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Final Verdict

While there are many ways to dip your toes into dance, we believe Dancio is the best. We love that it offers an accessible way to learn a variety of choreography-heavy dances and features renowned dance instructors. Plus, the monthly fee isn't too steep.

For those who want to learn dance moves to their favorite songs, try out STEEZY Studio. It has tons of choreography classes set to today's top hits and some beginner-friendly tutorials to get you started on the right foot. For those wanting to learn more traditional ballroom styles of dance, you will love Daily Burn's Ballroom Swing classes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dancing a Good Workout?

Yes! Dancing is a fantastic workout, even if you're having so much fun it doesn't feel like one. If you consider it a fun activity, it may help you to stay committed over time.

What Type of Dance Burns the Most Calories?

It turns out that breakdancing can burn over 500 calories in an hour-long session. However, that is an advanced dance form and may not be a good fit for everyone. Fret not; hip-hop dancing burns just under 500 calories in an hour. Head over to STEEZY Studio for our favorite hip-hop dance classes.

What Types of Dance Classes Can I Take Online?

There is truly something for everyone when it comes to online dance classes. You can learn hip-hop, ballet, contemporary, modern, and even pole dancing online. Dance cardio classes are also perfect for those who want a fresh take on an intensive workout.

Can I Learn How to Dance From Online Classes?

You can learn how to dance in online classes. Opt for choreography-focused classes that are geared towards beginners. Check out Dancio or STEEZY Studio for classes that will teach a routine while including dance newcomers!

Methodology

We researched 13 companies when creating this review. Our picks for the best online dance classes were based on quality, range of fitness levels, and price point. Many who chose to try an online dance class are beginners. Therefore, excellent quality of instruction and a variety of levels is important. In addition, we picked platforms with various prices, ensuring we had at least one free class available. All eight picks are appropriate for most dance experience levels and, except for the pole dancing class, are also a good fit for a range of fitness levels.

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Dance classes are a fun way to get moving if you want to try something new or change up your workout routine. Here are our picks for the best online dance classes.

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Essay Introduction to professional Practice

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Essay Introduction to professional Practice

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Rhian Cadman Introduction to professional practice

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Social media is causing dancers to injure themselves. This is caused by over stretching and tearing the joints apart which can lead to king term injury. Being flexible had become a competition and more importantly technique is more needed than flexibility.

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BJSM blog - social media's leading SEM voice

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Traditionally dance medicine has been somewhat the poor relation of sports medicine. Why is this the case? There is no doubt that dancers, of whatever genre, require the physical and psychological attributes of athletes. However, dance involves an additional artistic component where ultimately performance on stage is judged not according to a score card as in aesthetic sports, rather on the ability of the dancers to forge an emotional connection with the audience.

As with athletes, injuries are always an important topic for dancers: how to recognise the aetiology of injuries and thus develop prevention strategies. Dance UK have published two reports on national enquiries into the health of dancers. Dance UK has now evolved into the organisation One Dance which includes the National Institute of Dance Medicine and Science (NIDMS). One Dance provides delivery of the Healthier Dancer Programme (HDP) whose talks regularly engage 1500+ dancers and dance professionals per year and which will be a part of the One Dance UK conference at the end of November, an overarching event for the entire dance sector. One Dance holds a list of healthcare professionals with experience and expertise in dance. One Dance is an especially an important resource for independent dancers who will not have access to the provision for those working in larger dance companies.

However, beyond injury management, there are important aspects of the health of dancers which need to be considered, highlighted in an information booklet "Your body, Your risk" from Dance UK. The female athlete triad is well established as a clinical spectrum comprising of disordered eating, menstrual dysfunction and impaired bone health. Indeed impaired bone mineral density many persist even after retirement in female dancers. The recent evolution of the female athlete triad into relative energy deficiency in sports (RED-S) provides an important clinical model. RED-S includes male athletes/dancers, involves multiple body systems and crucially, evidence of detrimental effects on athletic performance is being researched and described. In other words RED-S is not restricted to female dancers/athletes with bone stress injuries.

The fundamental cause of RED-S is low energy availability where nutritional intake is insufficient to cover energy requirements for training and resting metabolic rate. In this situation the body goes into energy saving mode, which includes shut down of many hypothalamic-pituitary axes and hence endocrine network dysfunction. As hormones are crucial to backing up adaptations to exercise training, dysfunction will therefore have an effect not just on health, but on athletic performance. In dance, neuromuscular skills and proprioception are key for performance. Hence, of concern is that these skills are adversely impacted in functional hypothalamic amenorrhoea, which together with impaired bone health from RED-S, greatly increases injury risk.

