As we prepare to return from our week long October break we hope our dancers and teachers are feeling refreshed and ready to go! We know our dancers have missed their classes very much however, it is important to rest our bodies to allow muscles, bones and joints to recover.
Although we as dancers always strive for perfection this can come with a lot of strain on our muscles, bones and mind. Every movement in any style of dance requires practice to master, however knowing when enough is enough can be hard when you are eager to add that new movement to your skill set.
This is why introducing rest into your dance schedule is imperative for a happy and healthy dance career.
What is rest?
Rest = giving your body and mind a break!
To be your very best there is a misconception that dancers must train continuously whether that be in studio, on stage and/ or at home to improve. However, though it would seem that the harder you work the better you will be, it can more often than not have the opposite effect.
Why is rest important?
Exhaustion of the body and mind through overtraining can be the result of continuous tiredness, unexplained emotional changes, illness, injury and poor performance. This would be a lot for us grown ups to handle, never mind our younger dancers.
By introducing a well earned break into dance schedules, first and foremost allows for the regeneration of muscles, reducing the risk of fatigue and injury (which could see dancers unable to train at all). Taking time to rest also allows dancers to reflect on the movements and choreography they have been working on in the studio. This is just as important as physically practicing routines and we encourage dancers to incorporate both into their training routine
Remember dancers, our bodies are forever, be kind to them!