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Importance of Sleep and Rest for a Dancer

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Importance of Sleep and Rest for a Dancer

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My essay explains how to be a healthy dancer , rest periods are important for the rehabilitation of the body. This article goes into depth more on the way lack of sleep impacts a dancer psychologically and as well physically.

Hartly, A (2017). Eat,Sleep,Dance,Repeat: The importance of sleep for dancers.[Online]. Available from: http://www.athletico.com/2017/09/11/eat-sleep-dance-repeat-importance-sleep-dancers/.[Accessed on 10th December 2018].

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Fall brings a season of routine. This is especially true of dancers who are back to academia on top of rehearsal. Professional dancers, for example, will begin preparing their upcoming repertoire for programs like Joffrey Ballet's Giselle and Hubbard Street Dance Company's Fall Series.

While the days are getting shorter, rehearsals are getting longer and cutting into valuable time meant for counting sheep. The CDC recommends 8-10 hours of sleep for teens 13-18 years old, and 7 or more hours per night for adults 18-60 years old. ⁵ This can be difficult to achieve for dancers, whose rehearsals consist of specialized physical activity of high volume, frequency and intensity throughout the week. Dancers also don't usually have an off-season, which can contribute to increased incidence of altered sleep-wake rhythms, illness and musculoskeletal injuries. In fact, studies show:

Rarely Sleeping Beauty

In Germany, there was a small study of 24 classical ballet dancers and their sleep quality prior to a ballet premiere. ² The total time spent asleep and ratio of time asleep vs. awake in bed was low in the ballet dancers compared to age-matched athletes. Over the course of 67 days prior to the show's premiere, there was an even greater exacerbation in these sleep factors. ² This was true while the amount of time spent in ballet class and rehearsal per day did not change. Now, imagine this same degradation in sleep over the course of multiple shows throughout the year. That adds up to be a lot of missed shut-eye for dancers!

Wide Awake

There have been hundreds of studies on athletes and disturbed sleep. Athletes that participate at the Olympic, international, national and professional level, such as professional dancers, are considered "elite". ³ A systematic review of the literature of sleep quality in elite sports shows that elite athletes generally show high levels of insomnia symptoms (inability to initiate and maintain sleep). ³ Pre-sleep arousal (more brain activity) and sleep restriction (not having the time to sleep long enough) were the most prevalent issues. ³ Thus, lack of sleep can actually exacerbate insomnia, creating a vicious cycle.

Benefits of Sleep for Dancers

The processes that occur during sleep have been widely studied, and the benefits are far-reaching for all humans, but certainly for athletes. Sleep increases the secretion of growth hormone, which is necessary for dancers to grow and get stronger. Memory consolidation and motor-sequencing occurs during sleep, which is necessary for dancers when learning new choreography or technique. ⁷ Therefore long-term to even short-lived disturbances in sleep can cause a dancer to perform worse mentally and physically, possibly affecting his or her contracts professionally.

Sleep is an essential part of mental and physical recovery. Many dancers, from recreational to professional, have challenging classes and rehearsals on back to back days without enough time for recovery. If an athlete does not have enough recovery between high-intensity workouts or rehearsals, successive workouts or classes are done at a less than optimal physiological condition. ¹ If training stress is too high, and there is not enough adequate recovery, such as prior to a competition or performance, "overtraining" can occur. ⁴ Over time, this pattern results in a plateau of performance and possible injury. ¹ A meta-analysis shows that dancer injury is extremely prevalent, with ankle, foot, lumbar and cervical spine injuries being the most frequently injured.6 One small study even found highest illness prevalence after six weeks of an overload training regimen in athletes. ⁴ No dancer wants to be injured or sick before a performance, indicating that appropriate recovery - and most notably sleep - is imperative for excelling on stage.

Tips to Catch Some Zzz's:

Make sure you are in a cool, dark environment⁴

Avoid alcohol, caffeine and drug use⁷

Eliminate screen time prior to bed

Aim to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day

If possible, consider a "post-lunch" nap for around 20 minutes for greater energy, but not within 4 hours of bed3,7