Low energy availability can arise in dance and sport where low body weight confers an aesthetic and/or performance advantage. There is no doubt that being light body weight facilitates pointe work in female dancers and ease of elevation in male dancers. Thus, low energy availability can occur intentionally in an effort to achieve and maintain low body weight. Low energy availability can also be unintentional as a result of increased expenditure from training, rehearsal and performance demands and the practicality of fuelling. This situation is of particular concern for young dancers in training, as this represents a high energy demand state, not just for full time training, additionally in terms of energy demands for growth and development, including attainment of peak bone mass.

Despite the significance of RED-S in terms of negative consequences on health and performance, as outlined by the IOC in the recent consensus update, further work is required in terms of raising awareness, identification and prevention. Fortunately these issues are being addressed with the development of an online educational resource on RED-S for athletes/dancers, their coaches/teachers/parents and healthcare professionals which is backed by British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine (BASEM) and with input from One Dance and NIDMS. In terms of research to facilitate the proliferation of evidence base in dance medicine, One Dance lists calls for research, whilst NHS NIDMS clinics provide access to clinical dance medicine. The importance of the application of this growing field of dance medicine and science for the health and performance of dancers was recently outlined in an article " Raising the barre: how science is saving ballet dancers ".

On the international stage, the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS) strives to promote an international network of communication between dance and medicine. To this end, IADMS will hold its 28th Annual Conference in Helsinki, Finland from October 25-28, 2018. In addition to extensive discussion of dance injuries, there will be presentations on "Sleep and Performance" and "Dance Endocrinology".

So maybe Dance Medicine and Science is not so much the poor relation of Sports Medicine, rather showing the way in terms of integrating input between dancers, teachers and healthcare professionals to optimise the health of dancers and so enable dancers to perform their full potential.

***

Fit to Dance? Report of National inquiry into dancers' health. Fit to Dance 2 Dance UK

One Dance: Your body your risk. Dance UK, Fit but fragile. National Osteoporosis Society

Bone mineral density in professional female dancers BJSM

2018 UPDATE: Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) Dr N Keay BJSM 2018

Reduced Neuromuscular Performance in Amenorrheic Elite Endurance Athletes Medicine and Science in Sports & Exercise 2017

Dancing through Adolescence Dr N Keay BJSM

Healthy Hormones Dr N Keay BASEM 2018

Raising the barre: how science is saving ballet dancers The Guardian 2018

International Association for Dance Medicine and Science Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise 2017

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What is Dance Medicine? | BJSM blog - social media's leading SEM voice

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Dr Nicky Keay @nickyKfitness Traditionally dance medicine has been somewhat the poor relation of sports medicine. Why is this the case? There is no doubt that dancers, of whatever genre, require the physical and psychological attributes of athletes. However, dance involves an additional artistic component where ultimately performance on stage is judged not according to a [...]Read More...

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International Association for Dance Medicine & Science

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404 | International Association for Dance Medicine & Science

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The entrancing power of Instagram can't be denied. I've lost hours of my life scrolling the platform looking at other people documenting theirs. What starts as a "quick" fill-the-moment check-in can easily lead to a good 10-15 minute session, especially if I enter the nebulous realm of "suggested videos."

My algorithm usually shows me professional ballet dancers in performances, rehearsals, class, backstage and on tour, which I quite enjoy. But there are the other dance feeds that I find myself simultaneously intrigued and horrified by: the hyper-elastic, hyper-extended, gumby-footed girls always at the barre doing developpés to six o'clock. There are the multiple turners, the avid stretchers and we can't forget the endless balancers.

This parade of tricksters always makes me wonder, What else can they do? Can they actually dance?

I often click into these accounts just to see what else there is-maybe the flexi-girl has real talent and technique. Unfortunately, there usually isn't much more to see. The super gumby girl is perpetually stretching, the turner has endless clips of pirouettes (often to same side and out of the context of a combination) and the girl with the crazy arched feet is always tenduing and "pointe shoe modeling" (at the barre).

As I hunt for signs of real training and artistic quality, I find myself sliding into a virtual Insta-K-hole, ending up a bit confounded and depressed.

Social media is a space where the extremes of almost anything (beauty, physique, lifestyle) are celebrated and held as aspirational, resulting in a growing lack of appreciation for the simple or average. In dance, the "average" or "simple" amounts to clean, solid technique, or a body that is well-formed and capable, or a beautifully-placed 90-degree arabesque. Everything has become so extreme that if it's not 15 after 6 o'clock or eight turns, it is of no interest.

