Category Archives: Dance Studio

Dance Studio, Uncategorized

Meet our Resident Physical Therapist Sheyi Ojofeitimi


It looks like 2012 is going to be good. I have been trying to get a “Team” together for a while, we already have Courtney Veaszey our Mental Health Specialist, Natalie Guarnachelli our Nutritionist and I had spoken about having a physical therapist come on board,FINALLY I pinned and Sheyi down and we shot some segments! So I am introducing what will be called PT TIPS (Physical Therapy Tips not to be confused with the English tea PG Tips!)

Because my background is as a dancer, and the genesis of the blog sprung from both my personal experiences in the field, and seeing some of those same issues patterned in my students (as far as body image, and weight) the health, of my body however was always in relationship to the dance. To me (in my youth) Health simply meant being able to dance and dance pain free, period. Now that I am accumulating years….I see and feel how important it is to take care of your body inside and out, and for dancers physical therapy is a life line. I wanted to introduce the idea of, and clarify what physical therapy is to both dancers and non-dancers because it is a useful tool to getting and maintaining health. Most of us think that we use physical therapy if was are injured, however I was shocked to learn from Sheyi that ALL people should have a physical therapist- it’s not just about when your injured!it is also about prevention. I especially wanted to get the information about maintenance out there to young dancers is so vital, first because the work (contemporary) can be so extreme these days and hyper mobility is almost a prerequisite that the bodies of today seem to be more susceptible to injury. Maybe it’s me but it seems that kids these days break more easily, sometimes my classroom looks like a hospital ER with all the students sitting out for this or that, thus learning to take care of your instrument before an injury, during and after one is incredibly important. Also it can extend you career, people are dancing longer because we know more about the body, the sports medicine is better, as is the technology. SO! I finally pinned Sheyi down and we talked about a number of topics that I will be bringing to you every 3 weeks or so. Please We both would love to answer your questions so write in!!!  Our first topic was simple and seemingly obvious but proved not as obvious as you might think.

WHEN SHOULD YOU SEE A PHYSICAL THERAPIST?

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SHEYI!

Sheyi Ojofeitimi, DPT

 

Dr. Ojofeitimi is owner of Divine Physical Therapy, a NY based practice that uses a whole body approach to identify the biomechanical, neuromuscular, and/or motor control dysfunctions that are the cause of musculoskeletal pain. The practice offers on-site physical therapy services to performing arts organizations and private clients.

 

Dr. Ojofeitimi has spent the past 10 years serving in different capacities to several organizations. At Long Island University’s Brooklyn campus, she served as senior research associate at the Analysis of Dance and Movement (ADAM) Center, an on- campus biomechanics laboratory. There she was part of a team of physical therapists, biomechanists, computer scientists, and engineers who conducted biomechanical and epidemiologic research to aide in the prevention and treatment of musculoskeletal injury in dancers. She also served as Coordinator for Project QUEST (Quality Undergraduate Expanded Science Training), a federal grant funded program designed to directly address the shortage of minorities in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields by providing the a comprehensive range of services to support and strengthen the academic skills and educational experiences of minority students. During this same period she and her physical therapy colleagues provided screenings, injury prevention workshops, injury triage clinics, rehabilitation and injury case management services to Cedar Lake Contemporary Dance Company, and the Alvin Ailey Organization (including AAADT, Ailey II, students and staff of The Ailey School).  She serves as the tour physical therapist for AAADT.

Dance Studio, P(2)AS 30 Day Challenge! 2/2/12, Uncategorized

Dance has no “Short Cuts”-There’s no APP for That!

 

Sometimes when I am teaching and passionately explaining an element of the technique, I look up to see my students watching me like I was a cable television show. As I walk around the room observing them, often I will spot someone falling back, or struggling to balance and they are looking at me as if to say, “What’s going on? Help, save me!” I look back flatly and say, “Wow, what are you going to do about that?” It might sound insensitive, but it’s actually an effort to get them to realize that they not only have the information to “save” themselves, but the responsibility to try to solve the problem on their own. Their passivity towards finding a solution vexes me. The idea that they are in a sense waiting, expecting me to fix the problem in their bodies makes me adamant not to become an enabler to that passivity.  You might be saying to yourself “Well, isn’t that your job? You are the teacher, it’s your job to fix them” In a sense you are right, however my primary charge is to teach them how to fix themselves by giving them the tools they need, it is not to do the mental work for them.

Dance, like life is a series of problems that need solving. Dance is a physical puzzle, if you can’t fall in love with problem solving you will never be able to truly fall in love with dance, or for that matter life.

Over the 15 or so years that I have been teaching I have observed a slow shifting in the way students approach the work. There is a generational shift that has taken place. I have found that today’s students have a difficulty inserting, and asserting themselves into the process of their development. This issue is not so much the comprehension of the information (intellectually and conceptually they are more advanced) nor is it the translation of the concepts from thought to action (making a thought a movement). The problem is the process of translating, the thinking their way systematically through the technique with consistency. Today’s student are so used to information (solutions, answers) being delivered to them via two dimensional computer screens where they merely have to point and click to retrieve possible solutions that they are sorely lacking the ability to work things out independently. You might be able to Google, Yelp, Ask almost anything, but it won’t help you stand up and pirouette. The body just doesn’t work that way. Your brain is the original computer, and your body is like a vessel that needs to be piloted. You sole pilot of your vessel. Sometimes I feel today’s students are trying to dance in autopilot before they have learned to manually fly their plane, or they dance like they are playing a Wii, following along. They are seeking the shortest, quickest, easiest way to solve the physical puzzles of their bodies, and the reality is…

“There is no App for that, YOU are the App!”

