Mental health in dance is a phrase I never heard growing up. I grew up in a time where there was a huge stigma on mental health. If you needed counseling or help, there was “something wrong with you”. So, every time I was struggling, I pushed it down. I could build a mountain with all the struggle stones I’ve shoved deep down inside.
Read MoreIt’s that time of the year when many studios are starting or well into their preparations for competition and performance season. Especially with the major setbacks the pandemic has put us in when it comes to being on stage, it makes it all the more exciting to be back on stage and dancing again. However, with the pandemic comes another crisis many dancers have overlooked.
Read MoreAs a part of my recovery process, I continuously turned to dance improvisation, which has always been movement I find incredibly healing. Many times, my body has felt weak, dirty, used, and not my own. The only thing I have found to mend this damage is the power of proving these feelings wrong. Feeling the strength and control I have over my frame during times when I feel that this body is not my own. When I am able to hold myself in a mind-space of healing and patience, dance is able to release and teach myself what an infinite amount of words simply cannot.
Read MoreMany dancers face injuries at some point in their training or careers, and they are never easy to deal with.
Although an injury can be frustrating in the moment, it can be helpful to use the downtime to reflect as a dancer, and learn a few things along the way.
Read MoreA few facts about dancers:
Dancers are athletes.
Dancers have seasons of overtraining and seasons of no proper dance training at all.
Dancers are extremely susceptible to injury due to hypermobility.
A dancers goal is to be able to perform any physical movement that is asked of them.
Dancers must be able to hear a correction and implement it into their body immediately.
Now after reading those statements consider the fact that very few dancers cross train. *enter jaw dropping emoji here*
No? Still didn’t get you —— read it like this:
I am an athlete. No, I do not cross train.
Read MoreIt can be hard to hold onto happiness and positivity in the midst of everything happening in our world. I know that I have been struggling a lot with maintaining a bright attitude lately. The negativity and depressing truth of what is going on around us is suffocating, and I feel that needs to be recognized. I had a teacher in high school who once had us all yell “this sucks!” right after they dropped a pop quiz on us. On the count of three we all yelled. I feel like we need that right now. Ready? One, two, three: This sucks! It's important to get that out, and to acknowledge that everything is not always great. And that’s ok. Everything doesn’t have to be amazing, but with what is going on in the world it’s important to look for what is good around us or risked getting dragged down by that looming force of depression and negativity that may be spreading faster than the virus.
Read MoreMay is Mental Health Awareness Month! In this series, we are giving the staff here at DWC a platform to talk about their personal mental health journeys. We believe in supporting the wellbeing of the whole dancer; both body and mind. We want you to know that you are not alone. We believe in the importance of talking about mental health openly, especially within the dance world. So let’s talk about it! Madison, Senior Pointe Shoe Fitter here at DWC is sharing her words of wisdom regarding positive self image and practicing self compassion.
Read MoreMadison, Senior Pointe Shoe Fitter at DWC is sharing her experience and tips during this time of isolation. We hope to give a little inspiration and a few tools for dealing with this hard time. We’re all in this together.
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