Adequate sleep can help prevent injuries and improve daily functions, but it is still important for dancers to pay attention to their bodies. Should any unusual pain or discomfort occur during or after rehearsal, make sure to begin the healing process as soon as possible by scheduling a free assessment at your nearest Athletico location.
Schedule a Free Assessment The Athletico blog is an educational resource written by Athletico employees. Athletico bloggers are licensed professionals who abide by the code of ethics outlined by their respective professional associations. The content published in blog posts represents the opinion of the individual author based on their expertise and experience. The content provided in this blog is for informational purposes only, does not constitute medical advice and should not be relied on for making personal health decisions.
References:
1. Bishop, Phillip A., Eric Jones, and A. Krista Woods. "Recovery From Training: A Brief Review." Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 22.3 (2008): 1015-024. Web.
2. Fietze, Ingo, Jutta Strauch, Martin Holzhausen, Martin Glos, Christiane Theobald, Hanna Lehnkering, and Thomas Penzel. "Sleep Quality In Professional Ballet Dancers." Chronobiology International 26.6 (2009): 1249-262. Web.
3. Gupta, Luke, Kevin Morgan, and Sarah Gilchrist. "Does Elite Sport Degrade Sleep Quality? A Systematic Review." Sports Medicine 47.7 (2016): 1317-333. Web.
4. Hausswirth, Christophe, Julien Louis, AnaÃ"l Aubry, Guillaume Bonnet, Rob Duffield, and Yann Le Meur. "Evidence of Disturbed Sleep and Increased Illness in Overreached Endurance Athletes." Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 46.5 (2014): 1036-045. Web.
5. "How Much Sleep Do I Need?" Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 02 Mar. 2017. Web.
6. Smith, Toby O., Leigh Davies, Akbar De Medici, Allan Hakim, Fares Haddad, and Alex Macgregor. "Prevalence and Profile of Musculoskeletal Injuries in Ballet Dancers: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis." Physical Therapy in Sport 19 (2016): 50-56. Web.
7. Venter, Rachel E. "Role of Sleep in Performance and Recovery of Athletes: A Review Article." South African Journal for Research in Sport, Physical Education and Recreation 34 (2012): 167-84. ResearcGate. 28 Aug. 2017. Web.

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Eat, Sleep, Dance, Repeat: The Importance of Sleep for Dancers - Athletico

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As summer comes to an end, Fall brings a season of routine. This is especially true of dancers who are back to academia on top of rehearsal. Professional dancers, for example, will begin preparing their upcoming repertoire for programs like Joffrey Ballet's Giselle and Hubbard Street Dance Company's Fall Series.

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PCD4009 - Introduction to Professional Practise Essay

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PCD4009 - Introduction to Professional Practise Essay

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Charlie Abernethy - 1803116 PCD4009 Intrroduction to Proffesional Practice

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Cardiovascular Fitness in relation to Dance

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Cardiovascular Fitness in relation to Dance

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During my essay fitness is one of the key topics I talk about. Improving your cardiovascular fitness for a dancer is key to preventing injury and be able to cope with the demands from the dance industry.

Stanyer, L (2011). The importance of Cardiovascular Endurance for the Dancer, [Online]. Available from: http://laurastanyer.blogspot.com/2011/07/importance-of-cardiovascular-endurance.html. [Accessed on 10 December 2018].

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There is a misconception that the majority of dancers are physically fit and have strong cardiovascular endurance. Dance activity generally stops and starts utilising the anaerobic system therefore the aerobic system is not engaged. Generally dancers lack cardiovascular fitness this can lead to injury. Ideally cardiovascular training needs to be incorporated into the dance technique class to enhance your dance ability as well as your fitness, health and wellbeing.

Reasons why dancers do not have cardiovascular fitness:

Technique class stops and starts does not engage the aerobic system

Dancers are often overworked with too much time spent in class, rehearsal and performance

Dancers do not engage in enough rest, leisure time and relaxation

Benefits of Cardiovascular Endurance Exercise for dancers:

Improves your posture and health

Enhances stamina which improves your performance ability

Increases oxygen supply to muscles - efficient functioning Improves your anaerobic ability

Reduces the risk of fatigue, enhances concentration and reduces stress levels

Boosts your immune system and reduces the risk of injury

Understanding the Cardiovascular System

Cardiovascular endurance depends on the ability of the heart and lungs to deliver oxygen to where it is needed and to continue for long periods of time under stress.
In reality most types of dance training involves stopping and starting; performing short movement sequences with intermittent periods of no activity where you observe the next sequence, this way of working only develops your anaerobic system it does not develop your aerobic capacity.

Anaerobic and Aerobic Systems

Anaerobic System

Anaerobic simply means without oxygen.
As you begin physical activity there is a sudden demand for energy, the body will use up its first energy store then go onto to use up the stores of glycogen (broken down from carbohydrates) stored in the muscles as the energy is not available in the form of oxygen. This is because the body is working so hard that the demands for oxygen exceed the rate of supply.

Lactic Acid

During anaerobic activity the waste product lactic acid is produced. As there is no oxygen supply to the muscles the lactic acid will build up and can be the cause of muscle soreness and you will be forced to ease of or stop. You will be unable to return to activity until the lactic acid is removed. As you rest oxygen is supplied to the muscles replenishing the energy stores and you soon will be able to return.
When you start any physical activity you will use the anaerobic system, however, if the activity is low in intensity your body will be able to supply oxygen to your muscles and continue as you engage in the aerobic system.

Anaerobic Exercise

Anaerobic exercise is intense exercise lasting approximately one to three minutes (Lactic System) the demand is sudden or large that the heart is unable to pump enough oxygen to the working muscles.

High intensity, short duration:

Running up the stairs

Sprinting

Dance - centre work e.g. short jump sequence

Dance - short sequence across the room

Aerobic System

Aerobic simply means with oxygen
Oxygen is delivered around the body via the blood stream and pumped by the heart. The aerobic system can only work when the energy demand is low intensity for the heart to provide the muscles with sufficient supply of oxygen. In aerobic activity the body is working at a level in which the supply of oxygen is sufficient to the body's demands for oxygen.

