| Ramsett: Athletic pressures part of dancing Dancing in "Swan Lake" or "The Nutcracker" can be just as tough as playing for the Green Bay Packers. It's true. Professional ballet dancers get hurt as often and as seriously as professional football or hockey players. From ballet to cheerleading, dedicated dancers train hard to improve their strength, flexibility and technique in addition to practicing their choreography. Like any committed athlete, dancers sometimes push too hard or perform while injured for fear of being replaced. They all pay the price for overdoing it later in life. My friend Crystal and I joke that we can play "Jingle Bells" with the crunching sounds from our knees. We also have little knobby blister scars atop each toe from pointe shoes. Together we've danced in countless recitals, school musicals, halftime shows and community theater productions. My feet may not look great in sandals, but I wouldn't trade those experiences for anything. I would, on the other hand, dance smarter instead of harder. Now in my 30s, I find myself keeping a list called "Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me When I Was Younger." The list includes the following: Dropping to your knees from a standing position and spinning on them (without knee pads) is not a good idea; force is not the best way to improve flexibility or turnout; and no matter how hard you try, not everyone is built like a professional ballerina. If you're the parent of an aspiring football or basketball player, you probably understand the pressure they feel to grow taller, build muscles and gain weight. Young dancers often feel pressured to stay lean and trim. Dr. David Weiss, an orthopedic surgeon at New York University Medical Center and former president of the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science (iadms.org), warns parents and instructors about the risk of eating disorders. "While young athletes are trying to bulk up, young dancers can become obsessed with slimming down," Weiss said. "Parents and teachers need to be very careful of the things they say, especially during puberty. That's when self-esteem can be very fragile and an eating disorder can easily develop." Dr. Weiss also warns against "disordered eating," like avoiding fats entirely or focusing on low-carb or other fad diets. None of these is healthy for teenagers. Here's some additional advice Dr. Weiss asked me to pass along to dancers and their parents: * Make sure the dance instructor sets a healthy example, both physically and emotionally. * Like any other sport, don't start with a marathon. A warm-up and cool-down are just as important as the workout. * Be cautious of "competition studios" that may push dancers too hard or start them on pointe shoes before they're old enough or strong enough. (Age 12 is recommended.) * Finally, if you don't have the perfect body or turnout for ballet there are plenty of other types and styles of dance that are likely to suit you. Dance is something you can enjoy your entire life. So for all the aspiring dancers out there, I'm adding this to my list of "Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me When I Was Younger": Follow Dr. Weiss' advice! Susan Ramsett is an anchor at WSAW TV NewsChannel 7 in Wausau. Write to her at sramsett@wsaw.com. |
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