Just looking at our cover this month makes me want to take a deep breath of the fresh Rocky Mountain air of Provo, Utah, where Brigham Young University is located. We’re delighted to introduce readers to Jodi Maxfield, the dance teacher behind the mega-successful BYU Cougarettes. In “Forever Young,” frequent contributor Jen Jones Donatelli talks with Maxfield about why dance team is a viable college option for technically trained dancers.

For the Health & Wellness issue this year, we home in on that fundamental element of technique, turnout. Regular DT contributor Deborah Vogel and respected anatomy expert Irene Dowd share their approaches for developing a holistic, career-maximizing base.

And speaking of a healthy base, dancers need more than dance class to build the cardiovascular capacity demanded by many professional roles. In “No Pain, No Gain,” Julie Diana suggests ways to develop heart and lung power both inside the studio and out.

Of special interest to studio owners, we expand the wellness theme into studio infrastructure in “Seeing Green,” with advice on how you can do the right thing for the environment and your bottom line.

Photo by Nathan Sayers