The aerobic system breaks down glycogen (carbohydrates) as energy and if you continue over thirty minutes of aerobic activity at low intensity you will begin to break down fats. The only waste products formed are carbon dioxide and water. These are removed as you sweat and by breathing out.

Aerobic Exercise

The oxygen is delivered around the body; the aerobic system can only function when the energy demand is low enough for the heart to supply the muscles with sufficient oxygen.

Low to moderate intensity, long duration activities:

Walking or jogging

Cycling

Swimming

Continuous low intensity dance (such as the five rhythms)

Aerobic Endurance Exercise

This variation is when exercise continues at a low level over a long period of time to build cardiovascular fitness.

Low intensity activities over half an hour:

An hour's walk

30 minute swim

30 minute cycle (stationary bike)

Continuous low intensity dance (such as the five rhythms)

Aerobic Endurance Training

Aerobic endurance is developed through the use of continuous rhythmical activity to improve maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max).

VO2 max is the maximum amount of oxygen that you can use to produce the energy you require for any physical activity.
It is important for dancers to progressively improve their cardiovascular endurance, training only occurs after thirty minutes of continuous activity where the pulse rate is sufficiently increased to improve your maximum aerobic capacity (V02 max). Aerobic exercise strengthens the heart and lungs, (cardiovascular) system. An aerobically fit dancer can rehearse or perform for longer, more vigorously and achieve a quicker recovery. It is beneficial to participate in cardiovascular endurance activities 3 to 5 times per week.

Aims of aerobic endurance training:

Improve the heart and cardiovascular system so blood (and oxygen) can be delivered around the body more efficiently

Increase the body's ability to utilise oxygen

Increase the body's ability to recover from heavy bouts of intense exercise (dance).

Training Intensity

It is important to work out how hard you are working by measuring your heart rate. During exercise your heart rate goes up; the harder you work, the faster the heart beats. Everyone has a maximum heart rate, calculating how close your heart rate is to its maximum during exercise enable you to check the intensity of your workout.

When participating in cardiovascular endurance training, the most efficient way to strengthen the heart is to aim for a training threshold. This is a percentage of your maximum heart rate, and should be the level your heart is working on for 20-30 minutes at least.

Heart Rate Monitoring

Resting heart rate

Find your pulse in your wrist or neck, and count the number of beats for 6 seconds then multiply the number of beats by 10 e.g. you count 12 (12 x 10 = 120) your heart rate is 120 beats per minute (BPM).

Or for 15 seconds and multiply the number of beats by 4

Maximum heart rate

The maximum heart rate is estimated by taking your age away from 220. e.g. 220 take away (your age) 20 = 200 BPM.

Target heart rate for exercise

A target heart rate would be at least 60% or at the most 85% of your maximum heart rate. When you first start a cardiovascular fitness programme, your target heart rate, during exercise, should be 60% of the predicted maximum heart rate. It is optimum to build up to 30 minutes working at 75% of your maximum heart rate.

Cardiovascular Endurance in Dance

Ideally cardiovascular training is incorporated within the dance training itself with the later part of a technique class training the cardio vascular system. For example, travel and jump combinations lasting at least 32 to 48 bars in duration and including longer dance combinations dividing the class so the dancers receive adequate rest period to recover from the cardiovascular workout.

In my personal experience I found African dance training incorporates both the aerobic and anaerobic systems with appropriate rest and recovery periods maybe other dance technique classes can learn from this model.

If cardiovascular training is not an integral part of your dance training it is important that dancers find an appropriate cardiovascular routine to compliment your dance training, rehearsal or performance also allowing for adequate rest periods.

Enhanced cardiovascular endurance can enhance you dance skill, fitness and can prevent injury from occurring due to fatigue. With all dance training a warm up and cool down sequence is required to maintain health and well being and enhance recovery. Improved cardiovascular fitness can enhance you dance ability and help you reach your true potential in dance performance.

Disclaimer: The information contained on this web page is intended as general guidance and information only. Power Dance System and its authors accept no liability for any loss, injury or damage however incurred as a consequence, whether directly or indirectly, of the use this information. All advice on this web page should only be used under the supervision of a qualified dance / fitness / healthcare professional.

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The Importance of Cardiovascular Endurance for the Dancer

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There is a misconception that the majority of dancers are physically fit and have strong cardiovascular endurance. Dance activity generally stops and starts utilising the anaerobic system therefore the aerobic system is not engaged. Generally dancers lack cardiovascular fitness this can lead to injury.

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In my essay I mention some of the issues dancers can obtain when in training. Many dance schools in the uk provided support for dancers through many expects of there training. Whether it being nutrition, health and wellbeing or psychological issues, they have a programme or person within there programme that helps to deal with the issue that has occurred. This is a positive thing to have whilst training as the issue can be dealt with instantly so that your progression won't be effected and you can go onto have a positive long career.

Elmhurst ballet school, (2018). Medical Centre and Student Health And Wellbeing, [Online]. Avaliable From: https://www.elmhurstdance.co.uk/Fitness-and-Health.html. [Accessed on 10 December 2018].

