Category: Dance Health
Feeling the pressure: Managing competition anxieties
Competition season is upon us and for many, that means increased pressure — pressure to perform, pressure to win, even pressure not to disappoint or let down coaches and teammates. While we cannot expect to eliminate the anxiety that often comes from this pressure, we can find ways to address it, manage it and proactively tend…
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4 tips to handling rejection with greater grace
We’ve all been there: you get cut at an audition, you don’t get the role that you want, you don’t get into the program that you adore, you don’t get the grant that you were crossing your fingers for. One could argue that such rejection and disappointment is just part of a dance artist’s life,…
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Be authentic, be bold: Só Dança’s Be You® and This Is Me Collection
All dancers are amazing. That’s a fact. Every single dancer works hard, has discipline, is an artist in their own way and has a story to tell. And while all dancers have these things in common, the beauty is that each dancer is different. A different mind, a different body – uniquely their own. And…
Read MoreMental health within the dance community: Leal Zielinska and Okay, Let’s Unpack This
Dance Informa had the opportunity to talk with Leal Zielinska, a dance artist and activist with a passion for bringing mental health issues into the light and finding ways to support dancers with the mental struggles they might face. Learn more about her and her important work below. When did you start dancing? Can you…
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Mental health: When to persevere and when to step back
“The show must go on” — it’s perhaps the most quintessential performing arts adage. Yet, human beings aren’t machines. Yes, we as dance artists commit and have people depending on us, and some level of discomfort is par for the course (arguably, it’s a key part of growth), but are there times when for us,…
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Coming Back to Dance
Part One Life has its seasons — shifting practicalities and needs leading us in different directions. Dance is a pursuit calling for sincere dedication, for hours in the studio full of mental, physical and spiritual investment. Yet, there are times when life guides us elsewhere, and we place that dedication elsewhere. Once a dancer, always…
Read MoreMovement for mental health: An interview with Alyson Stoner
I think we can all agree that mental health support is needed now more than ever. While therapy still carries a stigma and may not be accessible to everyone, movement is something we can all access. We recently sat down with Alyson Stoner, co-founder of Movement Genius, to hear all about this amazing platform that is changing the game…
Read MoreHave you forgotten why you love dance?
Many of us eat, breathe and sleep dance, and we can lose sight of the beauty and passion that drew us to the art form in the first place. Do you remember the first time you knew you had to dance? Perhaps it was in the grocery store or in your grandmother’s living room. Do…
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Kitchen Choreography: Delectable recipes by dance luminaries
Need help figuring out what to make for dinner? Google “Red Shell Mgmt Kitchen Choreography” to find recipes for main courses, salads, soups, desserts and cocktails. The LaVelle family. Photo courtesy of Stephen LaVelle. No ordinary recipes — these recipes (and the personal stories connected to them) were collected from professionals in the world of dance. For…
Read MoreSocial media: How does it affect the dance world?
Social media. It’s infiltrated every part of our life — our relationships, travel, work, news, school and entertainment. Technically, social media includes any website or application that enables users to create and share content within a social network. Take a moment to think about how many times you utilize social media per day. That’s not only Facebook, Instagram,…
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