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Ariana Swain

Ms. Visconti

English I

23 March 2017

The Elements of a Dancer’s Performance

Most of a dancer’s time is spent in a studio, rehearsing or practicing her technique. As a

dancer, one may wonder why some performances are more successful than others. Is it simply

chance, or are other factors involved? A dancer’s performance before and during a show is

affected by her amount of sleep, exercise, and nutrition. Since they have busy schedules, many

dancers have a challenging time maintaining a balance between these elements.

The amount of sleep that an average teenager strives to get each night varies from about

eight to nine hours. However, with many rehearsals and long hours in the studio, this is often

difficult for dancers to achieve. If she does not get enough sleep, her performance will not be

one-hundred percent. Taking a day off to rest and catch up on sleep is the best decision mentally,

as well as physically. Performers who do not get enough sleep are often stressed, tired, and

focused before a show. This can create a tense environment, leading to a bad performance. After

getting a decent amount of rest, the overall quality of the performance will be much more

successful; the environment will be safer, and both minor and serious injuries will be prevented.

Everyone gets sick at one point or another, some more often than others; and because

dancers are frequently in close contact with others during shows and rehearsals, it is common for

them to spread and share illnesses. When a dancer is sick and unable to perform to their

maximum ability, this often causes a major setback. However, obtaining enough sleep can help
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to avoid these illnesses and prevent setbacks in a performance. A significant way to avoid

illnesses is to get an average amount of sleep each night, “regular good-quality sleep are [is]

needed to reduce susceptibility to illness” (Draus). Sleep is important for anyone to function

physically or mentally, whether they are an athlete or not. Draus explains how a greater amount

of sleep means that the odds of getting sick before a show is much slimmer; each dancer will be

able to perform to their maximum ability and have a great performance.

There are many roles of a dancer, both physically and mentally. The physical job of a

dancer is to perform movement to portray a story. Although the typical dancer is known to be

light on her feet with free-flowing passion throughout the movement, there is much more

training and strength behind the scenes. This movement requires an abnormal amount of

flexibility, stamina, cardiovascular endurance, and strength. In addition to the physical element,

another significant role is learning, memorizing, and interpreting choreography. One who often

sleeps is quicker at learning and retaining information, “When sleep is missed memory fails”

(Draus). Striving to get an average amount of sleep before a show will decrease the chances of

forgetting corrections, notes, or choreography in general.

As Misty Copeland stated, ​“There’s no way we could perform and rehearse without

filling our bodies with food and taking care of ourselves, the same way any athlete would.”

(Macdonald). ​This quote states that one must maintain a balance between all the elements. If one

dances to her full potential, but does not take care of her body or get enough sleep, then the result

will not be improved. ​Taking care of the body and ​exercising is part of everyone’s daily routine,

whether they know it or not. Most people exercise by simply running to their car, walking into

their house, or even skipping throughout their day. Some make it a priority to prepare for a
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marathon or train themselves for an upcoming sport. Others exercise to feel satisfied with

themselves and stay fit, “Dancer’s feel very satisfied with having completed their exercises,

worked on their turnout, and done their daily stretch routine” (The Dancer Diet). Some athletes

are positive after exercising and others are negative, but if one feels satisfied after exercising,

this often shows that the balance of elements is being successfully maintained.

Everybody views training in a different perspective such as doing sit-ups, push-ups, and

planks, or lifting weights and running around a track. As a dancer who stretches and exercises

regularly, one must be aware to protect herself and her body from injuries that slowly occur over

time. Setting a goal and limiting oneself to stay within limits will help to maintain a balance of

exercising to a certain extent. For a dancer to be healthy and have a better performance, she must

maintain a balance of fruits and vegetables, carbohydrates, proteins, milk and dairy products,

fats, and sugar. Having a healthy and nutritious breakfast prepares one’s body for a busy, active

schedule. “The food fuels the body and builds muscle. The dancer’s diet must include adequate

calories and enough protein to build new cells and heal injury” (Draus). Having a meal with the

proper amount of proteins and carbs will build muscle and heal minor injuries. Another part of

nutrition is drinking lots of water. As an athlete, it is important to stay hydrated and manage the

levels of the food pyramid to maintain a healthy body. Dancer’s are often stressed before a big

performance or main event, “Increasing carbohydrates during times of heavy training helps

reduce stress hormones and inflammation” (Draus). This quote explains how before a

performance when there is often many dancers stressed out, having a nutritious meal with

carbohydrates will reduce stress and have a more positive environment.

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Before a show, one should stretch her muscles to relax the body and prepare herself for a

tiring and lengthy performance. Also, eating a nutritious meal will provide energy for each

dancer. Exercise, sleep and nutrition of a dancer affects the attitudes of the performers, as well as

the entire event. Each element has a major impact on the result of a performance. Altogether,

they provide for a better, more graceful and entertaining show for the audience.
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Works Cited

Draus, Stephanie. “How Do Nutrition & Sleep Affect Your Body and Dance” n.p., n.d. Wb.

08 Feb.

Hanson, Rachel. "How Does Dancing Affect the Mind." LoveToKnow. N.p.,

n.d. Web. 06 Mar. 2017.

Macdonald, Moira. "Misty Copeland Talks about Food, Shyness and Her 'Ballerina Body'." The

Seattle Times. The Seattle Times Company, 16 Mar. 2017. Web. 22 Mar. 2017.

Minden, Joel PHd. "Fitness Training Improves Dance Performance." Joel Minden. N.p., 29

Aug. 2013. Web. 10 Feb. 2017.

“The Dancer Diet." Contemporary-dance.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Mar. 2017.

"The Health Benefits of Dancing." Canyon Ranch. N.p., 08 Dec. 2016. Web. 06 Mar. 2017.