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Information about all students Health and Wellbeing is shared and discussed during weekly Student Health and Welfare Meetings (SHWM), which is made up of a cross faculty team and designed to offer the students the best support possible when dealing with an on-going health or injury issue.

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This video talks how why dance science and medicine is important in relation to all aspects of dance training. It questions whether we need dance science and how effective it is being in practise. This was interesting to watch as it made clear to me some aspects of dance science and medicine I haven't thought about as this is a key factor that is mentioned throughout my whole essay.

IADMS (2015), Does the dance work need dance medicine and science?. [Online viewed]. Available From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZp2W2NJgaA.
[Accessed on 7th December 2018].

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Does the dance world need dance medicine and science?

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Within my essay I mention how important bones are in the body in relation to dance. They are the support system to the body so without them we wouldn't be able to move. Dancers can also damage bones due to health conditions that come with the dancer life and training. One of these conditions is called The Female Athlete Triad which can lead to other health problems such as osteoporosis. This is where the bones become brittle therefore a dancer aren't able to perform the demanding movements the dance industry requires decreasing the length of your career.

Google Sites (2018), Skeletal System, GIF. [Accessed on 7th December 2018]. https://sites.google.com/a/st.cabarrus.k12.nc.us/3rd-period-group-3-cheerleading-dance/skeletal-system

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In order for efficient improvements to be made whilst training it has to be in the safest possible environment.IADMS are constantly researching into ways dancers can use studios safely that these improvements can occur.Therefore results in a successful career and minimises injury. This article on there website goes into more depth on this subjects and helps you gain more knowledge of how to change your actions in the dance space to be more positive.

Quin E, (2015). Dancing Longer: Safe and effective dance practise to optimize performance and minimize injury risk.[Online]. Available From: https://www.iadms.org/blogpost/1177934/222954/Dancing-Longer-Safe-and-effective-dance-practice-to-optimize-performance-and-minimize-injury-risk.[Accessed on 5th December 2018].

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This is the third installment on the topic of dance injury on the IADMS blog. Elsa began by introducing us to injuries and injury management in dance, highlighting some great examples of specialized and tailored injury care for dancers in the UK ( National Institute of Dance Medicine and Science) and the USA ( Harkness Center for Dance Injury). This was followed up by Stephanie's post on multi-disciplinary screening programmes as a means of highlighting "any concerns with regards to health, injury risk or mental and physical capabilities" and also the potential role of screening as an educational tool in contributing towards injury prevention. As the next contributor in this series, I focus on minimizing injury risk from the perspective of safe and effective dance principles as applied to dance teaching and dance making.

Photographer: Chris Nash, 2015.
Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance
Dance Science Testing with Wayne McGregor | Random Dance
Dancer: Jessica Wright

Firstly, it is important to dispel the impression that safe dance practice is about ' wrapping dancers in cotton wool' to the point that there is no risk, no creativity, no progression. I do not dare to think what dance - a wonderful, expressive, art form - would become if this were the way we engaged with dance teaching and dance making! No - safe dance practice is the complete opposite, it is a means by which dance can continue to challenge physical (and mental) capabilities, through the application of knowledge and understanding of research-informed practice.It is often noted that choreographic practices of today are increasingly demanding of dancers physicality, and at times reach extremes of athleticism. This can be what makes dance exciting! But, how can we continue to push these artistic boundaries, without increasing an already high injury rate ¹ ... enter safe and effective practice.

Safe practice does not solely aim to reduce injury risk, optimizing dancer potential is just as, if not more, important! The combination of these two aims results in the ultimate intention of prolonging participation in dance through healthful practice. The principles are borne out of dance science research, and engage with key overlapping areas of physical, psychological and environmental knowledge (see figure 1 below). Once understood these principles can be applied and adapted to any dance style, any age group, and any dance setting.

As dance leaders (i.e. teacher, choreographer, artistic director, etc.) some of the key safe practice questions we should ask ourselves are:

1. Do I understand and apply physiological principles of warming-up and cooling down to my dance classes/rehearsals? [look out for the upcoming IADMS Resource Paper on Warm-up and Cool-down!]

2. Am I aware of different ways to stretch and when is it best to the different types? [see here]

3.Do I understand basic anatomical principles and have an awareness of the possible implications of any alignment variations, such as hypermobility or a forward pelvic tilt, within my dancers? [check out 'Teaching the Hypermobile Dancer' by Moira McCormackor 'Improving Pelvic Alignment' by Jennifer Deckert]

4. Do I consider the physiological training needs of my dancers (not just the technical or artistic needs)? [see IADMS Resource Paper]

5. Do I appropriately balance amounts of activity with rest within in dance class/rehearsal ³?

6. Do I understand and encourage effective fuelling (nutrition and hydration) in my dancers? [see IADMS Education Committee Resource Paper]

7.Do I know how to manage an injury, if one occurs during my dance session, or how to engage an injured in the dance class? [check out First Aid for Dancersor Technique Class Participation Options for InjuredDancers]

8. Am I aware of how I could create a positive and healthful learning climate in the dance studio? [check out 'Standing on the Shoulders of a Young Giant How Dance Teachers Can Benefit From Learning About Positive Psychology' by Sanna Nordin and Ashley McGill]

9. Do I know how to adapt my safe practice knowledge to my specific dancers and dance style? [see chapter 10 in Quin, Rafferty & Tomlinson (2015)]

If the answer to any of the above is 'No' or 'I'm not sure', then let today be the day that you take the first step to exploring that specific area of your practice a little more. Dance has evolved, our understanding of the dancing body and mind has evolved, our teaching practices should also continue to evolve. Keeping up to date with the developments in dance medicine and science research are certainly integral to my own safe and effective dance practice, and that of the dancers that I teach.

