Introduction
Why are proteins so important? What should I eat as a pre-class snack? How can I become more flexible? These are just a few questions I will answer as you read on. Being a healthy dancer who makes good decisions is the key to becoming a successful dancer. The state of health you are in will affect your overall performance, so taking care of yourself is vital for a good outcome. Sometimes dancers push themselves too far trying to meet their goals faster, but if you are patient and work hard, the results will be stunning.
Nutrition
Fifty to sixty-five percent of a dancer’s diet should be made up of carbohydrates. You can find carbs in foods like pasta, breads, and potatoes. Twelve to fifteen percent of your diet should be proteins, which help build and repair muscles. The remaining 20% to 30% should be made up of fats. Many dancers stay away from fat, but a low intake of fat can affect your performance.
Carbohydrates
Without enough carbohydrates, a dancer will likely feel fatigued during class. To attain your highest potential, your diet needs to contain food with complex carbohydrates. They have many micronutrients, while simple carbohydrates have either no or very little nutrients. The proper amount of carbs to eat in a day is 6- 10 grams times your weight in kilograms.
During heavy training, carbs should make up 65% of your diet. This is required because carbs produce a major amount of energy in your body. They are broken down into simple sugars that are stored as glycogen in your muscles. If a dancer does not ingest enough carbohydrates, his or her capability to dance successfully will decline.
It is wise to eat a small carbohydrate snack one to two hours before class. This will inc...
... middle of paper ...
...tness-Overview." WebMD - Better Information. Better Health. 26 Aug. 2008. Web. 03 June 2010. http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/tc/fitness-overview
"Flexibility Training... Stretching For Sport And Athletes." Phil Davies' Sports Fitness Advisor - Get Fit for Sport & Life. Web. 03 June 2010. .
Maling, Michel. "Ballet Dancing and Injury Prevention." EzineArticles Submission - Submit Your Best Quality Original Articles For Massive Exposure, Ezine Publishers Get 25 Free Article Reprints. Web. 07 June 2010. http://ezinearticles.com/?Ballet-Dancing-and-Injury-Prevention&id=3861053
Bedinghaus, Treva. "Dance Injuries - Treatment for Dance Injuries." About Dance - Learn to Dance - Dance Steps and Tips - Ballet and Jazz Dance. Web. 07 June 2010. http://dance.about.com/od/danceandyourhealth/ht/Injury_RICE.htm
Wikipedia contributors. "Ballet technique." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 18 Jan. 2010. Web. 1 Apr. 2010.
By universal definition, "sport" is listed as "an activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively." Football, basketball, baseball, soccer and other primary activities have always been concretely defined as sports in society. However, one of the most physically demanding activities is constantly forgotten when it comes to the realm of sports- dance. Dance requires a tremendous amount of training and creates an aura of competition in which people compete to be the best, win, and take home the trophy- just like in traditionally accepted sports. These sports, however, do not possess an element of psychological health threats that some competitive dancers unfortunately must account for due to the emphasis placed on physical appearance.
Ballerinas will never improve if they fall back into old, mundane, and routine habits. They must push themselves outside of their comfort zone in order to build stronger muscles, increase flexibility, and dance with increased grace. This self-motivation to be better helps dancers to be more successful in school, due to the fact that they have the inner drive to study, get the
Aalten, A. (2005). In the presence of the body: Theorizing training, injuries and pain in ballet. Dance Research Journal, 37(2), 55-72. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/20444641
These expectations are achieved by the different dance styles, settings, much and the overall look of the dancers. However, there are many aspects that contribute to the pleasing appearances of dance; the appearance of the dance industry rests heavily on the performers. Dancers, especially in advanced dance studios, have to have the whole collection of talent. Dancers should attractive, physically fit, strength, and be elegance. As a result of such high demands, dance companies have high standards for dancers that are selected to represent their studio. These standards cause loads of pressure that is put onto the dancers that can potentially contribute to the development of improper diets and eventually lead to eating disorders. For dancers, eating disorders are highly encouraged by teachers and even fellow dancers. It appears that the dance industry is not aware of how harmful the unhealthy eating habits dancers can attain can be to their dancers. There are many effects that come with these habits; these effects are exaggerated in dancers as they participate in intense physical activity, and must maintain high energy levels. However, high level dancers cannot maintain high energy levels if their body is not getting the proper
According to Judith Hanna, “dance may promote wellness by strengthening the immune system through muscular action and physiological processes,” which shows that a person can benefit from dancing by allowing the body to do physical exercises which can allow the body to strengthen itself. In order to do this, there are multiple ways in which Judith Hanna focuses in on to show that dance can have a powerful impact on the body. She explains that there are four different ways in which a person can develop a since of control over their body by (1) possession dance, (2) mastery of movement, (3) escape or diversion from stress and pain through a change in emotion, states of consciousness/ physical capability and (4) confronting stressors to work through ways of handling their effects.
