The approach to dancer cross training that has proliferated for far too long is to choose one of these attributes and to focus narrowly on it for several weeks, ignoring the others. But artistry without strength is possibly dangerous; technique without the stamina to last through a performance (or a season) isn’t helpful; and athleticism without artistry is better suited for sport than performance.
Read MoreThe most interesting conclusion in the study—which confirmed previous research on the subject—is “that the inclusion of specifically designed resistance training program can lead to significant improvement in dancing performance.” Lift weights to get stronger. Lift weights to try to prevent injury. But that’s what strength coaches worry about. Lift weights to become a better dancer? Now that should get the artistic community’s attention.
Read MoreBut the one way we’re not using conditioning is to try to rush to get a dancer in shape for a difficult piece in-season. Once the season starts, if a dancer already isn’t in the condition she needs to be, rushing to try to make that happen with a lot of cardio is probably a recipe for wearing that dancer down. That’s where early off-season conversations around schedule, the previous year’s performances, and educated guesses about the coming year are critical.
Read MoreThe dance world can be close minded and traditionalist—but a lot of other worlds are like that too. Talk to an old school baseball coach some time and see if you don’t walk away asking yourself what year it is. But I know from talking to dancers that they are hungry for a more modern approach to their livelihoods. I also know how much more confident and secure they feel in their bodies when they get stronger. We owe it to them to value their bodies and their time by developing realistic, recoverable, and science-driven strength and conditioning programs that avoid dogma, borrow heavily from any available best practices, and continue to evolve over time.
Read MoreIt’s not difficult to find dancers standing on one leg, pointing their toes, and doing some sort of strength move atop a BOSU ball. Probably strength coaches are too hostile to BOSU balls, but when it comes to efficiency, you’re better off leaving your specific balance training to the dance setting and focusing instead on strength, coordination, conditioning, and mobility when you’re strength training.
Read MoreMy priority as a strength coach is to simplify matters and find efficiencies for my dancers and athletes as much as possible. The good news is, we have data, experience, and research from thousands of athletes around the world—and an increasing amount of this work is being done with women specifically in mind. So if we synthesize Abbie Smith-Ryan’s work with some of this other research and best practices, we begin to see a picture emerge for what healthy body composition strategies look like for dancers.
Read MoreBut think about a dancer’s schedule. Class. Rehearsal. Learning new choreography. Often a side hustle. Time in the physical therapy room. Dancers are often busy from very early in the morning to late into the evening. This means that you can’t afford to waste time with a random group exercise routine that has little to do with your specific needs.
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