Prioritizing Dancer Well-Being
For much of the history of dance, the well-being of dancers just hasn't been a priority. It’s a very sad truth, but the focus was much more on the look of a performance and the product put on stage. The health of the dancers is rarely put first.
What that’s created is a dance world that’s OK with dancing through pain and generally neglecting the artists—which are the art. Since founding The Whole Dancer back in 2015, I’ve happily seen some people and companies change their approach, but there’s more work to do.
There are a lot of ways to make change and to proactively shift towards a healthier, more supportive, and more balanced dance world.
The past approach was arguably never working.
The dance industry has always seen a lot of burnout and general unhappiness. Culturally, dance environments increase the risk for eating disorders and injury, as many dancers are pushed to their limits and encouraged to work through pain.
While there’s been a recent reckoning, there is still a lot of change to be made. Dancers who have left companies are more likely to speak out than the dancers still dependent on jobs within those establishments.
Dance culture also breeds a mentality that dance is all a dancer should ever focus on. If you want to be proficient, if you want to go pro, if you want to reach the top of your game...it’s an “eat, sleep, breath dance” mindset. The reality is that when you build a balanced life, you will be a better dancer.
How to build a balanced approach to your dancing.
There are so many areas in life that dancers need to prioritize to show up as their best as dancers. The food you eat, the way you move outside of the studio, the relationships you build, your career-life balance, and your spiritual intentions or connection will all support your well-being in dance.
The food you eat.
You want to be intentional with food without obsessing. To dance at your peak, one of the most important aspects of a dancer's eating plan is eating enough food. If you don’t eat enough, you won’t have the energy to sustain hours in the studio.
The way you move.
Cross-training is important, but it might be just as important to get outside and connect with nature in some way. Go for walks, take deep breaths, and look for ways to find peace and connection when you’re moving outside of the studio.
The relationships you build.
Dance connections tend to be strong. You have so much in common with your dance peers. When you can also develop community with non-dancers, you build perspectives that support overall well-being. With friends outside of dance, your dancing is no longer your entire world.
Career-life balance.
If you’re dancing professionally or moving in that direction, it’s essential to look at the schedule and expectations you’re creating for yourself. Are you approaching your goals and aspirations with rigidity or the goal of growth? Be really clear with yourself: what does career-life balance mean to you?
Spiritual intentions or connection.
By building a connection to something bigger than yourself, you’ll rarely get too bogged down by the day-to-day. You’ll always be able to relate to a bigger goal or purpose for your life. This doesn’t have to be derived from religion but could be a connection to nature or the universe. Make a commitment to connect with things that resonate for you personally.
Putting it into practice.
To begin creating more balance and paying attention to your well-being, choose a single area of focus to start. Once you’ve determined your starting point, create clear action steps to develop a greater sense of well-being in that area.
Dance-life balance is possible, but it takes time and intention. By doing the work, you’ll find an approach to dance that fosters more joy, fulfillment, and peace.