This is a slippery slope. Surfing Instagram is like watching the virtue of dance as a high art deteriorate in real time. Who and what goes viral is a reflection of a newly-forming value system. With each "like" and "follow," we vote on the future of our field.

It's Not Just Harmless Visual Candy.

Tricks may be impressive, but dance is about more than contortions. Photo by David Hoffman/Unsplash

These sorts of IG accounts are basically dance erotica, where the physical attributes coveted by dancers are fetishized, presented in such extremity that they border on grotesque, unrealistic and-more importantly-often unuseful. When dance lovers (whether they're educators, students or directors) indulge in the reduction of our art to human caricature and tricks, turning the elite forms of line and grace into a Vaudevillian sideshow, the real danger is the effect on our sensibilities.

What seems like harmless visual candy is setting new standards for young dancers as they seek to emulate their Insta-heros, and "likes" are validation.

Think about it: How often do young dancers go to the theater to actually see live dance? This generation's primary experience of dance is via an electronic device (television, tablet, phone). They experience a one-dimensional, truncated version of dance, viewing snippets and clips of full pieces, and with diminishing attention spans. If anything over four minutes is too long, what does that do for a three-act story ballet?

Often, dance students' first contact with principal dancers is via their 'Gram. Though these stars might have lengthy careers with weighty achievements to their credit, young dancers often rate them as equal to tricksters with thousands of followers.

The Double-Edged Sword of Insta Opportunities

You can't hide your technique once you come out from behind the camera. Photo by Suhyeon Choi/Unsplash

Having an outsized level of visibility can earn these Insta-stars money, as they get sought by dance organizations and other brands to become "ambassadors." Which is all well and good. Any way an artist can find ways to earn extra money is a win.

But these brands are contracting influencers, not necessarily dancers; they could have two left feet and 500,000 followers. The ability for those new sensations to monetize their popularity has destabilized the already compromised foundation of dance's value system. More and more, we hear about students being "discovered" on Instagram and courted by serious schools.

You could argue that this levels the playing field since now anyone from anywhere can be offered an opportunity. But is this an authentic gauge of talent? Everyone's feed is edited and curated-no one is posting videos of things they can't do well. When you see that student in a technique class the truth is revealed: she can do that turning diagonal but ask her to stand on one turned out leg, and the jig is up.

One professional black ballet dancer who aggressively worked to increase her followers a couple years ago got a great deal of press, was courted by brands and became somewhat of a face for black ballerinas. However, a source informed me that when several of her followers came to see her perform, they were less than impressed and unfollowed her.

While a picture might be worth 1000 words, it is not worth 1000 steps.

Students Now Demand To Be Taught Insta-Worthy Tricks

Building the strength for a dance career requires more than learning pyrotechnics. Photo by Frederik Trovatte/Unsplash

Though most schools won't admit it, having Insta-celeb attend your summer intensive or year-round program and post about it is free advertising. However the knife cuts both ways. Insta-star followers may want study where their idols train, but they also want to learn to do what they see on their feeds. Young dancers are "customers" and teacher/studio owners can feel pressured to give them what they want lest they go elsewhere.

These tricks, in and of themselves, are not bad things. However, devoid of a codified technical progression, which builds the steps incrementally, they can be disastrous. Dancing happens in the transitions, in the pathways. The foundation of technique is in the "how" steps are entered and exited.

When you teach with the focus only on the height of the leg, the number of turns or intricacy of a big jump, you are building a house of cards. It can be hard to convince a generation that has been raised on instant gratification that slow progress is well worth the time. Too many young dance students want to be "famous" more than they want actual careers in dance.

Social Media Fame Can Impact Real-World Decisions

Should followers be able to determine casting? Photo by Erik Lucatero/Unsplash

Amassing followers can translate not only into dollars through brand endorsements and sponsored posts, but we are beginning to see its results in ticket sales.

A dancer with avid followers can post their performance schedule and fans will...follow. When a professional dancer's social media presence can attract attention to a company in ways that an expensive marketing campaign can't, one has to wonder if this new influence could act as leverage for casting and ranking? You better believe that when ticket sales spike, the head office will notice.

But if casting is driven-or at least influenced by-social media popularity, what happens to the craft? What happens to the actual artistic standard of a company? Are we soon to see a company using an Instagram poll to give followers the opportunity to vote on casting?

