Poor fitness – weak muscles are more likely to be injured when challenged or stretched. Controlled progressions will improve your fitness and muscle strength. Poor technique – for example, bringing your foot down to the floor with more force than necessary can injure soft tissue and bone.
As a rule, dancers are advised that their overall diet should take at least 50-65% of its energy from carbohydrate; around 12-15% should come from protein; and less than 20-35% from fat. This advice is very similar to that given to other elite sportspeople.
So repairing muscles that have been put through their paces in training is high on the agenda for the dancers. Protein-rich foods, such as milk can really help in this respect, especially after exercise.
Quantity of Sleep for a Dancer or Athlete
A regular individual needs about 7 – 9 hours of proper sleep. But, as a dancer or athlete who is in serious training for a competition and is stressing their muscles and burning energy, you would need at least 9 – 10 hours of sleep per night to recover adequately.
This “look” is said to have the ability to create perfect, balletic lines and expressive movements on stage. The average height of an American ballerina is about 5 foot 2 inches to 5 foot 8 inches. In correspondence to height, weight would ideally range from 85 to 130 lbs.
Statistics show that 80 percent of dancers incur at least one injury a year that affects their ability to perform. Compare this to a 20 percent injury rate for rugby or football players. Whilst not a contact sport or explicitly high-impact, dance training is very intensive.
Overuse injuries like stress fractures and tendonitis are common among ballet dancers, who perfect their skills by practicing them over and over. Dancers are also at risk for acute injuries like sprains and torn cartilage. Common ballet injuries can affect any part of the body, commonly the back and lower extremities.
At what age do most dancers retire? Most dancers stop dancing between 35 and 40 years old. Sometimes a dancer may have a specific injury that has forced them to stop dancing and sometimes their bodies are just tired from all the physical strength that is required for ballet.
Some simple guidelines are as follows; Children under 10: Recreational students who have no desire to be a dancer should aim for 3-5 hours of dance per week. More serious students with the required physical capabilities can do up to 8 hours per week.
Health benefits of dancing
improved condition of your heart and lungs. increased muscular strength, endurance and motor fitness. increased aerobic fitness. improved muscle tone and strength.
15-17 year old students should be aiming to be taking around six ballet classes a week of two or more hour duration that includes at least 30mins of pointe work. At this age, if your child wants to pursue a professional career in dance they would be increasing their training load to more than 20 hours a week.
It really comes down to comfort level, personal preference, and studio uniform. Also, a lot of girls don't wear a bra under their leotard. Back when I was dancing (we're talking 2000's), I'd wear a black sports bra under my black leotards if I even wore a bra.
Dance is a sport, and hence supportive garments are a must. You may not need a sports bra as you wouldn't be bouncing up and down, but an undergarment that offers a good fit and support where you need it will still be essential.
Protection. On heavy days, Streicher suggests doubling up: Wear a tampon and a thong panty liner in your leotard for additional, unbulky protection. Then, layer your tights over your leotard, or, if your studio allows it, wear dark-colored, fitted shorts.
Risk factors for dance injury include previous history of injury, insufficient skills in coping with stress, low body mass index (BMI) and fat levels, risky movements and technique, and overtraining. Having a previous injury increases the risk of subsequent injury for dancers.