“You are your own Search engine; all the information is in there you just have to access the appropriate files to successfully complete the task.”

To be fair, it is not quite 100% their fault, (no, I am not making excuses for them) This generational issue. These students are growing up in intrinsically different world and set of circumstances then those of generations before them. People who grew up before the technical revolution process information differently. The two brains are just built differently, literally.

Over the last 30 years the world has been drastically altered by the technological advancements that we all enjoy. The world, once shrunken by air travel is now even smaller with information at one’s fingertips, and the ability to have eyes around the world in real time. Technology has not only changed the way we disseminate and receive information, it has vastly altered our relationships and social interactions. But these are the obvious effects of modern technology. There has been a more insidious effect that modern technology has wrought. Let me explain. There was a time not so very long ago when people held numerous names, addresses and telephone numbers in their heads, a time when children were drilled on the memorization if their parents names, their addresses and telephone numbers just in case they got lost.  It was not unusual to solve problems with brain power, legwork or by connecting the dots of information, with simple deduction and sometimes, basic common sense. This was also the time when you had to be at home to receive a call or wait returned to check an answering machine (pre-remote retrieval). It was also time when you had to honor your commitments, if you made an appointment to meet someone, you had to show up, as there was no way of getting in touch with someone in transit to cancel. In a time pre-cell phone, pre-email and Internet human beings were quite independent creatures. Today, in a world were any and everything is a touch or click away, it seems that all this “progress” in a way has “regressed” us in terms of our ability to independently hold certain information in our heads, or rely on ourselves to figure things out. And why should we when we can literally hold a solution to almost everything in the palm of our hands? In addition our diminished capacities to independently problem solve, our ability to independently trouble shoot has all but dissipated. The reality is, the Modern brain looks vastly different then that of a brain 20 years ago.

 

MAPPING THE BRAIN

When we are born we are born with a certain number of synapses (pathways by which information is transmitted). At birth, the number of synapses per neuron is 2,500, but by age two or three, it’s increases to about 15,000 per neuron. Here’s the thing, where there is an exponential increase, the brain eliminates connections that are seldom or never used, this is a normal part of brain development. Science has revealed that there is what is called, “Windows of opportunity” this is when synapses can be developed and strengthened. These are sensitive periods in children’s lives when specific types of learning take place. For instance the neurons for vision begin sending messages back and forth rapidly at 2 to 4 months of age, peaking in intensity at 8 months. It is no coincidence that babies begin to take notice of the world during this period.  Now think about today’s parents introduce electronic devices to small children sometimes as young as 6-8 months old (be they for entertainment or education) with single parent homes or both parents working the DVD has greatly replaced the time that parents read to children, and the prevalence of video has all but eliminated the need for children to use their imagination to visualize their favorite characters, today their “imaginations” are 2 dimensional and lit LED bulbs. Therefore the visual stimuli that help create and strengthen the visual synapses today are greatly different from the stimuli of the past. Since the brain learns to respond and relate to what is comes in contact with (and is less familiar to information that is seldom encounters) is stands to reason that we are creating a brain that is wired differently then those of the past. The same applies to the way we learn to work through problem solving, with the advent of the Internet and search engines the way in which problems are solved today has been revolutionized: Ask, Point, Click and within seconds hundreds of possible solutions appear. Once the information is obtained there is no reason to actually store it in our heads because all we need do is click again and it will be saved and will be forever just a click away. Hence the modern brain looks and functions differently than the brain of 20 years ago.

Technology has created a world, and now a new generation for whom “shortcuts” are a way of life. We are all become accustom to the hyper speed of the modern world.  We get irritated when an Internet page takes to long to load, or a subway creeps through a tunnel, or you have to wait 5 minutes for your fast food French fries to come out of the grease cooker. True, the speed of life is easy to get accustomed to, but if you are old enough to remember when Snail Mail was the only mail, or to research something you would have to go to the library, battle the Dewey Decimal System and the stacks, and if you wanted to have someone’s telephone number you either consulted the one ton phone book or pay a fee for 411, then there is something within you that remembers what it was like have to wait. If you are a child of the tech-boom then you are just pissed and irritated!

Technology has rendered us all impatient and for lack of a better term, Lazy Brained. For those of us raised in a pre-technology era we are experiencing a sort of Alzheimer effect, we can no longer remember those telephone numbers and addresses we once held in our heads and have to consult our mobile phone. As we adapt to the rapidly changing technological landscape, in our struggle to keep up, we must leave things behind. We have to; the world is moving faster, the immediacy of today demands that we operate a certain way within it. So our embracing technology has results in a fading of skills that were once necessary, now rendered useless they wizen like a of kind of like the appendix. For those born in this era, it is not so much the loss of skills, but the fact that those skills never developed. The Generational Lazy Brained Effect is glaringly evident in certain areas. Generally it is not a problem as most things in the world have progressed with, and through technology and so they are complementary, i.e. there are computers in the classrooms, and the internet is used as a research tool, files and records are now all computerized. However the t’ruth is we have figured out how to truncate almost everything we do, travel, getting information, cooking, weight loss, relationships, youngsters even develop are a younger age! Albeit there are a few things that still take the same amount of time and we have not been able to alter, and the is, it still take 9 months (give or take) to have a baby, and it still takes about ten years to make a dancer (give or take). And they are both done in relatively the same ways that they have always been done (give or take). The body- the way it learns takes the same amount of time now as it did in the 1700’s.

