As a young dancer I never really considered the importance of warming up. If you looked across the room before a ballet class I remember seeing dancers sitting in their middle splits, legs on the barre stretching forward and chatting about their weekend plans. When I got to college level dance I discovered my schools recreation center and weight room. It was not until my Anatomy and Physiology class in college that I learned how to strength train and why it is so beneficial in activities like jumping and leaping that was necessary in dance.
Read MoreReturning to dance in the fall is always a challenge. Many of us spend the summer either taking a break from dancing or dancing significantly less than usual. Don’t get me wrong, rest is incredibly useful for dancers. It’s also important to spend time with friends and family and engage in other activities that bring dancers joy. Some may be fearful that they’ve lost a significant amount of their dance technique over the break or that their focus will be out of shape. No matter what type of nerves you’re feeling, there are small steps to take to ensure you’re mentally prepared to return to studio dancing.
Read MoreAfter getting back into dance following a break, it’s typical for your body to need a little extra TLC (see Physical Therapist Colleen Bickel’s article on tips for physically returning to dance). Not to mention, many dancers are also gearing up for competition and convention season, which is always physically demanding. Taking time to rest and recover is often just as important as the dance training itself. This means rolling out and resting your sore muscles but also setting aside time to pamper yourself to feel mentally refreshed. Check out this list of our favorite recovery products at Dancewear Center to help provide yourself with some needed restoration in the coming dance year.
Read MoreJust like that: back-to-school season is upon us! And as the summer winds to a close and students start stocking their pencil cases, that also means back to dance season is upon us. Back to dance season often calls for a trip to the dancewear store, as young kids grow out of their old leotards, and older dancers wear out their favorite dancing shoes. As always, Dancewear Center strives to set all dancers up for success year-round, and the back-to-school season is no exception. Here are some of our back-to-dance season must-haves!
Read MoreIt’s an exciting time of the year: the leaves are just starting to change colors, there is a crispness to the morning air, and most importantly, we are returning to the studio to dance!
While dancers usually stay very active in the summer, it’s not usually the same intensity or type of training as during the school year. You might have been swimming, hiking, biking, playing beach volleyball, etc. You might have been dancing but the daily dance classes and training were probably less intense or more intermittent. And the classes might have been virtual.
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Overcoming the physical and mental challenges of my injury was one of the hardest things I have gone through as a dancer.
In both 7th grade and my sophomore year of high school, I dislocated my knee during dance class. The first time I came out of a jump and landed poorly and sat out for four months. The second time my pointe shoe slid out from under me and I sat out for six months.
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The Flexistretcher is a great tool that is used for the recovery and strengthening that dancers around the country find themselves using. Luckily, we have a certified Flexistretcher instructor on our DWC team that has a great tutorial on how to use this product. Read on to learn more about the FLX Hamstring Stretch with DWC Staff member Emma Neilson!
Read MoreSeattle Dance and Performing Arts Medicine, also known as SeaPam, is a fantastic resource for dancers who are in need of medical treatment from an injury! This community is filled with committed professionals in the industry that strive to promote healthy performance, education, training and help maintain a beneficial lifestyle for dancers in the Seattle area. They hope that they can enable all performing artists to pursue long, healthy performing careers!
Read MoreAn exciting summer of dancing is in store for many dancers this year with summer ballet intensives right around the corner. Intensives are a great way to challenge oneself, try new skills, meet new people, and experience different ballet styles. They are also called “intensives” for a reason, as dancers are typically dancing hours a day for weeks on end, sometimes in different states. At Dancewear Center, we want to make sure our customers are prepared for an exciting summer of dancing by providing them with the tips and supplies they need to be successful.
Read MoreAll dancers have struggled with the issue of trying to find a physical therapist or doctor that understands how a dancer’s body moves. There are various doctors out there who just don’t understand how dancers move which can be frustrating in the recovery process. Luckily we got the chance to speak with Dr. Era Terry to learn more about the dance medicine field in Seattle. Read on to learn more about Era’s dancing journey and what got her into doing physical therapy on dancers!