All attention is not good attention, appropriate or for that matter, authentic. There was a time not so long ago when professional dancers and students alike had to have official authorization before engaging with the "press." Today, every social media account is technically a press outlet. You can't prevent people from posting about their lives. Some organizations have begun to include social media clauses in contracts, but it is a roller coaster-sized learning curve that we are all strapped into. It's daunting; careers are just as quickly ended as begun on social media with a simple click.

About Those "Inspirational" Accounts

Since Instagram is a research resource, bad technique can have real consequences. Photo by Krys Alex/Unsplash

I would be remiss if I did not mention the badly-curated "inspirational" accounts started by well-meaning dance lovers who have less of a discerning eye for the dance aesthetic. My eyes have been continuously assaulted by images of dancers who have stripped down half naked in public risking life and limb to get a shot.

It's like a Dr. Seuss picture book-on a bus, on a train, on a bridge, boarding a plane-with every post hoping to garner more followers, or better yet, go viral. Some are taken by professional photographers, others by peers and parents. The results run the gambit from artistically awe-inspiring to simply awful, with questionable quality and taste levels.

Inspirational dance accounts in a sense democratize dance with the premise that everybody can dance. Which is true-it would be folly to disregard that fact that dancers come in different calibers. But when skimming through feeds devoted to inspiring young dancers of color to study ballet, I find myself conflicted. Seeing young brown ballet students wearing a tutu creeping up, bent kneed on a toe shoe makes me wonder what are we trying to have them aspire to?

Although the intention is heartfelt, the execution can be...questionable, and frankly dangerous. Inspiring young dancers of color is necessary but so is establishing standard of excellence that aligns with the professional field.

Think it doesn't matter? Instagram has become a research resource for fashion, television and more. Images for storyboards are pulled from the 'gram. Advertisers think they can pop a pointe shoe on an average underweight model have her make shapes referencing passé or arabesque and have her read as "dancer." (Remember the Free People ad, or Vogue's editorial with Kendall Jenner in pointe shoes?) When your art looks commonplace, people will believe that a pedestrian can do it, that there is no training or skill involved.

Honestly, We All Fall for It

Even the most curmudgeonly among us are wowed by what we see online. Photo by David Hoffman/Unsplash

Even the advocates of technique and artistry get wooed by the sirens song of an S-shaped supporting leg, or the gravity-defying pyrotechnical jump that we really have no name for but wish we could watch in slo-mo so that we could figure out how it's done. It's a guilty pleasure that dance folk of a certain generation would be slow to admit to.

Teachers who admonish the flexible girl for stretching all the time instead of working on strength, and the tell the turning boy that "it's not about quantity but quality" can easily be seduced by a 6 o'clock grand rond de jambe.

But dance educators would be wise to think about what they are posting, re-posting and co-signing with "likes." You can't tell your students it's not about high legs on Monday if you are reposting the rhythmic gymnast-like dancer's developpé pic on Sunday.

I Know Change Is Inevitable, But I'm Still Questioning It

What will we lose if we let our values disappear? Photo by Ryan Jacobson/Unsplash

As the world-and with it my field-is evolving, I relish the sweetness of the particular era when I was dancing (we all tend to be partial). I do not see change as negative, however with every iteration we gain and lose. I suppose I question: Can we control what we lose? In the shifting universe, can we as a community decide what is of such value that we preserve it? What is worth fighting for?

As a community, we would be remiss not to take a good hard look at how social media is changing the landscape of our field. As history has taught us, things once abandoned are hard to reclaim.

Related Articles Around the Web

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Is Instagram Changing The Dance World's Value System?

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The entrancing power of Instagram can't be denied. I've lost hours of my life scrolling the platform looking at other people documenting theirs. What starts as a "quick" fill-the-moment check-in can easily lead to a good 10-15 minute session, especially if I enter the nebulous realm of "suggested vi...

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This can be really dangerous because it's moving the joints out of their normal range of movement causing injury.

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Social media can be an excellent learning tool, but it also comes with physical dangers - ones that could affect your health and your career as a dancer.

Like most dancers, your Instagram feed is probably taken up with gorgeous poses, inspirational quotes and other images and videos that motivate you to excel at your craft. There are likely a few accounts you are particularly devoted to - but are they doing you more harm than good?

"This is a topic that is extremely pertinent right now," says Lisa Howell, respected dance physiotherapist and owner of www.theballetblog.com. "Young students are copying their idols on Instagram, and putting themselves at serious risk of injury."

