Tag: text
-
Strength Training, Injury Prevention and Injury Recovery Through Pilates
When my physical therapist suggested I start a Pilates program, I laughed. “I’m a former athlete,” I told her. “If you don’t sweat, it isn’t exercise.” She smiled at me and gently suggested we try one session of it to see what I thought. If I didn’t like it, we could look at alternatives. So,…
-
Introducing Podcasts And Our New Series!
We are pleased to announce that Ballet Help Desk has added podcasts! Not only are all of our previous videos available as podcasts, we are also launching a monthly, multi-part series that will dig deep into specific subjects related to ballet training. Each series will feature blog posts as well as interviews with experts that…
-
How Ballet Dancers Can Support Each Other
On the heels of our post about friendships in the ballet studio, our friend Elizabeth Sullivan is out with an article about how dance friends can support one another when hitting bumps in the road. One of the most common questions I get from dancers is “How can I support my friend who is having…
-
Why It’s Important To Review Your Summer Intensive Even If You Didn’t Like It
In all my years working in corporate America and owning my own businesses, do you know what was the most helpful feedback? The bad stuff! Sure, it was great to be told that someone thought I was doing a good job or that they liked the service we offered. That was great for validation that…
-
Friendships In The Ballet Studio
We’ve been seeing some posts on social media and also recently got some questions from parents about friendships in the ballet studio and how to manage them. This can be especially tough when some of your closest friends can also be your fiercest competition. It can sometimes get complicated, but we’ve got some tips to…
-
Choosing A Residential Ballet Program: Part 2
On the heels of our last post where we talked about non-ballet questions to ask, let’s now turn to questions that directly relate to ballet in any residential ballet school. First, here’s the reality: dancers are going to go to the program they get into. We can give you a laundry list of things to…
-
Choosing A Residential Ballet Program: Part 1
A while back, we talked about how to evaluate a local ballet program. Now that we’ve looked at local programs, let’s turn our attention to residential ballet programs. By the time your dancer is ready to head to a residential program, they’ve likely decided they want to pursue a professional career. Before your family takes…
-
Moving From Traditional School To Non-Traditional Academic Programs
When students enter full-time ballet training, the notion of “regular” school goes out the window. Often, ballet classes start as early as 8 a.m. and run through most of the day, making it impossible for students to attend what most of us consider normal middle school or high school. Because most serious ballet students move…
-
Cross-Training: Why It Matters And When To Start
Dancers are athletes. How many times have you heard that? Despite the traditional reputation of ballet as an “art,” professional dancers are commonly regarded as athletes based on the physical demands they sustain through long hours of technical training, rehearsals, and performances. Dancers must possess a high level of fitness, strength, coordination, agility, speed, and…
-
When Dancers Want To Stay For Year-Round After Attending The Intensive
Welcome to the Summer Intensive season. Your kids have been in their program for a few weeks, and they are no longer outliers in their social worlds. They are surrounded by like-minded dancers who are driven and love ballet. Maybe they have connected with a teacher at their SI program and your dancer is growing…