While not every dancer or dance teacher has access to the wonderful work of organizations such as the Harkness Center for Dance Injuries in New York or the National Institute of Dance Medicine and Science in the UK, fortunately every dancer, dance teacher, dance leader has access to the growing number of widely available resources, a mere sample of which have been included in this post! IADMS obviously provides a wide range of easy-to-read research-informed educational resources such as the Resource Papers , the Bulletin for Dancers and Teachers , as well as to adorn dance studio walls. There is also an expanding number of dance-specific texts that are applying the research into practice. There is even an organization dedicated to supporting, developing, encouraging and endorsing safe and healthy dance practice world-wide; Safe in Dance International (SiDI), go here for more.

So, as we strive to advance our art form, let's do so with the aim of minimizing injury risk, optimizing potential and prolonging participation, by educating ourselves on dance science informed principles. As dance medicine and science research continues to develop, so should our knowledge and application of safe and effective dance practice. Just imagine the possibilities....!

Photographer: Kyle Stevenson, 2010.
Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance
MSc Dance Science Students Investigating the Dance-specific High Intensity Fitness Test
Dancers: Helen Reeve and Casey McEldowney

For further reading, have a look at these resources:

1. Shah, S., Weiss, D.S., & Burchette, R.J. (2012). Injuries in professional modern dancers: Incidence, risk factors, and management. Journal of Dance Medicine and Science, 16(1), 17-25.

2. Quin, E., Rafferty, S., & Tomlinson, C. (2015). Safe Dance Practice. An applied dance science perspective. Champaign, Ill, USA: Human Kinetics.

3. Batson, G,. & Schwartz, R.A. (2007). Revisiting the Value of Somatic Education in Dance Training Through an Inquiry into Practice Schedules. Journal of Dance Education. 7(2):47-56

Dance Educator and Researcher, Programme Leader MSc Dance Science at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance

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International Association for Dance Medicine & Science

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Dancing Longer: Safe and effective dance practice to optimize performance, and minimize injury risk - International Association for Dance Medicine & Science

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This is the third installment on the topic of dance injury on the IADMS blog. Elsa began by introducing us to injuries and injury management in dance, highlighting some great examples of specialized and tailored injury care for dancers in the UK ( National Institute of Dance Medicine and Science) and the USA ( Harkness Center for Dance Injury).

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Knowing about the bones in the body in relation to your practise is very important. It helps prevent injuries and allows us to understand our bodies, knowing how to apply this to technique classes to allow safe practise. In my essay I speak about how going through the metatarsals in the foot whilst jumping allows to prevent injuries such as shin splints. This digram shows there these bones are and how they relate to other sections in the foot that allow movement when dancing.

McLaughlin G (2016), Mobility Monday #11:Improving Foot Function with proper Metatarsal Gliding,JPG.[Accessed on 5th December 2018]. https://garrettmclaughlin.com/2016/06/05/mobility-monday-11-improving-foot-function-with-proper-metatarsal-gliding/

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During my essay I explain the different views on dancers atheistic and what the industry requires.This article also highlights the male side of this and gives us an insight on how women and men are treated differently within the dance industry.

Wood.J,(2017), Voice mag. Challenging Stereotypes in dance.[online]. Available from: https://www.voicemag.uk/blog/2661/challenging-stereotypes-in-dance. [Accessed on 4th December 2018].

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I am a dance student completing Gold Arts Award. in my blog I challenge stereotypes in dance, especially gender stereotypes.
Challenging stereotypes in dance.
Whether male or female there will always be a great pressure to live up to standards. This is not so common in secondary schools, it is mostly in advanced training. In this article I will explore the positive and negative expectations and stigmas placed upon dancers. These often have drastic effects on a dancer's progression and confidence. There are certain boundaries a dancer needs to break through to rise above these stigmas and the bullying, this makes them stronger than the people that call them names.

One of the many stereotypes of a dancer is that they are weak, they are wimps and "drama queens" and over exaggerate everything. In male dancers this can cause the very common assumption that all male dancers are "gay" this of course is not true. In a 2003 sociological study, male dancers reported several stereotypes they had been confronted with including "feminine, homosexual/gay, spoiled, dainty, fragile, and weak". Alternatively there are "positive" stereotypes of the male dancer, these are that he is flexible, strong, thin, creative, and athletic. Although these appear to be positive they can still be damaging. They cause dancers to believe that if they do not live up to these expectations they are not good enough, they do offer something for the dancer to strive towards however every dancer is different. No style is the same, each and every dancer has their own unique way of dancing even if it is only a small difference from the next, but dancers cannot be all of these which has a negative effect on their self-esteem, positive stereotypes are better than the negative but all stereotypes have negative effects.

