Dancers are nothing if not disciplined. As soon as studios started shutting their doors, so many online classes began popping up that it became nearly impossible to keep track of them all. But is kitchen-counter barre really the best way to prepare your body to jump back into intensives and performances once we stop social […]
This is a charged question that I have heard debated my entire career as a dancer, teacher and director. So why would I pose such a contentious question? Because good dance teaching is at the heart of the RAD and a core value we need to be able to define. I hope this will also […]
Is it OK to include running, leisurely walking or speed walking in an advanced/professional ballerina’s exercise routine? Absolutely! Advanced and professional dancers know the importance of cardiovascular fitness. Running, speed walking, swimming, Nordic tracking and the elliptical (my personal favorite) are all OK cross-training options for elite dancers. I don’t necessarily advise dancers to run […]
If your students are going to class regularly, they’re probably in great shape, right? Most likely! However, even the most well-rounded dance class schedule can leave some gaps in overall physical fitness. “Any athlete should cross-train, especially ones who spend a lot of time doing one particular modality,” says trainer Sebastian Grubb. Here, he shares […]
From improved aerobic capacity to better reactivity, cross-training can to do wonders for dancers’ health and performance. But with the abundance of exercise programs available, how do you get your dancers on the right routine? Sebastian Grubb, a San Francisco–based fitness trainer and professional dancer, shares three questions to ask as you consider different cross-training […]
Fitness trainer, professional dancer and cross-training expert Sebastian Grubb weighs in on why it’s essential for dancers to build their upper-body strength. A balanced body is a healthy body. When a dancer maintains equilibrium between her upper and lower halves, she increases her athleticism and physical adaptability. “Most dancers have strong legs and strong balance,” […]
A qualified personal trainer can help create a workout regimen that meets your body and classroom needs.As a teacher, you already know you need to look outside the studio for regular workouts. If you’ve trained primarily as a dancer, however, establishing a gym routine beyond using aerobic machines can be intimidating. It’s tough to know […]
Steph Lee, a dancer with Renegade Performance Group in New York City, spent more than 10 years of her dance career fighting recurring injuries. It wasn’t until she added CrossFit—the heavy-lifting, loud-grunting, specialized gym workout that has taken the world by storm—to her cross-training routine of Pilates and yoga that she found some relief. “Nothing […]
How I Teach Yoga for Dancers In a small studio four floors above Manhattan’s rush-hour commute, 20 or so students sit on their heels at the center of their yoga mats. “We’re going to do a hips class today,” says TaraMarie Perri, adjunct professor at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. The dancers […]
Encouraging students to stay active during vacation will help them smoothly return to dance in the fall. Running keeps Ailey’s Alicia Graf Mack strong during off-season. The leggy and lean Alicia Graf Mack needs to keep herself in top form when Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has time off. When she returns to rehearsal in […]