With the change of the seasons, school starting up and the beginning of the new dance session, life has picked up the pace and things are moving just a little bit faster. How do you prepare your dancers and students for this increased pace?
Discuss with your students the importance of preparing themselves and their body for school and dance class. They may have seen or heard these topics talked about before but, we as their teachers and coaches have the opportunity to inspire healthy lifestyle choices in young adults and children. How great is that?! The beginning of the school year is an ideal time to bring up these topics. Such as: what constitutes a good snack? The importance of drinking plenty of water throughout the day. Why it is important to avoid sugary snacks, especially right before dance class or practice? As educators we can help young dancers and athletes form healthy lifestyle habits that will carry on throughout their entire life.
First and most obviously, encourage them to get enough sleep. A lack of sleep leads to decreased attention span, decreased ability to take in corrections, and lowered awareness of where and what his or her body is doing in space. A lack of sleep will also decrease immune system and ability to cope with the pressures of juggling school work, dance class and life.
Now that dancers will be at school directly before class, they are more likely to be dehydrated. It is advisable to encourage them to carry a water bottle with them at school. Stretching while dehydrated increases the chances of pulling a muscle, not to mention dehydration can lead to lethargy, irritability, fatigue and dizziness. During class or practice it is recommended that for every 15 to 20 minutes of activity, a water break should be taken. After activities, electrolytes and carbohydrates need to be replaced, this can be done with watered down juice or sports drinks (be careful of high sugar content).
Discuss healthy snacks to have after school and before dance class, such as peanut butter and celery, yogurt and fruit, string cheese, pretzels, etc. Touch on what sugary snacks can do to your energy level. Simple sugar snacks can cause a high-glycemic effect, where the child will have a lot of energy while the blood sugar level is high and as it comes down dramatically, the child crashes and is very low on energy. It is best to avoid these snacks before dance class, practice, rehearsal, game day, or recital time. For more tips on athletic kids and balancing life check out:
CarliAnn & Ella