressure on the tripod of the foot prevents from rolling in.

“You can see through bunions that the foot takes so much force and shows the weakness of the foot. [You can see] Where the load is going with [while wearing] pointe shoes or LaDucas,” say Edery-Altas.

Sarah also has patients work on foot doming to make sure foot alignment is correct. “When you cheat your turnout from the feet, you pronate or roll in to maintain an arch. Foot doming teaches dancers to use the short toe flexors tendons instead of overusing the long toe flexors such as the FHL [Flexor Halitus Longus, the tendon that controls the flexion of the big toe.].”

To strengthen your legs for better knee and ankle alignment, Edery-Altas gives deep external rotator exercises using turnout disks.

1. Stand on the disks (one foot on each disk) in parallel
2. Initiating from the hips, rotate your legs to first position
3. Return to parallel

Repeat with variations of plie:

1. staying in the plie the entire time
2. plie in parallel, turnout, straighten legs, plie, return to parallel
3. Once you’ve become strong enough, you can do all these exercises with one leg.

If you do not have access to turnout disks, you can do the exercises lying on your back with your feet in the air.

Clamshells are another exercise given to strengthen the rotator muscles. Edery-Altas has patients focus on keeping the heels together during the exercise. The exercises can be done with the legs at different lengths- one set with a longer knee bend and one set with a shorter knee bend. This allows you to work different muscles in the glutes.

Sarah includes squats in the progression of improving lower leg alignment and increasing strength as the patient advances. She likes to give squats because they directly correlate to jumping class or rehearsal. Single leg squats translate into single leg jumps in petite and grand allegro. “You want to relax the foot in plie to absorb force and then dome the foot to push off [in a jump or squat].”

The big thing Edery-Altas stresses when either recovering from an injury or building strength: “Focus on progressing slowly and smartly.” Later adding, “Focus on working on your deep limitations instead of practicing something you’re already good at.”

About Sarah Edery-Altas

Dr. Edery-Altas received a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience and a doctorate in physical therapy from Columbia University. She is a former professional ballet dancer, who danced as a member of both the Pennsylvania Ballet and the Boston Ballet.

The post Knee and Ankle Alignment in Ballet appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

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:

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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.