The biggest issue is that people have different body types. A movement or position that might come easily to one dancer, could be impossible - or dangerous - to another.

"You also don't know the history of the person in the photograph," says Lisa. "How long they've been training, how many hours a week they're dancing, whether or not they're in pain. I know quite a few girls who are 'Insta-famous' but are carrying several injuries."

If you're thinking about copying anything you see on the Internet, whether it's a pose, a routine or a new stretching technique, it's vital to check with an experienced dance teacher, physiotherapist or other health professional first. Also, make sure that they are qualified, as there are several people in the industry claiming to be something they are not.

"With any particular pose, there is always a process of getting to it safely. It's not something you can do overnight, and some poses may not actually be possible, or safe, for all dancers. Often pushing directly into the desired position is the slowest and most dangerous way of getting there. There are often multiple components involved in achieving any position, and especially for young students, simply trying over and over to do something that is too advanced, carries an enormous risk of injury."

There are various moves in particular that are currently trending, which Lisa advises extreme caution on, including any kind of oversplit, extreme leg mounts, 'scorpions' and standing on top of the feet (with the toes bent underneath). We will look at each of these positions in detail in upcoming articles.

One of the main issues is that there are some very influential people offering advice and tutorials and, in the world of social media, everyone appears to be an expert. But it's crucial to make sure the person you're taking advice from has a good basis for giving it - a long-term basis, not just a couple of years of doing something.

"There's a 12-year-old girl who does flexibility tutorials on YouTube with over 200,000 views. She's an extremely hyper-mobile little girl, and one of her second exercises is popping straight down into the splits. She is a 12 year old child, and as far as I am aware has no education or authority at all to be teaching. Yet she is - and people are listening to her. You must be extremely careful of who you listen to, as what has worked for them may not necessarily be safe for you."

Just like 'in real life', there is often pressure to conform to what you see on social media, but it's important not to judge yourself against other dancers. We all develop at different rates, so just because you see someone doing a certain movement at a certain age, it doesn't mean you should be able to do it at the same age. Don't beat yourself up - the most important thing is to train safely, at an appropriate level for your own personal stage of development. Keep an eye on your long term goals, rather than getting distracted by short term achievements that do not really add to them.

"Some steps that are fine for an adult to perform are not safe for children. Especially between the ages of 8 and 14, when the growth plates are really active, things like dropping to the knees, using a foot-stretcher or over-pushing into second position can cause serious, long term damage. When the pelvis, knees and feet are very vulnerable, we must be extremely careful about using any kind of force. Force is not actually needed; there are much more intelligent and safe ways of getting amazing range without using force."

"A lot of people are treating children's bodies as disposable and I do not agree with that at all."

Everybody has their own journey, their own strengths and their own list of things to keep working on. And even if something feels OK now, you could be doing damage to your body which will only show up later in life - and may stop you from dancing altogether.

So always ask yourself: Will it be worth it in the long run? How long do you want to continue to dance for? For most of us, because we love dance so much, the answer will be 'forever'. But we need to be smart if we want that to be a reality.

"You only have one body for the rest of your life," says Lisa, "so make sure anything you're doing is sustainable, not just to get a few 'likes' in the short term."

It's also important to remember that physical capabilities, such as being able to put your leg behind your head, do not make you a good dancer. As Lisa says: "That just means you can put your leg behind your head. There are very few professional dance pieces that actually require that. If you're aiming for a career as a dancer, I highly advise against any of the extreme mobility kind of stretching that is popular now, because you seriously risk doing long-term damage that may mean you won't actually be able to make it as a dancer. Damage to the hip capsule and labrum can be extremely hard to rehabilitate from and can be career ending."

"It's important for the parents of dance students to look at the training their children are doing and realise the potential for long-term damage, and then make an educated decision as to whether or not it is worth it," says Lisa.

There ARE safe ways to achieve your goals, appropriate to your age and stage of development. Use social media for inspiration, but don't be pressured by what you see. Everybody is different, and the most important thing is that you build a strong and safe future for yourself, whatever your goals may be.

By Rain Francis of Dance Informa.

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Dangers of Social Media for Dancers - Dance Informa Magazine

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Social media can be an excellent learning tool, but it also comes with physical dangers - ones that could affect your health and your career as a dancer. Like most dancers, your Instagram feed is probably taken up with gorgeous poses, inspirational quotes and other images and videos that motivate you to excel at your [...]