The Lazy Brain and Ballet (Dance)

Ballet is a technique that is centuries old and for the most part is still taught in 2011 the way it was in the 1800’s. Though the aesthetics, functionality, and facility of the body may be vastly different from those of the past, the rules if the technique are the same. Add to that, the (mentally and physically) body still develops and learns in the same way, and at the same rate, and the kinesiology and the physics of the form are still the same. Over the last few years I have been convinced that because the students (and their needs) are changing so rapidly due to technology, that I as a teacher must shift to meet them where they are. I would I have to create modern references to help students connect and relate to the origin of the ballet of Checcetti, Vagonova and The French and Royal Schools and make it relevant and relatable to their 21st century sensibilities.

Dance is a physical puzzle that requires the blending of technical mastery with spatial awareness, musicality, and artistry. To dance well one must multitask all those elements and make adjustments in split seconds. You must pilot your body. Although the modern brain can intellectualize dance concepts more quickly, the act of processing that information and translating that in to movement takes longer. I find that students can talk about dance (in theory or concept) all day long, they get it, but dance is not verbal, it’s physical. Year by year my students were becoming more and more passive in terms of approaching the work, instead of actively searching for the physical solutions to their problems they were happy to wait to be corrected. Most times they begin to move before thinking about what they need to or how to do it. They make the big shapes with no thought to detail, quality, or consistency. Often, instead of trying to make adjustments on their own, after experiencing a problem they would be quick to ask, “I’m falling back, what should I do?” where the answer should obvious because it’s a bit of common sense (bring your weight forward) but also because the information had been reiterated numerous times, somehow without verbal and constant prompting the concepts eludes them entirely. It lands but does not stick or permeate, they do not take ownership of the information, and instead they save it to a file, but forget what they saved it under, or where, and simply forget to open the file when they need it.

I find today’s students tend to want to simply get through something as opposed to really investigating how to get through it, thereby learning and developing the technique. They tend to seek externally (looking towards the teacher) for the solution that is quick, and easy. They have to be prompted to independently query themselves about possible solutions (the answers to which has often already been presented to them in class repeatedly). In the studio like in life they are seeking the shortcut. It’s not that they are wholly uninterested in actually learning; I think the real issue is how much effort (mental and physical) it takes to apply the solution that taxes them. I think when the reality of amount of the mental and physical rigor hits them, the ante is a bit too high and they bail out on themselves. This is when they start to try to negotiate and haggle with themselves, thinking, “There has to be a way around this.”

Unfortunately, when dealing with the body in this capacity, passivity and shortcuts do not exist. The process of learning, especially when training the body takes time. In this instant gratification based world we live in where most things can be obtained in shorter periods of time, the biological clocks of today’s younger generations run much faster. They are impatient and restless, and when things take too long they get frustrated and lose interest. In the world of technology there usually is a way to get things done faster, something you simply download, sit back wait for to run. Well the body doesn’t work that way.  There simply isn’t mental or physical App for this!

I realized that I was going to have to help them to create the necessary synapses for them to approach the work.

WHAT TO DO:

I have accepted the fact that one of my roles as teacher now it to teach my students how to “think”. The first thing I had to do was get them off of their mental butts! Here are some tools I found very effective in getting their brains in the game.

Ask Don’t Tell:

I stopped giving out the answers (on how to fix things or properly execute) this enabled their passivity instead I started asking them! When I started you could have heard crickets in the middle of New York City! Then when they realized that I wasn’t just and information booth they could saunter up to and get the snippet they needed, they started to check in. After teaching certain concepts, or technical elements, and reiterating several times, when I revisit them I ask “Now, how are we going to get this done?” or “What are we going to think about when we do this?”  For a while it is the actualization of a racist joke in the making “How many students does it take to explain a Fondue?” and at first it usually took about 3-4 students (and some prompting) but eventually you get more hands and an eagerness to tell. It makes them responsible for the information.

Do it Yourself Corrections:

Another tool I used to get their brains fired up was to make them build their own corrections. I ask “what is wrong with that, why didn’t that work?” generally they have a vague idea of what went wrong, so I ask them “based on what we have been working on how would we fix that?” If they are stumped, I ask the class to weigh in. Let me tell you kids might be passive about fixing themselves, but they are always eager to tell someone else what’s wrong with them! Of course they have to be respectful, supportive and helpful, and this gets them using their eyes to deconstruct and understand and gets their brains in the game.

