Music plays loudly in the dance studio as dancers do combinations across the floor, leap
with pointed toes, and practice their turns over and over. The instructor calls out lots of
corrections, and dancers do the same moves and tricks until they get them right. When the rehearsal is over, the dancers are exhausted, but they might have more rehearsals to do the next day. To people in an audience, dance looks graceful and effortless. But many hours of practice go into performances, which can be very hard on a dancer’s body.
For dancers, all of that practice comes with both benefits and risks. Dance can build strength, flexibility, and confidence, but hours of training can also lead to injuries. For dancers who love what they do, finding a balance between training hard and staying healthy is important.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, overuse injuries are the most common injuries in
dancers. Dancers use their feet, ankles, legs, and lower back in many moves, which puts
stress on these parts of the body. At first, pain might not seem like that big of a deal, but it can get worse when dancers keep training. Long hours of practice can make injuries even more likely. Johns Hopkins Medicine also reports that dancing five or more hours a day can increase the risk of stress fractures and other injuries. While five hours seems like a lot, it isn’t that uncommon. Each style of dance affects a dancer differently, too. The American Academy of Pediatrics explains that different forms of dance have their own physical demands and injury risks. Ballet might put different kinds of stress on a dancer’s body than jazz does. Dancers who want to be well-rounded might take several different styles, but that equals more training, more time in the studio, and a greater risk for injuries. Collin Moore, a physician assistant who has studied sports medicine, explained why repeated training can sometimes become a problem. “Dancers repeat the same movements over and over, so overuse can put a lot of stress on their muscles and joints. Proper technique, strength, and enough recovery time can help lower the risk of injury,” Moore said.
However, the physical demands of dance are only one side of the story. Research from
Johns Hopkins Medicine shows that dance requires strength, flexibility, and stamina, even though it might look effortless from the audience. The American Academy of Pediatrics also describes dance as a valuable source of exercise. Regular practice can also help dancers build confidence and give them an emotional outlet. Dancers train hard to learn new turn combinations, work on their technique, improve difficult
tricks, and perform in front of crowds of people. “Dance is great for building strength,
flexibility, and confidence,” Taylor Sease, a dance instructor, said. Finally, nailing a hard
move or performing onstage can make dancers feel accomplished and give them
confidence.
For dancers themselves, the benefits can make the difficult practices worth it. “Dance can definitely be hard on your body, especially when you have a lot of practices close together. But I love performing and learning new skills, so for me, all of the hard work is worth it,” dancer Isabella Smith said. There are also ways dancers can lower their chances of getting injured. Johns Hopkins Medicine states that many overuse injuries and even some sudden dance injuries can be prevented. Learning the right technique from instructors, warming up before class, getting enough rest, and paying attention to their bodies can all help prevent injuries. Sease agreed, saying, “Injuries can happen in dance, but good technique and listening to your body can prevent a lot of them.” Dance coaches can watch dancers closely and correct them when they are doing a move or trick that could lead to an injury. Smith has also learned the importance of paying attention to how she feels. “Sometimes I’m sore after a long practice, so I’ve learned that it’s important to listen to my body and not push myself too hard,” she said. Moore also said young athletes should learn the difference between normal soreness and pain that could be a sign of an injury.
When the music starts and the curtain opens, the audience sees the finished performance. However, they might not see the hours of practice, sore muscles, corrections, and hard work that happened before it. Behind the dance curtain, dancers have to find a good balance between pushing themselves to improve and knowing when their bodies need a break.
Photo Credit: Andrey Trubin, Wikimedia Commons
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