Safe and simple cool down techniques for dancers

Dancing is an intense physical activity. To allow the body to recover faster, dancers should always cool down after every practice and performance. Mark Hochberg, NYU dance freshman, shares safe and simple cool down techniques for dancers.

Stretch major muscles

Doing passive stretches allows the body to relax with the help of an external force. For dancers who have been practicing the same routine, focusing on particular muscle groups and stretching them with the help of a partner, a barre, and other props can help prevent fatigue and injury. Mark Hochberg of NYU says that it might also be helpful to do some floor and wall stretches to relieve the body of the tension from dancing. After practicing, dancers must always remember to stretch the major muscle groups to avoid lactic acid build up.

Elevate the limbs

Lying flat on one's back with legs and arms raised against a wall or chair for a few minutes helps in improving circulation. This also prevents swelling, especially in the feet. Aside from stretching the parts of the body that's most used in dancing, it also helps the muscles release tension while in a comfortable position.

Breathing exercises

Mark Hochberg from NYU says that breathing exercises are a must for dancers. When practicing or executing choreography, sometimes, the breaths become shallow. Spending a few minutes to focus on breathing until it returns to normal will allow the body to relax, restoring its resting heart rate and circulation. For those who have more time, doing yoga or mindfulness as supplementary exercises will sharpen one's focus, leading to an excellent condition.

 

Nutrition tips every dancer must know

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Dancing is a sport, and dancers are athletes. To keep an athlete's body healthy and performing well, a nutritious diet should be followed, notes Mark Hochberg, NYU dance student.

A dancer's day may include hours of training in the studio, and sometimes, they tend to skip a meal due to their busy schedule. However, skipping meals may result in poor performance or lack of focus. To stay fueled and focused throughout the day, plan to eat three full meals and two snacks, and prepare them the night before. Eat five servings of fruit and vegetables a day for your body to get vitamins and minerals needed to boost the immune system.

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Be consistent in drinking fluids—most importantly, water—to prevent dehydration. Every 15 minutes, a dancer must drink a couple of ounces of water for better performance. This is to replace sweat loss while dancing. In each meal, include proteins such as chicken, fish, Greek yogurt, and others. Healthy fats must be consumed moderately. Acting as a secondary source of energy, healthy fats can help one power through long training days.

Snack on fruits, vegetables, and fruit smoothies to help with hydration. Be sure to finish your meal or drink an hour before dancing to pre-hydrate more effectively. According to Mark Hochberg, NYU dance student, proper nutrition is key to the longevity of one's dancing career. Giving the body the vitamins and minerals that it needs can bring a dancer's performance to new heights.

The amazing connection between dance and mathematics

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Mark Hochberg, a student of dance at NYU, has started a series of blogs on his favorite subject to help people develop an understanding and appreciation for this most dynamic of arts.

This blog looks at the fascinating bond between dance and mathematics, both fascinating subjects in their own right.

The issue with math is that as interesting as it can be, to fully appreciate it, most people need to view it from a different perspective. All the numbers can be daunting and often off-putting, and the serious applications of it, such as finance computations and chemical formulas, aren't helping unless a person is well-versed about these fields.

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However, there have been other unconventional fields wherein math can be applied. Music and, in extension, dance are two of these fields that give mathematics a different color. Today, more and more people are finding interest in math because of dance, and scholars are looking at rhythm and beat to be the vehicles that usher in the marriage of both.

People may not know it, but all the toe-tapping and head-bobbing do something to their brains. In fact, many people subconsciously count musical measures while dancing. And when they finally become aware of the musical measures of the song and all the many variants of it, NYU student Mark Hochberg mentions that they become aware of how math figures into music and dance, opening an entirely different universe for them.

How can Pilates improve a dancer's physique?

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Discipline and physical fitness are of utmost importance to dancers. NYU freshman student Mark Hochberg says that aside from practicing choreography, exercises like Pilates contribute to keeping their bodies in the best condition. How can this method of movement help dancers stay in top shape?

As someone passionate about dance, Mark Hochberg, NYU student, doesn't mind practicing for hours. Learning choreographies and perfecting it could take time. However, a dancer's body can also be prone to injuries. Through time, they can experience muscle pain and lose their flexibility. This makes Pilates a good supplemental training for them as this low-impact workout focuses on core strength. Developing this area also leads to conditioning other muscles and contributing to honing the whole body's balance and flexibility.

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While many choreographies can be considered high-impact, the low-impact movements of Pilates allow a dancer's body to release tension and stress in certain areas of the body. Compared to other exercises, NYU dance student Mark Hochberg explains that Pilates doesn't add bulk to the body, which is important in keeping with the professional dance aesthetic. The discipline allows dancers to elongate the body for more graceful movements. It also promotes postural alignment that is important in honing flexibility and preventing injuries.

Breathing control and endurance are also important for professional dancers. With multiple rehearsals and performances, the exhaustion can take a toll on the body. Pilates can train dancers on proper breathing while keeping their form for the duration of a performance. Supplemental training with Pilates also promotes quick muscle recovery that will allow dancers to maintain their stable physique for years.

What you can do with a dance degree

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In the same way that parents and people with more mainstream livelihoods ask liberal arts students about what they can do with their liberal arts degrees, we need to prepare our own answers for what we can do with our own dance degrees. It can be a challenging question to answer, but the better we imagine what the likely scenario will be after our time in college, the more grounded we will become. Here are the things to keep in mind. Mark Hochberg NYU

First things first, of course. We all want to do something directly connected to dance. This means we can become professional dancers and, if not, we should look at becoming dance teachers. For those with a knack for making up movements in line with the flow of a piece, they should entertain becoming choreographers. Mark Hochberg NYU

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If you'd rather give up your dancing shoes but still work close to a studio, you can entertain working in the back office of a dance company as an administrator or a dance marketer. You can also complement your dancing pedigree with photography or videography skills so you can make materials about dance on social media or YouTube. Mark Hochberg NYU

Of course, those dance entertainment industry jobs aren't as widely available as many would think. You can still make a living out of your kind of athletic training by being a yoga or Pilates instructor. Dance groups are often in the cutting edge of street culture and design so if you love street gear, why not become a designer?

Dancing is a wonderful vocation but we all have a limited time on that stage. The best this insight sinks into us, the better choices we'll make later on in life.