Well-Laid Plans:

One the keys to effective dancing, is being able to in a sense “plot” your way through a combination and have a plan for the parts that will give you trouble. By assessing each element and the transitions between them, you can make certain that not only you are prepared for the technical requirements to execute the combination, but you can also prepare for what your personal issues and trouble spots will be, timing and dynamics (speed and inertia) can throw you off and change the simplest of movements. When presenting combination I will “plot the course” for them by step by step verbalizing what they might be thinking about in every moment – essentially speaking the internal monologue that takes place as we dance. As they become familiar with this process of breaking down the combination (technically, rhythmically, musically) I give them a moment before exercises to do it on their own. Before they do a combination I always remind them to plot their course, or make a plan (of execution)

Your Body is not Problem It’s Your Mind

Since your brain is the original computer, if you enter the information correctly and completely, and you understand all of the components that make up an element of movement, your mind can (if you get yourself out of the way) flip it to the left, reverse, retrograde or change the facing in space without too much drama, but trick is you have to use your brain. The brain in also the GPS for the Body, if you put the right directions in you will get to your destination. If you are vague, drive straight, turn, turn again… you will be lost. The more precise you are, the more details (with technical information, musicality, rhythm, body facings, port-de-bras, quality) the better and more accurate your results.

When something is not working I often ask students “What are you thinking?” It’s a layered question, because if they can’t answer—well then that’s a huge reason why it wasn’t working. If they can answer, you will often be able to show them why the step failed. i.e. when people try to pirouette, they think turn, so they often spin around perhaps with to much force and in a poor position, when someone says “I was thinking turn” it’s clear because that’s what they did, they spun around, but they did not pirouette. When you ask them to think about balancing—the results are different for a number of reasons, first in order to balance you have to maintain both your center and your position, already those two things are resolved, the other thing is when you think about balancing, going into the revolution you are more mindful to not push yourself off. Getting students to redirect their focus is a key factor in getting results, and it makes them in engage with a mental direction and clarity!

Teachers, These are some of the tools that I use to try to get my students to think about the body, dance, and movement differently and to get them to use their brains in the fashion that will support them getting this old world art form done in modern times. I hope they work for you as they have worked for me. Students, you can use these tools on your own even if your teacher is not asking these question, you can take them into all of your classes to support your work!!! Good luck and I would love to hear any feedback on results if you try it out!

Dance Studio, Uncategorized

My Hips Don’t Lie

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Here is the proof of why I have my hateful hip muscles that the critic commented on!

I reveal the t’ruth behind a physical mystery that has haunted and taunted me for years. Sometimes what lies beneath is the secret to what the eyes perceive. I love that show Bones- It’s Brenann VS Saroyan- the bones VS the Flesh! Take a look and you’ll understand better!

Dance Studio

Dancers, Learn How to Correct Hyperextended Legs! – VIDEO

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For a while now I have been getting questions about how to correct hyper-extended legs. There is a lot of confusion around the subject and misinformation. Finally I found the perfect model to illustrate the exercises that will help build the right muscles to support the knee and correct the leg. Erika Hand is the lovely leg model in the video. Hear her talk about her personal experience with what she has been told about her legs and how to correct them. It might sound familiar…

Here are some simple concepts that will help you change the way you “think” about “how” you straighten the leg, and some exercises to help you first find the proper muscles to lift the knee cap up- (not back) and then strengthen the muscles above the knee then so that the leg with be strong and secure. I find that it’s best to try to find and connect with these new muscles outside of class where you can really focus solely on isolating the area. In class there is too much to worry about (the combination, the counts, the arms, moving across the floor, trying to turn and jump). These are simple exercises that can be done on the bus stop, while waiting for the train, (and you won’t look crazy!) or when you are just standing around. This way you can put the muscular information into your body when you can concentrate and feel what you are doing. The body will remember and when you do get into class you fill find that the muscles will start to fire almost without thought. It’s also a good idea to add these exercised to your warm up so that you can set up your legs before class to set. Don’t get discouraged, it’s new and seems daunting but the body learns and responds quickly. Stick with it

Hear Erika explain what she felt when she employed the concepts we talked about…

Dance Studio, Donnish Delights, Uncategorized

A Little Death- When “Dance Identified” what happens when it’s time to Retire?

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Mental Health Specialist Cortnay Veazey gives us “A Little Death” which talks about how to avoid some of the painful pitfalls when it’s time to face the final curtain, or when injury knocks you out of the game for a while. As dancers, or even as family members and friends of dancers we know (and maybe have become collateral damage to) the myopic mind set and lifestyle of the dance world. Not to get all Black Swan on you but to become a professional dancer (in any genre, on any level) takes a great deal of sacrifice, and while you are in it, because you are loving what you’re doing it doesn’t feel that way, but sometimes on the back end you come realize that there is a great deal that you missed out on. It is akin to what you here child stars talk about, missing out on their childhoods. Where it might not be THAT extreme, there are things that must take a back seat. For instance I started dancing at the age of 3, and dance professionally at 13 with a regional company, I loved what I was doing and I was dedicated and focused, but  because of the amount of time I spent in the studio I can barely ride a bike, I don’t rollerskate, ice skate, or ski, for fear of injury and lack of down time. I stopped swimming and running track on school teams for fear of building the wrong muscles, and gave up the violin because there weren’t enough hours in the day after dance to do homework and practice. These may seem like small things, but in a sense my inability to experience these seemingly insignificant things at crucial developmental stages might have shipped away at the person I would have become had I the chance to engage in them.