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To perform at their best, dancers need to be well-fuelled (i.e. they need to eat the right balance of carbohydrate, fat, protein, micronutrients, and fluids).

An easy way to estimate how many calories or kilojoules a professional dancer requires during heavy training is

Females 45-50 calories (190-210kj) per kilogram of body weight

Males 50-55 calories (210-230kj) per kilogram of body weight.

For a more accurate assessment, dancers should consult a dietitian.

A low caloric intake will not only compromise energy availability, it may also lead to an under-ingestion of many micronutrients that could affect performance, growth and health. After calculating the number of calories needed, the next step is to estimate the necessary amount of carbohydrate, fat and protein-the building blocks of the diets.

Carbohydrate

A dancer's diet should consist of about 55-60% carbohydrate, 12-15% protein and 20-30% fat. As carbohydrate is the major energy source for muscles, during particularly heavy training and rehearsing, the amount of carbohydrate should be increased to about 65%. Ingested carbohydrate is broken down into simple sugars (glucose) in the digestive tract then stored in muscle as glycogen, the primary fuel for energy production. If you do not eat enough carbohydrate your ability to perform will be compomised because of low levels of glycogen in the muscles. You may feel more fatigued during classes and rehearsals.

The best energy foods are complex carbohydrate (cereal, bread, pasta, rice) rather than simple sugars, because a complex carbohydrate is full of nutrients, while simple carbs are not. The estimated carbohydrate need is 6-10 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight. In addition to meals, a carbohydrate snack about 1-2 hours prior to hard work (e.g. a bread roll or an energy bar-preferably one that does not list sugar as the main ingredient) will increase glucose levels in the circulation and 'top-up' muscle glycogen stores.

During long rehearsals it is also important to maintain circulating levels of glucose to prevent fatigue.

After a period of dancing, the muscles require an adequate supply of carbohydrate to replenish the muscle glycogen stores. The fastest rate of glycogen resynthesis occurs in the two hours immediately after exercise, so it is important to eat some carbohydrate during this time to refill muscle stores and be ready for the next activity.

Fat

Why do we need fat?

to provide structure for cell membranes

it forms the insulating layer around nerves

it provides the base of many hormones

for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins

for muscle fuel

The estimated amount of fat needed is about 1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight. Because ingestion of high amounts of saturated fats is associated with chronic disease, the recommended amount of saturated fat in the diet should be less than 10%.

Muscle and adipose (fat) tissue store fat in the form of triglycerides. During exercise, triglycerides are broken down into fatty acids, which the body converts to energy. Fatty acids are an energy source for muscles for endurance activities or long rehearsals where the body is continuously exercising for over 20 minutes at a time. A diet too low in fat can have serious health consequences and ultimately can impair performance.

Protein

Adequate protein ingestion is essential for all working athletes and dancers. Even if you are not wanting to build muscle, protein is needed to repair the breakdown of muscle fibres that are stressed by constant use. Protein is also used by the body as fuel, and it is important for synthesising the many enzymes necessary for metabolism. The estimated protein need is 1.4-1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

For non-vegetarians, chicken or turkey without the skin are excellent low-fat protein sources. For vegetarians, tofu, seitan (wheat gluten) and mixtures of beans and rice are good protein choices. Protein powders are not necessary, even for male dancers, if they are following these recommendations. If a protein supplement is warranted, the best choice is milk powder. The high tech and expensive protein supplements on the market are not any better than simple dry milk.

Micronutrients

Vitamins and minerals comprise the micronutrients in the diet. Water-soluble vitamins are the B vitamins and vitamin C. Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat soluble. The B vitamins play important roles in energy production (especially thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and vitamin B) and in red blood cell formation (folic acid and vitamin B12).

Deficiency of these vitamins can impair performance. Vitamins A (beta carotene), C and E function as antioxidants that are necessary for the repair of over-stressed muscles and are needed to help muscles recover from strenuous activity. Vitamin D is important in bone formation.

macrominerals

We need over 100mg/day of the macrominerals which are calcium, phosphorus and magnesium, but only calcium will be mentioned here because of its importance for dancers. Calcium is vital for healthy, strong bones. It is only during the first 2 - 3 decades of life that bone mass is developed so it is essential to eat adequate calcium during these years. Low bone mass and low calcium intake are also associated with increased risk of stress fractures. 1

microminerals

We need under 100mg/day of the microminerals (or trace minerals) of which there are nine, but iron and zinc are the ones that dancers are most inclined to be deficient in. Iron is needed to carry oxygen in the blood because it forms part of the haemoglobin molecule. Oxygen is used for the production of energy in muscle cells. Dietary iron is of two types: the heme, found in meat, and non-heme, less absorbable type found in plants.