The male gender has many associations and stereotypes. Males are expected to fulfil the masculine qualities such as "dominance, authority, strength, and a lack of emotions." Although in modern society there does not appear to be a gender imbalance these stereotypes have not changed. As a male, this is how we are expected to be. Of course there are males that fit into these ideologies, however just because they don't doesn't make them any less of a man. We are seeing these stereotypes being filtered out but they are still the patriarchal ideals that we as men are expected to conform to.

Gender is a social construct, meaning: from an early age are cultivated to believe that males and females are masculine and feminine. Of course sex is a physical thing, it is biological and the way you are born, but gender is different, it is constructed and measured on the level of people's masculinity and femininity. The expectations of a dancer are seen as more feminine traits this causes people to assume all dancers are feminine. This is certainly not the case, a lot of dancers, (male and female) have one in particular very masculine expectation, and this is strength. All dancers require a certain amount of strength to execute what we do, but still, female dancers are not recognised for their strength. Another common stereotype; particularly of women, is that dancers are thin/skinny. In actual fact dancers are all shapes and sizes, however when in an audition, you will be scrutinized on your size, it is not personal just maybe you are not what that company is looking for.

From my personal experience and countless shows I have seen I have discovered there is in fact diversity in the dance world, there is just a disbelief that those of a certain size or that don't fit into these stereotypes will not succeed. I have witnessed dancers of all sizes and dancers whose strengths are in a completely different place to the next. The real problem isn't the corporations or the organisations but the public's view on what a dancer is and what a dancer should be, the majority of the public are not dance educated, so it does appear that the people that subject us to the hateful ideologies and stereotypes in fact, haven't a clue what they are talking about. I believe no matter what your strengths, no matter what your size, no matter what your sexuality, if you love what you do, and what you do is dance, then you will be a successful dancer, not just in your own eyes, but you will find yourself striving further if you enjoy what you are doing and don't let the views of others intervene with how you are living with your life.

From my survey I conducted I have found that 4 out of 5 male dancers have experienced negative discrimination against them for being dancers. Allot of this "Bullying" takes place in a lower school environment. One of the main slurs is "gay", the "Bullies" connect dancing with being feminine, and being feminine with being homosexual. They feel stronger by intimidating others and making the male dancers feel vulnerable. Similarly female dancers also experience bullying but it is usually from other dancers and concerning their size and ability. In all of this, dancers will always be the stronger person, because they have to learn to rise above the hateful things people say, so they are not only physically strong, but mentally as well.

Additionally I found 3 in 5 non-dancers have been influenced by the archetypal views, and some believe these stereotypes to be true, the public have been cultivated to believe that these stereotypes and stigmas are the true way of life, being "gay" is just an expectation of dancers caused by media cultivation, leading people to accept these stereotypes as reality.

How can we stop this and make everyone more accepting? Multiple professionals have attempted to do this already. Choreographers have worked with particularly masculine stereotypes for example builders, rugby players, and football players. They have done this in attempt to demonstrate that dancing does not make you "feminine" however sometimes it does not have this effect and people view it satirically. An example of the opposite effect it the money supermarket adverts, yes they are a nations favourite and are comical to watch, however they display dance as feminine. The adverts depict men in heals "strutting their stuff" which is amusing to watch but it follows the stereotype that dancers are "camp" and "gay". Another one of their adverts depicts a builder, which is usually considered a very masculine role, this is a deconstruction of the gender roles as it shows a very masculine character displaying the attributes of femininity, the only bad thing is that they display his femininity through dance, using dance as a feminine factor.

In conclusion, the solution to people naivety is purely education, when someone believes in a stereotype there is little that can be done, but if we raise the new generation to believe otherwise, it will stop the name calling, and the bullying. If dance is made compulsory in schools then there would be no use of people calling dancers "gay", because everyone would dance. Of course dance it not something everybody enjoys. Raising children not to pick on each other would be ideal but I doubt it possible, but if dance is made accessible to more children then we might discover more people love to dance than we thought.

Dance not only teaches you how to use your body's full potential but it teaches more essential life skills, for example teamwork, caring for each other, and most of all, trust. Not only trust in one another but trust in ourselves. And you would think we would be able to trust our peers not to call us dancers "gay".

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I am a dance student completing Gold Arts Award. in my blog I challenge stereotypes in dance, especially gender stereotypes. Challenging stereotypes in dance. Whether male or female there will always be a great pressure to live up to standards. This is not so common in secondary schools, it is mostly in advanced training.