When I stopped dancing (the first time- there were a couple of retirement dry runs) I was only 23, and was fascinated by the prospect of being and living like a normal person- no more sewing pointe shoes, aches and pains, and ice, no more having to end my weekend early so that Monday I could be rested for a full rehearsal day. AND AND AND I could eat what ever I wanted, no dieting (unless I wanted to) I could eat drink and party with relative impunity.  AND I DID! That was the first time, I went back to dancing a year or so later and only loosely reentered the world (project to project- after being set loose in the world there was no going back completely) the second time I “retired”, I was fully prepared, but only because of my early jail break. This is a truly important topic, and though it does not seem directly related to your body—your mind and your mental health are the cornerstone of your perception of self… read, learn and enjoy!

A Little Death- When “Dance Identified” what happens when it’s time to Retire?

Courtnay Veazey

It’s been seven years since I’ve consistently taken ballet classes, yet I still identify myself as a dancer, a bunhead, a ballerina, a terpsichorean, a lover of movement. However, this identification has lost its influence as other aspects of my post-performing identity have matured and blossomed. Identifying yourself as a dancer has its pros and cons. Pros include an intimate connection with your body, an automatic link to a tight-knit community, a spirit of intense dedication, and the joys of performing. Cons usually occur during times of transition, such as injury, realizing that you will not become a professional dancer, or retirement. All of those transitions deal with a loss, and as with any other loss in your life, you will grieve and feel heartbroken. To illustrate these powerful emotions of loss and grief felt by transitioning dancers, Kevin McKenzie, the artistic director for the American Ballet Theatre, said, “The retiring dancer and heartbroken lover are never more alike than when their relationships end” (Jeffri, 2005, p. 341).

 

I felt lost, confused, and grieved my senior year of high school when I realized that I would no longer be spending at least 15 hours a week in the ballet studio – my haven. I cried throughout my entire warm-up class before my final performance with the Ballet Memphis Junior Company. I knew that part of my identity was dying, but I chose to recognize that this loss would leave room for growth and new opportunities in my life. Ironically, the work ethic and dedication I learned from ballet would help me overcome the loss of ballet as my predominant self-identifier.

 

One of the most difficult times of transition a professional dancer will face is retirement – especially since it usually occurs at a young age. Most dancers end their careers before the age of 40. According to Pickman (1987), dancers “face retirement from dance with little knowledge or formal preparation for other careers” (p. 200). Along with lack of preparation regarding their transition, retiring dancers experience strong emotions, such as anger, frustration, depression, fear, and grief (Doerr, 1995; Jeffri, 2005; Pickman, 1987; van Staden, Myburgh, & Poggenpoel, 2009). An international survey conducted in 2000 by Columbia University’s Research Center for Arts and Culture confirmed “the common notion that the end of a career in dance is ‘one of life’s little deaths’ that dancers often say they must mourn the loss of before they can continue in another career” (Jeffri, 2005, p. 346). This same survey also confirmed that dancers feel more satisfied in their post-retirement careers if they fully prepare themselves for retirement compared to those dancers who do not prepare themselves (Jeffri, 2005).

 

South African researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with professional ballet dancers and discovered that retiring dancers usually do not view retirement as a growth opportunity (van Staden et al., 2009). They become intimately connected with the grief aspect of this transition and the fear that normally comes with a change and forget about the growth aspect and the talents and skills they have to offer. Also, upon retirement, dancers experience exclusion and self-doubt as a result of finding “themselves in competition with other ‘normal’ people, who are usually in the middle of their careers or even picking up the results of an already established career” (Roncaglia, 2006, p. 184; Drahota & Eitzen, 1995).

 

Feelings of being unprepared and feelings of anger, frustration, depression, fear, grief, loneliness, and self-doubt can be overcome by processing those emotions with a mentor and/or a counselor. Thankfully, the dance community recognizes this need for support and encouragement, and a wonderful organization exists specifically for dancers facing career transitions. This organization is Career Transition for Dancers.

 

continue article here

Dance Studio, Donnish Delights

A Little Death- When “Dance Identified” what happens when it’s time to Retire?

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By Courtnay Veazey

It’s been seven years since I’ve consistently taken ballet classes, yet I still identify myself as a dancer, a bunhead, a ballerina, a terpsichorean, a lover of movement. However, this identification has lost its influence as other aspects of my post-performing identity have matured and blossomed. Identifying yourself as a dancer has its pros and cons. Pros include an intimate connection with your body, an automatic link to a tight-knit community, a spirit of intense dedication, and the joys of performing. Cons usually occur during times of transition, such as injury, realizing that you will not become a professional dancer, or retirement. All of those transitions deal with a loss, and as with any other loss in your life, you will grieve and feel heartbroken. To illustrate these powerful emotions of loss and grief felt by transitioning dancers, Kevin McKenzie, the artistic director for the American Ballet Theatre, said, “The retiring dancer and heartbroken lover are never more alike than when their relationships end” (Jeffri, 2005, p. 341).

 

I felt lost, confused, and grieved my senior year of high school when I realized that I would no longer be spending at least 15 hours a week in the ballet studio – my haven. I cried throughout my entire warm-up class before my final performance with the Ballet Memphis Junior Company. I knew that part of my identity was dying, but I chose to recognize that this loss would leave room for growth and new opportunities in my life. Ironically, the work ethic and dedication I learned from ballet would help me overcome the loss of ballet as my predominant self-identifier.

