Page 4 - DANCE 2020 Full Time Studies Guide

Guide to full time studies 2020
perform the contrasting repertoire and diverse styles showcased within individual companies currently around the world. Traditionally classical companies are now performing very contemporary works and contemporary companies want strong classically trained dancers who can perform demanding contemporary choreography.”
the work load increases gradually over time, and new students are allowed time to adapt.
Overtraining does not just mean the number of hours a student undertakes. Oher risks include teaching movements that are too physically demanding or repetitive in nature for growing bodies. “Dancers can be tempted to overtrain when they haven’t learnt to listen
Self-care
Part of a dancers’ training is learning how to take care of their bodies as they deal with the the physical and mental demands of their work. Dancers can take responsibility for their health by learning their limits, setting attainable goals, and ensuring that they build adequate rest and recovery time into their weeks.
Training without the required time for rest and recovery can have serious consequences for young dancers.”
Risks of over-training
Training without the required time for rest and recovery can have serious consequences for young dancers. According to Ausdance: “Constant training, without enough rest, puts stress on a body’s ability to adapt, which can lead to fatigue, muscular weakness and frequent injuries – burn-out”.
“The risks are highest in overtraining
when a dancer is young and still growing into a more stable body,” Thieler says. “If a dancer increases their hours dramatically, they will most definitely overload the body too quickly and be at risk of physical injuries”. For this reason, he says, a dancer’s individual wellbeing should always be at the forefront of a teacher’s mind. This is also why it is so important that a full-time course should be structured so that
to their body and understand when they need rest. They push through pain or fatigue, stressing their body, risking their health and potentially causing a chronic injury”.
Teachers have an important moderating role in ensuring their students know their limits. According to Kaplan and McKenzie: “A good teacher should be sensitive to the strengths and weaknesses, both physically and mentally, of each student and would know when a student has had sufficient training for the day.”
Overtraining can also result in burn-out.
“Burn-out is a complex clinical condition with no single cause. Symptoms and signs vary from person to person, but tend to occur mainly in dancers whose daily schedules produce an imbalance between physical activity and time for recovery”. (Ausdance)
Embarking on a full-time dance course
is demanding and thrilling. With a sensible attitude to work-life balance, students can emerge as healthy, strong and accomplished dancers, fresh and ready for a long and satisfying career.
Some further strategies include:
• Ensuring at least one non-physically demanding rest and recovery day per week
• Ditch the “no pain, no gain” mentality
• Adopt a graduated approach when starting
full-time training and when returning
from holidays or time off
• Build strength and conditioning training
into your week
• Get plenty of sleep
• Incorporate some fun, non-dance activities
into your week, such as movies, massages
or swimming
• Ensure that your diet is balanced and
nutritious and covers all the main
food groups
• Hydrate regularly
Lucinda Dunn instructs former Tanya Pearson Classical Coaching Australia student Olivia Betteridge, who is now with the Hamburg Ballet.
Sydney College of Dance artistic director Gregor Thieler instructs full-time dance students Bronte Barnett, Eve Baker and Leilani Holmes-Skrill.
4 | AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2019 | WWW.DANCEAUSTRALIA.COM.AU
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