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In my essay I mentioned the important of supplementary exercise in relation to improve my fitness as a dancer in training.On this webpage by trinity Laban it explains some more ways in which supplementary exercise can be used in many different ways to be effective in providing career longevity.

healthtl, 2015. The Benefits Of Supplementary Training For Dancers.[Online]. Available from:https://trinitylaban.wordpress.com/2015/11/28/the-benefits-of-supplementary-training-for-dancers/.[Accessed on 27th November 2018].

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psychological and Physiological Effects 

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psychological and Physiological Effects 

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Professional Ballerina Misty Copeland explains in her latest books the effects nutrition and the demands of the industry have on her dance career so far. It explains what she has learn't through her time as being a dancer and gives some tips and tricks on how to cope with the mental demands of the dance industry.

Misty Copeland,2017.Ballerina Body:Dancing and Eating your way to a Lighter,Stronger and More Graceful You.[Online],Avaliable From:https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=m-xQDQAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=misty+copeland+ballerina+body&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjU8r-J4_HeAhWkKcAKHe1QDlQQ6AEINTAC#v=onepage&q=misty%20copeland%20ballerina%20body&f=false.[Accessed on 26th November 2018].

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In her first health and fitness book, celebrated ballerina Misty Copeland shows you how to find the motivation to get healthier and stronger, and how to refine the body you were born with to be lean, strong and flexible, with step-by-step advice, meal plans, workout routines and words of inspiration.Misty offers her own time-tested, ballet-inspired movements that are perfect for women who want to lengthen and strengthen, but don't want to run a marathon or lift weights.

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During my essay I explore the ways in how dance science helps educate young dancers like me in training on how to look after our bodies and how to create a safe working environment.This article explores the way dance science can help with the physiological demands of the industry and how to prepare for it the best you can.

Hayward.L,(2015). Feature:Physiologic Preparation for The Demands Of Choreography.[Online].Available From:http://londondance.com/articles/features/the-future-new-ideas-new-inspirations/physiological-preparation-for-the-demands-of-chore/.[Accessed On 25th November].

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Physiological Preparation for the Demands of Choreography (Healthier Dancer) - with Edel Quin, Dr Emma Redding, Sarah Beck & Jessica Wright #DUKfuture #DUKfuture, Laban Saturday 11 April 2015

What are the physical demands of contemporary dance choreography and how can dancers be better prepared to meet these demands?

Trinity Laban's Head of Dance Science, Dr Emma Redding, introduced the session and explained the aims of the dance science team -looking at physiological needs of dancers informs training and preparation and better prepares dancers for the demands that choreography places on the body. Drawing on research data collected by dance science lecturer and PhD student Sarah Beck and team with Transitions Dance Company (part of Trinity Laban), Redding reflected on the dancer 'fitness debate', and explained that a discrepancy exists between intensity of training and performance. Interestingly, studies of dancer's fitness, during a training/rehearsal period and subsequent tour, show that fitness improves as a result of performing, rather than the rehearsal period leading up to performance.

While dancer Jessica Wright was being kitted out with a scary-looking portable gas analyser, Redding explained how the analyser works - by monitoring oxygen update, carbon dioxide expenditure, VO2 max (a measure of the maximum volume of oxygen that an athlete can use), heart rate, blood pressure, RER (respiratory exchange ratio) and intrabreath patterns the team are able to see the correlations between certain aspects of dance movement and the physiological effects on the body. Wright performed excerpts of Wayne McGregor's choreography while the audience watched her dance and the resultant data being recorded on screen. Getting close to her maximal heart rate in certain sequences and the recovery during slower elements, it was fascinating to see Wright perform and the effects on the body during performance.

Edel Quin, MSc Dance Science Programme Leader, brought the session to a close by asking what can be learnt from measuring dance in this way. Quin asked whether choreographers and companies should consider building periodisation into schedules? Whereas, sport allows a ratio of activity to rest and a reduced training period before the main event (think 'tapering' prior to a marathon), dancers train hard right up to opening night. As the main causes of injury in dance are fatigue and overwork, Quin proposes that there is a clear need for the dance community to be more aware of what they are preparing dancers for.

So how can choreographers apply this information to better prepare their dancers?
The take-home messages/aspirations from this session are:

* Supplementary physiological training could be built into the rehearsal schedule taking account of specificity of choreography and individuality of dancers;

* Ensure quality over quantity in dance training. Help to plan rehearsals to balance physical practice with rest and mental practice with the aim to avoid injury via overwork and fatigure;

* Physiological training to be incorporated into budgetary and timeline considerations;

* Learn from experience, apply knowledge and build on it with other specialists in the area.

Quin noted that data collection has so far been limited to monitoring company dancers, with very little research being conducted on freelance independent artists. It sounds like more work needs to be done in this area (engagement with freelancers has been a constant thread throughout the day as a whole).

An empassioned audience discussion followed, a number of attendees commenting on the desire for the wider communication of dance science concepts and the need for the 'science' to be accessible to all. In my view, this session was a great example of bridging the gap between applied practical knowledge and science/data. Seeing Wright dance certainly brought the concepts to life!

