Focus & Fuel for the High Performance Dancer-D13
Dancers want to dance. Though that may sound very simple and not too terribly problematic, anyone who has had the pleasure of dancing and calling themselves a dancer knows better.
In order to give the appearance of effortlessly defying gravity, classical ballet dancers need to be lean. Not ordinary thin, but rather strong and able bodied, graceful and lithe. Ballerinas appear to float across the stage to be ‘effortlessly’ lifted high above the head of some young Adonis.
Great ballet dancers make it look easy, but insiders all know it is the result of tireless focus, discipline and motivation. All of this floating and twirling and jumping and leaping high above the floor requires great strength, both physical and emotional. Where does the high performance ballet dancer get their fuel? How do they get enough energy from food and still remain lithe and ethereal?
Registered dietician Donna Hayek from The Atlantic Club in Red Bank, NJ, works with dancers and athletes to make sure they are getting the very best nutrients possible. “Eating small meals often is the best way to replenish,” said Hayek. “Every two to three hours a ballet dancer needs to eat something light, but with a good protein component.”
Hayek suggests yogurt or a banana with peanut butter or some fruit with cottage cheese. High protein smoothies made with whey protein and fruit are another of Hayek’s recommendations as well as half a sandwich made from lean protein such as turkey.
Hayek points out that beef/chicken/pork all take about 48 hours to digest. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains take only four to six hours to digest. Vegetarianism is a likely choice for serious ballet dancers.
Large meals also take longer to digest, Hayek says. And large meals tend to cause more bloating. For a ballet dancer, these are all excellent reasons to eat small meals frequently throughout the day.
“Dancers practice for long hours,” said Hayek, who is also ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) certified. “They need more calories and protein than the average person.” Protein is essential for building strong muscles, which is why Hayek puts an emphasis on lean protein as well as fruits, vegetables and whole grains such as brown rice, oatmeal, whole wheat pasta and whole grain breads. Try a salad with cheese, egg, tuna, turkey or some beans and legumes for protein.
Nuts and seeds make healthy and nutritious snacks that are easily thrown into your dance bag.
Being properly hydrated is a very important component to fueling the elite dancer. Being lean may be part of being a high performance ballet dancer, but not replacing the water lost from a vigorous rehearsal or performance is a recipe for disaster.
“Weigh yourself before class or rehearsal,” said Hayek. “Then weigh yourself after and whatever the difference (pounds to ounces) is what you need to replace in fluids, preferably water.”
Hayek points out that when you get dehydrated, your dance performance won’t be optimal. You lose electrolytes through sweat. Hayek recommends watering down some Gatorade to replace lost electrolytes and fuel your dance performance.
“If your urine is very yellow, you are dehydrated,” says Hayek. “And if you pull your skin away from your arm and it bounces right back you are hydrated.”
Complex carbohydrates and protein, coupled with plenty of water, is the way to go for high performance. “To be strong you must have a high muscle mass which in turn means a better functioning metabolism, because muscle burns more calories, even at rest, than fat,” says Hayek.
So what about all those so-called magic supplements? If they sound too good to be true, they are. Vitamin supplements such as a good multi-vitamin can be great, acknowledges Hayek.
Technically, Hayek points out that we should be able to get all our nutrients from our food. But realistically, who does? Even if you had a personal chef who did your cooking regularly, chances are you would have to eat an awful lot of calories to get all the vitamins and minerals you need for high performance ballet dancing.
Then there is also the source of your good food to consider. Where exactly did your fabulous organic fruit and veggies come from? If it was trucked halfway across the country, it has already lost some value (to you) in transport and handling. It is getting old by the time you get it.
Whenever possible seek out local organic produce. The next best bet may just be local versus organic from far away. If you can walk to your local farmer’s market, all the better for everybody.
Hayek points out that the more active you are, the more your metabolism keeps working even after you have stopped exercising. Which bring us to focusing on other activities in addition to dance—activities that will help enhance your dance performance.
Health and physical education teacher Marcia Hanke, Ocean, NJ, feels cross training is key to enhancing dance performance. “If you are spending significant time dancing, you need to balance the physical aspect.”
Whether you already are a high performance ballet dancer or you are working towards this achievement, you not only want to cross train to develop your muscles, you want to reduce the likelihood of injury. Maximizing your muscle potential in a safe fashion can be a challenge for dancers.
“To reduce injury, swimming is ideal,” says Hanke. “Swimming builds the longer muscles and stretches them as you move through the water. It also builds the upper body very well.” You can even get MP3 players for the water which can add a Zen-like calming focus to swimming.
Hanke recommends 30-60 minutes of continuous movement in order to build cardio vascular conditioning, enhance strength, improve range of motion, stamina and endurance. She also points out that the water is very joint friendly, especially to feet and ankles.
“Walking provides a great way for ballet dancers to get their heart rates up. Building cardiovascular health gives a greater capacity for improved stamina for dance,” says Hanke. “Dance may be anaerobic, but building aerobic capacity will benefit dancers due to increasing the efficiency of their personal energy system.”
When it comes to focus, yoga can be a dancer’s best friend. Today there are many styles of Yoga, with most offering increased awareness and emphasis on balance, strength, alignment and overall body awareness. Stress reduction and breathing techniques are great benefits found in all forms of yoga.
Hanke points out that everyone experiences stress. “Dancers are feeling stress whether they realize it or not. There is good stress and bad stress. Intensity is stressful. Just being organized can be stressful.” Yoga helps provide positive ways of managing these stresses.
“Pilates, whether mat or equipment, will enhance range of motion and strengthen the all- important core for ballet dancers,” says Hanke. “I like and recommend strengthening exercises that use your own body weight. Exercises like handstands, pull-ups, push-ups all utilize your own weight to increase muscle mass.”
The bottom line for ballet dancers is to remember to make the most of what you have by listening to your inner voice as well as your experts. Choose foods that are naturally rich in nutrients. Expand your movement activities to include exercise modalities that enhance your ballet dancing. Then being a high performance dancer will be a piece of cake.
A great interactive website for nutritional guidance, menu planning and a host of other helpful topics is: www.mypyramid.gov
If you or someone you care about needs help with an eating disorder go to the industry leader: www.renfrewcenter.com