Vitamin C increases the absorption of iron, so eating a source of vitamin C (such as capsicums, strawberries or oranges) along with iron-rich food is a good idea. Dancers should include some lean red meat in their diet for an adequate supply of iron. Red meat is also a good source of zinc, which is a component of several enzymes important in energy production and plays a role in red blood cell production. If you are vegetarian, then you should eat plenty of iron-rich whole grains.

Dancers should be cautious about taking vitamin and mineral supplements because supplements containing only selected micronutrients can do more harm than good. Excessive amounts can interfere with the absorption of another and megadoses of some vitamins and minerals can be toxic. 2 Getting micronutrients from fresh food, which generally consists of numerous health-giving phytochemicals, is far preferable.

Ideally, dancers should have two serves of fresh fruit and at least five serves of vegetables daily, plus whole grains, dairy products and lean red meat. Because not all vitamins or minerals occur in all foods, it is recommended that you eat a wide variety of foods. A calorie restricted or monotonous diet could lead to a deficiency in some vitamins and could sgnificanlty impair the ability to work and recover.

Fluid

Exercise increases heat production by muscles. Cooling the body depends on evaporation of sweat from the skin. Sweat losses during a hard class or long rehearsal can be substantial-up to two litres per hour. Fluid loss results in dehydration that can impair performance and mental function, making it difficult to quickly pick up complicated choreographic combinations and execute them.

A cup (250 ml) of fluid every 15 minutes is recommended. Whenever there is a break in class or rehearsal the dancer should have ready access to fluid and should be encouraged to drink because the thirst mechanism does not keep up with the body's need for fluid. A water bottle or sport drink should be part of a dancer's 'gear' and, if possible, dancers should be able to have a drink bottle in the studio or theatre. Following class and rehearsal, dancers should continue to increase fluid consumption for the next few hours. Avoid carbonated drinks and large quantities of fruit juice.

A simple way to monitor hydration is to check urine color: clear to light yellow is hydrated; yellow to dark yellow means dehydrated. (Note: Vitamin B supplements will result in yellow urine and make this dehydration test inaccurate.)

All dancers need to ingest sufficient energy to meet the demands of training and performing. Consuming the right amounts and types of food and fluid will provide the body with the 'high performance fuel' necessary to achieve optimal training benefits and peak performance.

Further reading

Acknowledgements

Priscilla Clarkson, PhD under the auspices of the Education Committee of IADMS. Special thanks to Elizabeth Snell.
© 2003-2005 International Association for Dance Medicine and Science

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Fuelling the dancer " Ausdance | Dance Advocacy

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To perform at their best, dancers need to be well-fuelled (i.e. they need to eat the right balance of carbohydrate, fat, protein, micronutrients, and fluids). An easy way to estimate how many calories or kilojoules a professional dancer requires during heavy training is Females 45-50 calories (190-210kj) per kilogram of body weight Males 50-55 calories (210-230kj) per kilogram of body weight.

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How many families out there have a little dancer in their household? Some girls spend an average of 3 to 4 hours each day dancing. They may even go dancing at school if they are involved with school dance programs. Many girls are arriving to dance sometime after school is out, then get home too late for proper meals with their family. All they are concerned with is getting homework done and going to bed. Fueling your body as a dancer isn't always an easy task, but it's important.

Proper Nutrition for Dancers

Use this information to ensure that you're receiving proper nutrition.

Calorie Needs

To perform your best, dancers need to be well fueled for classes, rehearsals, and performance. A huge challenge for dancers is not ingesting sufficient quantities of food to meet the energy demand of dance. An easy estimate of caloric needs during heavy training for a female is 45-50 calories/kg of body weight (kg= lbs weight / 2.2 example: 100 lbs / 2.2 = 45.45 kg). The caloric needs of a male are higher at 50-55 calories/kg body weight.﻿﻿

Consuming too few calories will compromise your energy availability and of course with low calories comes low intake of micronutrients that will alter performance, growth, and overall health.﻿﻿

Carbohydrates

To begin with, the basics of energy carbohydrates are a dancer's best friend. A dancer should have a diet rich in whole grains and complex carbohydrates. Fifty-five to 60 percent of their diet should be carbohydrates. Carbs are the main source of energy for any athlete because carbohydrates break down into glucose and fuel muscles. Without glucose, a dancer's skills and strength would be compromised and the feeling of muscle fatigue would take over.