 

One of the most difficult times of transition a professional dancer will face is retirement – especially since it usually occurs at a young age. Most dancers end their careers before the age of 40. According to Pickman (1987), dancers “face retirement from dance with little knowledge or formal preparation for other careers” (p. 200). Along with lack of preparation regarding their transition, retiring dancers experience strong emotions, such as anger, frustration, depression, fear, and grief (Doerr, 1995; Jeffri, 2005; Pickman, 1987; van Staden, Myburgh, & Poggenpoel, 2009). An international survey conducted in 2000 by Columbia University’s Research Center for Arts and Culture confirmed “the common notion that the end of a career in dance is ‘one of life’s little deaths’ that dancers often say they must mourn the loss of before they can continue in another career” (Jeffri, 2005, p. 346). This same survey also confirmed that dancers feel more satisfied in their post-retirement careers if they fully prepare themselves for retirement compared to those dancers who do not prepare themselves (Jeffri, 2005).

 

South African researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with professional ballet dancers and discovered that retiring dancers usually do not view retirement as a growth opportunity (van Staden et al., 2009). They become intimately connected with the grief aspect of this transition and the fear that normally comes with a change and forget about the growth aspect and the talents and skills they have to offer. Also, upon retirement, dancers experience exclusion and self-doubt as a result of finding “themselves in competition with other ‘normal’ people, who are usually in the middle of their careers or even picking up the results of an already established career” (Roncaglia, 2006, p. 184; Drahota & Eitzen, 1995).

 

Feelings of being unprepared and feelings of anger, frustration, depression, fear, grief, loneliness, and self-doubt can be overcome by processing those emotions with a mentor and/or a counselor. Thankfully, the dance community recognizes this need for support and encouragement, and a wonderful organization exists specifically for dancers facing career transitions. This organization is Career Transition for Dancers. http://www.careertransition.org/Programs/

 

Dancers experience intense emotions when processing retirement because they tend to sacrifice personal development (Roncaglia, 2006), which leads to weakened self-identities (van Staden et al., 2009). In other words, dancers forfeit time with friends, family, and educational institutions (i.e. high school and/or college) to solely focus on dance, which in reality is only a small part of their identities. Yes, dance is an important aspect of their lives, but due to intense training, rehearsing, touring, and performance schedules, dancers sometimes forget to develop other aspects of their identities. This intense focus on only one aspect of their lives leads to much more intense loss when retirement occurs.

 

So, pre-professional and professional dancers, take time to focus on the other parts of who you are. Take a night class at a local or online university. Become involved with different volunteer efforts. Develop hobbies, such as photography, reading, writing, etc. Most importantly, while you’re taking time to focus on these other aspects of your identity, realize that everything you engage in is purposeful and ultimately preparing you in some way for a life off the stage. Some of you younger dancers may be participating in intense training and therefore do not have time to engage in other activities. That’s okay. Just be sure to make an effort to recognize your interests outside the dance realm. The mere knowledge that you have an interest in other things is just as important because those interests could become a secondary career choice in the future. Also, by being able to recognize your other interests now, then you will not be left offstage asking “Well, what else do I like? What do I do now?”

 

Here are a few activities that you can do pre-retirement to help you prepare for and successfully manage the emotional turmoil that can stem from this transition – whether that transition is next year or ten years from now.

 

1. Know what stage you’re experiencing. Drahota & Eitzen (1998) modified Ebaugh’s (1988) role exit theory to make it applicable for professional athletes. I believe their modification is also applicable to professional dancers.

Pre-Stage 1 – Original Doubts: You realize before becoming a professional dancer that this career (or role) would be temporary due to injury, the aging process, and intense competition. Therefore, you plan for another career before becoming a professional dancer. (If you experience this stage, then you typically experience a smoother transition post-retirement and enter directly into Stage 2.)

Stage 1 – First Doubts: You begin to doubt your commitment to being a professional dancer by realizing this role will not last forever. This questioning can occur as a result of burnout, injury, layoff, illness, or company restructuring.

Stage 2 – Seeking Alternatives: You begin looking for and consider alternatives to your current role as a professional dancer.

Stage 3 – The Turning Point: You make a voluntary or involuntary decision to exit your role as a professional dancer. Involuntary decisions occur because of layoffs, career-ending injuries, or illnesses. Also, during this stage, you announce your decision to leave your role and assemble the emotional and social support you need to act on that decision.

Stage 4 – Creating the Ex-Role: You learn how to be you without the role of dancer prominently attached and begin learning how to incorporate your past identity into your present and future identity. This stage is an intense process and takes time. (I’m still learning how to incorporate my identity as a ballerina into my present life.)

Consider the following questions regarding your current stage: How does it feel to be in that stage? What questions do have about the other stages? What do you see yourself doing to successfully move into the next stage? What’s preventing you from doing those things? What emotions do you feel when you think about moving to the next stage?

 

2. Explore your self-identity through a freewriting activity. For ten minutes, write whatever comes into your mind about your self-identity. Don’t stop to critique what you write. Just keep writing as much as you can get down. If you get stuck, keep writing – write ‘I’m stuck,’ or ‘I don’t know what else to write.’ Most importantly, keep your pen moving. After ten minutes, read through what you said. What did you learn about yourself? What are you missing? How will you fulfill those missing components? What are your strengths? How can you use those strengths in areas outside of dance?