More about Dance UK's Healthier Dancer programme and the Trinity Laban Dance Science team
Report & photos: Lara Hayward

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Physiological Preparation for the Demands of Choreography - LondonDance

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Physiological Preparation for the Demands of Choreography (Healthier Dancer) - with Edel Quin, Dr Emma Redding, Sarah Beck & Jessica Wright #DUKfuture #DUKfuture, Laban Saturday 11 April 2015 What are the physical demands of contemporary dance choreography and how can dancers be better prepared to meet these demands?

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In my essay I mentioned about having strength and power in the muscles to help with the balance of working with flexibility in order to apply correct technique. As dancer's it is useful to know the muscles in the body as it allows us to understand how and why muscles move in certain way's when applying technique. Due to this you are then able to apply your knowledge of the muscles to prevent injury.

didier-chantier, (2018).Human Anatomy Of Muscles,JPG.[Accessed on 25th November 2018].http://didier-chantier.com/human-anatomy-of-muscles/human-anatomy-of-muscles-simply-simple-contemporary-art-sites-with-human-anatomy-of-muscles/.

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In this video professional dancer Misty Copeland, Goes into depth about her experiences of being a ballerina and how important her eating habits were in order to maintain good health when performing. She also adds her own tips and what she learn't into being most effective when struggling with an eating disorder which I mention within my essay.

PeopleTV.(2017),Misty Copeland On Ballerina Eating Disorders & Her Own Health Struggles | People NOW | People.[Online Video].Available From:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3clqDbKdTw.[Accessed 25th November 2018].

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Misty Copeland On Ballerina Eating Disorders & Her Own Health Struggles | People NOW | People

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This picture shows some of the yoga poses you can do to release tension in different areas of the body.This important for dancers as it helps to remove any stiffness so that you are able to move with full range at optimum performance. Yoga also helps with the mind as it relaxes you into a state of rest so that you can focus on repairing the body from the activities you have participated in.

Dear Kate (2017).Yoga poses to relieve PMT,JPG.[Accessed on 23rd Novemeber].https://www.dearkates.com/blogs/blog/yoga-to-relieve-pmt.

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I mention in my essay some of the components of fitness a dancer should work upon. In this article it explains into more depth why we need these components and how they contribute to a dancer being compared to an athlete.

Koutedakis.Y,Jamurtas.A.(2004).The dancer as a Performing Athlete:Physiological Considerations.Journal of dance medicine.[Online].vol.34 issue 10 p651 11p.Avaliable from:http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.bolton.ac.uk/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=65e2cf68-ea7d-47c5-918e-8c7febc0c547%40pdc-v-sessmgr06.[Accessed on 23rd November 2018].

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This Article is by the ISTD summaries bones and how in relation to dance why they are so important to your training and career longevity.

Dr.K.Backhouse OBE.(2018).Bones,[Online].Available from: https://www.istd.org/courses-and-training/resources/bone/.[Accessed 23rd November 2018].

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Bone - Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing

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It is often said that girls should not start point work in classical ballet before about 12 years of age because their bones would be too weak and liable to bend in growth. This is hardly an acceptable argument though often a convenient one for calming down the enthusiasm of student or parent.

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This digram shows many aspects of dance injuries and some percentages in where they occur in the body and what age is more likely the get injured at.

Monika,(2015).The Dance Training Project,JPG.[Accessed on 19th November 2018].https://www.reddit.com/r/Dance/comments/98i3mk/fantastic_infographic_about_dance_related/.

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This book was effective and key to my research as it helped me understand in depth how anatomy, dance technique and injury prevention all link in with one another.

Howse.J,McCormack M (2009).Anatomy,Dance techniques and Injury Prevention.[Online].Avaliable from: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=gHQZVdYUa3oC&printsec=frontcover&dq=dance+anatomy+book&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjD-fjy2LjeAhWKCsAKHR2FByEQ6AEIPTAD#v=onepage&q=dance%20anatomy%20book&f=false.[Accessed on 18th November 2018]

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Anatomy, Dance Technique and Injury Prevention

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39;Strongly recommended' The Dancing Times Injury in dance is often not an accident but a fault in technique that has not been identified at an early stage, or a variation in physique where the implications have not yet been understood. Appropriate treatment is vital and not always easy to find.

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This Photo/Diagram shows some examples of key foods that dancers should be eating in order to receive the right fuel to keep energy levels at optimum performance.

Lacuna Loft (2015),Healthy Eating,JPG.[Accessed on 19th November 2018].http://www.allstarfitness.net/2016/04/fish-and-lean-meats-round-out-good.html.

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Throughout this video dance nutritionist Leslie Bonci has an seminar with the students at the Pittsburgh ballet Theatre explaining nutrition and how dancers can be the most effective in contributing to there training through there eating choices.

UPMC (2014).Dance nutrition with Leslie Bronci at Pittsburg Ballet theatre.[Online viewed].Avaliable from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUbTBYlYmic&t=161s [Assessed on  18th November 2018].

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Dance Nutrition with Leslie Bonci at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre

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This picture highlights the different pathways you could take when experiencing the female  Athlete Triad.

IVFI (2016).Female Athlete Triad,JPG.[ Accessed on 19th November 2018] https://www.ivf1.com/female-athlete-triad/.