For the dancer, music and choreography are paramount. The music guides the dancer, and the moves express the music. However, the dance has to start from somewhere.
The Pressures of Dancers The typical idea of a dancer is that they are tall, slender, full of energy, and lucky because they dance with all of the “stars”. Much of this is true, however, what many people do not think of are the many hardships that a dancer goes through in order to achieve their high status in the dance world. It takes a lot of hard work and determination along with good direction to become a dancer. However, nothing good comes without a price.
The sheer energy of a gymnast alone can be felt by audiences of all ages, but what the spectators lack the ability to feel is the pounding of the bodies that bear the impact of the athletes in action. Gymnastics consists of a mixture of acrobatic performances of four different events for females, and six different events for males (Gianoulis 1). Gymnastics is demanding in a multitude of ways, including: physically, emotionally and mentally. It requires countless hours of dedication. The concerns of most gymnasts are moving up to the next level, or getting a more advanced skill, while the concerns of the doctors, coaches, and parents revolve mostly around the athlete’s health, which is put at stake for the adored yet dangerous sport. Injuries are common among both male and female gymnast alike, but due to the fact a female gymnast’s career peaks at the same time of major growth and development, a female gymnast’s body as a whole is more likely to undergo lifelong changes or affects (Gianoulis 2). Among the injuries of the mind blowing athletes, the most common ones affect the ankles, feet, lower back, wrist, and hands of individuals (Prevention and Treatment 1). From sprains, to the breaks, the intriguing sport of gymnastics is physically demanding on a gymnast’s body.
Ballet is a beautiful and romantic type of performance art. It originated in the Italian court systems in the 15th century (Jonas). Since its origination, ballet has undergone many changes and gained worldwide recognition. Filled with elaborate costumes, cheering audiences, lights, weightless movements and beauty; ballet is admired by many. On the magical stage ballerinas can become whoever they wan to be, and perform in a world of fantasy. For these reasons, children, especially little girls, all over the world dream of becoming ballerinas when they grow up. However, becoming a professional ballerina is an extremely difficult accomplishment, in which few will achieve (Kelso 1). The world of ballet may seem to be filled with glitz and glamor but, behind the curtain there is an entirely different story. There are extreme demands and pressures put on these young dancers to be very thin and nearly perfect. Some of which include body and weight demands, competition, and social pressures. These constant pressures can lead to a negative body-image and even debilitating eating disorders (Price and Pettijohn).
Mozes, Alan. "As Cheerleading Evolves, Injuries Mount." Health.US News. N.p., 28 Jun 2013. Web. 16 Feb 2014. .
Paddock, Catharine. "Young Athletes: Injuries And Prevention." Medical News Today. MediLexicon International Ltd, 9 Aug. 2012. Web. 15 Nov. 2013.
The most important nutrient categories are starches, minerals, sugars, and electrolytes. Starches and minerals fit into the area of complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are polysaccharides (many sugars bonded together). Because of the multiple bonds, polysaccharides are able to store energy for later use. Simple sugars make up the other group of carbohydrates. The bonding structures of simple sugars are much less advanced that than those of complex carbohydrates. This allows for the burning of simple sugars in an athlete's body. Electrolytes are a category of their own because they are helpful to an athlete all of the time, whether energy storage or energy burning is needed.
There is a relationship between food and exercise and people do not understand that. Everyone needs food in order for their body to work properly and do their daily activities, especially exercising. Without good nutrition, one will not be able to exercise effectively. To exercise effectively, one need the right caloric intake, energy, and nutrients in one’s body. The human body needs have carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water to fuel it up, just like the car needs gas to run. Everyone should fuel their body with right foods so that they can maintain their energy levels. Bananas and lean white meats are examples of excellent sources of natural energy that can help the function properly and achieve fitness goals. Bananas are an excellent food to eat because they contain high potassium, makes the mind alert making the brain smarter, builds strong bones, and keeps the digestive system regulated. Lean white meat such as chicken and fish are good to eat because they make the tissues in the body healthy. Good nutrition is more important because if the body absorbs the nutrients it needs, one will be able to exercise very
To many, dance is only an art. In reality, dance is much more. It 's an art, a sport, a way to express one’s self, a way to exercise, a way to get feelings out. Since the beginning of time, humans have used different types of dance to express themselves. There are many advantages to dancing, however there are also some disadvantages. Dance is one of the most physically and cognitively demanding sports.