 

3. Create a collage that reflects how you presently feel about retirement and how retirement makes you view yourself. After creating the collage and recognizing some of the emotions present in it, say out loud to yourself, “I will not allow retirement to make me feel _____.” Fill in the blank with anything (i.e. lonely, ugly, unimportant, sad).

 

4. Complete the following statement: “If I hadn’t become a dancer, I would have _____.” Explore that variety of interests that you use to fill in that blank via a part-time job, volunteering, or an educational outlet.

 

5. Research the multitude of resources at Career Transition for Dancers – http://www.careertransition.org/OnlineResources/TransitionLinks/ – based upon the area in which you’re lacking information, such as career counseling, resume writing, dance education resources, college guides, performing arts unions, etc.

 

6. Share what you learn with someone – either a fellow dancer or a trusted friend. You are not alone in this process.

 

References

 

Doerr, D. C. (1995). Coping with the emotions of job transition: A model for presentation to

clients. Journal of Career Development, 22(2), 101-107. doi:10.1007/BF02247460

 

Drahota, J. A. T., & Eitzen, D. S. (1998). The role exit of professional athletes. Sociology of

Sport Journal, 15(3), 263-278. Retrieved from SocINDEX with Full Text database.

 

Ebaugh, H. R. F. (1988). Becoming an ex: The process of role exit. Chicago: University of

Chicago Press.

 

Jeffri, J. (2005). After the ball is over. International Journal of Cultural Policy, 11(3), 341-355.

doi:10.1080/10286630500411499

 

Pickman, A. J. (1987). Career transitions for dancers: A counselor’s perspective. Journal of

Counseling & Development, 66(4), 200-201. Retrieved from SocINDEX with Full Text database.

 

Roncaglia, I. (2006). Retirement as a career transition in ballet dancers. International Journal

            for Educational and Vocational Guidance, 6, 181-193. doi:10.1007/s10775-006-9106-0

 

van Staden, A., Myburgh, C. P. H., & Poggenpoel, M. (2009). A psycho-educational model to

enhance the self-development and mental health of classical dancers. Journal of Dance Medicine & Science, 13(1), 20-28. Retrieved from International Bibliography of Theatre & Dance with Full Text database.

Dance Studio, In Your Words, Uncategorized

One Size Fits All…but does it?

Recently I was sitting in a dance concert recently watching a piece, which was almost completely in unison. Now, in today’s world of contemporary dance the idea of unison (especially for long segments of time) is often considered trite, predictable, or old fashioned. As I watched the piece (which was also very slow) I was struck by how moved I was at seeing a mass move in exact unison. The oneness was soothing not only my eye, but to something deeper within me, not quite as deep as the soul, but it touched my innate humanity, that part of us that seeks to belong, to be a part of and identify to tribe. It is the thing that creates recognition, and sameness in ourselves and others. The desire for recognition is that animal instinct that informs us that “You are not an enemy, not a predator but one of us, I do not have to fear you”. Though the piece was very simple in it’s movement vocabulary, having danced in a corps de ballet, I know how difficult it is to stay in time with a group of people. Though there are counts to help everyone stay together, there is a deeper more visceral connection that happens when people have the intention of staying together, you have feel. There is a submission of the individual and the absorption into the collective, larger entity. This is the essence of the concept of the Corps de Ballet- the Body of the ballet, and we are one. In dance there is that idea of physical uniformity, where the size, shapes, forms of individuals need to match to create a visual harmony for the viewer. There are dance works that require dancers to where the identical costumes, hair and make-up, rendering the bodies on stage virtually indistinguishable from each other, thereby erasing the individual.

 

This idea appeals to us because as human beings we have a need to be a part of the collective, while also needing to stand apart. It is not so much the desire for separatism, but the desire to maintain our individuality. This is the duplicity of human nature; we so vigilantly defend our individuality yet we have this innate need and desire to be one with the tribe. The key is to fit in, but stand out just enough. In a sense I see the same principle with the body, and fashion in the real world. There is that desire for uniformity, sameness, and blending. Take for instance the concept of One Size Fits All…

 

 

There is something so inclusive and egalitarian about that phrase. There is something about the concept that one thing, can serve all people in the same way. It implies a type of uniformity and balance that is required in the human psyche to feel ok, safe. As lovely as it might *sound and as altruistic the concept might be the reality of it being achievable is virtually impossible. “One Size”, may fit many or even most but it will never fit all, and those who fall outside of that scale of “All” where do they belong? What does that say about them and where they fit? Therein lies the problem.

The concept of One Size may seem to be a frivolous topic when talking about fashion, you say, “ So chose another designer, a different style or cut, what’s the big deal?” And generally I would agree with you, however it is not only the concept, that I am scrutinizing, but also the language and the mentality behind words. To imply that we as human beings can so simplistically be diminished to a banal level of sameness based on a common structure (one spine two are, two legs, etc) is absurd. If you transfer the concept of sameness to something like education or medicine it starts to look vastly different and potentially harmful. Where the foundational elements of learning are Universal (Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic) it has been proven that children learn not only at different paces, but also in different ways. Today we would never think of presenting such a narrow approach to the education of young people, mainly because it is ineffective.  If we think of the concept of medicine, which though a science is really a the categorization and grouping of symptoms that add up to a particular ailment that have things in common, there is not really *one way to treat ailments, there is almost always a tailoring of treatment to match the patient.