In addition to meals, a dancer should also ingest carbohydrates before, during, and after class or performance. At least one hour before any activity begins a dancer should consume a quick energy carbohydrate to start glucose fueling. Sources of carbohydrates include whole-grain pasta, rice, beans, whole grain bread, and fresh fruit.​

Fats are also very important. Fat provides structure for all cell membranes, they are the insulating layer around nerves, and fats form the base of many of our hormones. Healthy fats are needed for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and are used to fuel the muscles for energy. It is estimated that people need 1.2 grams of fat/kg of body weight. Muscles and adipose (fat) tissue store fats called triglycerides. During exercise, triglycerides are broken down into fatty acids and produce energy for muscles to contract. Fatty acids are very important during endurance activity such as dancing, where one is continuously exercising for over 20 minutes at a time. Healthy fats to include in the diet are nuts, canola oil, olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado.

Protein is extremely important for young dancers and all athletes whether the goal is to build muscle or not. With constant use of muscles during competition and practices, protein is needed for building and repairing used muscle tissue. Protein is also used as an auxiliary fuel when one doesn't have enough of glycogen on board. The estimated need for protein is 1.4 to 1.6 grams of protein/kg of body weight.

Healthy sources of protein include animal meats like chicken, fish, turkey, lean pork, or beef. Vegetarian sources of protein are beans, quinoa, rice, and tofu. If you follow the recommendations above you are getting enough in your diet protein powders are not necessary.

Micronutrients

Dancers also can frequently forget about obtaining key micronutrients called vitamins and minerals, especially the B vitamins and Vitamin C (water-soluble vitamins) and Vitamins A, D, K, and E, which are fat soluble vitamins. Our B vitamins are a part of energy production. The B vitamins don't give the body energy but are used in the body to make energy from carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. These vitamins are also part of making red blood cells.﻿﻿

If you compromise your intake of these vitamins, you will compromise your performance over time. Vitamins A, C, and E play a role in cleaning up damaged muscles that are overstressed and overused.

Calcium is a mineral used for bone growth. The most important years of bone development are the first 30 years of life --- which just happens to be the prime years for dancing. Low bone density will result in increased chances of bone stress fractures. Iron is also a highly important nutrient for dancers, since iron is what our bodies use to carry oxygen to the blood. Of course, oxygen is what we use to help our bodies produce energy.

Vitamins and minerals are found in a variety of foods: if you are eating balanced meals, you will get adequate nutrition and perform at your highest.﻿﻿

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Why Dancers Need the Best Nutrition for Their Performances

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How many families out there have a little dancer in their household? Some girls spend an average of 3 to 4 hours each day dancing. They may even go dancing at school if they are involved with school dance programs. Many girls are arriving to dance sometime after school is out, then get home too late for proper meals with their family.

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NYU Langone's Harkness Center for Dance Injuries offers internships for students who are interested in careers in dance medicine, and our clinicians also incorporate relevant and timely information about this subject into workshops and lectures.

If you are interested in pursuing a career in dance medicine, you have many educational pathways and disciplines available to you. Below is an overview of careers and academic tracks that can be adapted to and are focused on the special concerns and needs of dancers:

doctor of medicine (MD) specializing in orthopedic surgery or sports medicine

doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO)

doctor of podiatric medicine (DPM)

doctor of physical therapy (DPT)

certified athletic trainer (ATC)

kinesiologist (BS, MS)

nutritionist (BS, RD)

acupuncturist (LAc)

dance medicine researcher (PhD, CCRP)

physical therapist assistant (PTA)

physical therapy aide

dance movement therapist

massage therapist

personal trainer (certified)

somatic practitioner (Pilates, yoga, or Gyrotonic Method instructor; Alexander Technique or Feldenkrais Method instructor; or Laban movement specialist)

The following organizations provide information about careers in dance medicine:

If you are interested, we invite you to join our team.

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Careers in Dance Medicine | NYU Langone Health

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NYU Langone's Harkness Center for Dance Injuries offers guidance on pursuing a career in dance medicine.

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Nutrition and healthy wellbeing for dancers

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Nutrition and healthy wellbeing for dancers

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It is very important for dancers to maintain a healthy diet so they can perform at their best. What you put in your body could have an effect on how you dance and your healthy wellbeing.

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It is very important to have knowledge about the different types of muscles in the body and how each muscle is used and the best way to train them.