 

So why does society try to treat the body and beauty (in terms of form) with uniformity? It seems silly but in truth it can be just as detrimental as treating illness with a broad stroke. Then there is the idea of separation, full figure, big and tall clothing lines, these labels create a sense of “otherness” in the people who fall in to this category. It, whether designed to or not creates exclusion. It could be considered tantamount to the educational idea of “separate but equal” and we know how that ended. I know that creating categories are ways of marketing and merchandizing that makes it easier to serve consumers and that is understandable but the stigma attached to people who don’t fit into the “One Size” of the norm can leave them feeling ostracized. Something must be “wrong” with you if you don’t fit.

 

I find the inescapable contradictions of human beings infinitely interesting. While we strive to be a part of the group there is something within us that wants, needs to be identified as different, individual, perhaps this is one of the things that makes us different from other animals. As sophisticated as we are, we have not yet (as a society and as individuals) learned how to negotiate the reality of the principles of sameness and otherness occupying the same space. There is nothing inherently wrong with the idea of “One Size Fits All” albeit when it is used against people who do not fall in to that category this is when it becomes a problem. Everything is copasetic until you are not a part of the “all”.

 

There is a beauty in uniformity, there is a harmony and balance that resonates with us on a visceral level and that is very real. When we see a forest of trees, a field of sunflowers, it moves us, homogeny in the human race, or culture as a similar effect, but we have to be able to accept, appreciate, respect AND include things that are different. A snow covered ground is one of the most beautiful things, though made up of individual snowflakes the beauty is the togetherness of the flakes, and we all know, and are still awed by the fact that each flake is singular as are we. One size is just that, One Size and that’s ALL!

Just a thought…

Dance Studio, Donnish Delights, Guilty (but forgivable) Pleasures, Habitat for YOUR Humanity, In the News on the Web, In Your Words, The T'ruth in Print, Uncategorized

IT’S OUR BIRTHDAY WE ARE 1 YEAR OLD!!!

A year ago today I launched My Body My Image. It was a heartfelt project stemming both from my personal struggles and the struggles of the many young dancers I encountered through my years of teaching. Personally I thought that I was on to something, but when we are in our heads we always do! It wasn’t until there was an outpouring of support for the site from friends, and people who just stumbled upon it, and their positive feedback and encouragement that I knew for certain that this was needed. I want to thank all the people who contributed this year:

Natalie, Courtnay, Jenny, Jessica, and Makeda, your voices have added knowledge and a voices to the forum, and helped all that read your work and I look forward to working with you more in the future.

I’d like the thank Christopher Mack of Mack Digital for designing the sight and keeping us up and running!!!

I’d like to thank April Megan, Robert Garland, my Bikram HarlemYoga Family and Linda Denise Fisher- Harrell, for her early support, you all helped me so much in the very beginning, Thank you

To date we have had 58,466 hits and the hits keep coming.

I am so happy and proud and look forward to bringing you more in the future!!

Theresa Ruth Howard

Join our Facebook fan page! I am trying to reach 365 fans by midnight

Dance Studio, Uncategorized

Misty Copeland on being a Black Ballerina and “Curvy”

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More Misty because I am a HUGE Misty fan. Check out Misty talking about her life as a Ballerina and having curves in this Written interview.

Hosted By: Black Voices
If you’ve seen the Oscar-winning film ‘Black Swan,’ you know that the ballet world can be brutal. The movie may include exaggerations, but the message is clear: It’s highly competitive, overwhelmingly white and the dancers are incredibly thin.

Yet with all of this, classical ballet dancer Misty Copeland of the American Ballet Theatre has managed to navigate this elite world and, in 2007, even etched out a spot as a soloist — the first African-American female to do so. She was even the featured dancer on legendary singer Prince’s Welcome 2 America tour this past year.

However, it’s not Copeland’s ethnicity that makes her unique; it’s another “cultural” attribution that sets her apart: her voluptuous body. At 5’2 and 103 pounds, the petite, curvy ballerina doesn’t feel pressure to represent for all African Americans but says it’d be nice to see more ballet dancers who looked like her.

We chatted with 28-year-old Copeland about her experiences with this grueling art form.

“BV: You are a curvy young lady; what has been your experience?

MC: It’s been a struggle, especially corps de ballet sets (the large group of dancers). When I was in the corps de ballet, my body was harder to deal with because they made the clothes for the size they expected dancers to be and look like. And just coming to terms with looking around when we’re training and not seeing women who look like me. It was harder when I was a teenager.”
BV: Have you felt pressure to lose weight or had to deal with any mental or physical challenges with accepting your body?

MC: Absolutely! I felt pressure to lose weight. It’s kind of hard to avoid that when you’re in this field. I never dealt with an eating disorder in any way, and yes, I was told many times to lose when I joined the company. I learned to accept my body but I also learned to take care of it, which is hard. Most people who join a company like American Ballet Theatre or New York City Ballet have some problems because they’re young, alone and don’t have much guidance, and it’s easy to fall into having an eating disorder.
To check out the rest of the interview, Click Here

And here is a Video Interview with Misty talking about her life as a Black Ballerina:

Hosted By: DanceChannelTV

Enjoy and tell me what you think!

MR