| Description |
Professional dancers face a unique challenge - keeping their body healthy. This challenge consists of two parts. The first part is the dance world's desire for dancers to have a thin, lean body. A thin body type is typically preferred by dance company directors because it is aesthetically appealing. The second part of the challenge deals with the activity level of dance classes. Research suggests that a typical ballet class does not burn as many calories as in other athletic activities such as running track or playing basketball. While dance classes use many of the body's muscle groups, the frequent rests during a class keep the exercise from being aerobically intense. This means that while a dancer needs to stay thin, dance classes do not burn enough energy for weight control. A dancer must control his or her weight with diet and extra exercise. Because of the dancer's weight management challenge, a top priority of every dancer should be taking care of his or her body in order to achieve optimal dance performance. This booklet is designed to give you, a young dancer, basic nutritional guidelines for staying healthy and lean. It is important to eat enough food and the right kinds of food in order to fill your body with vitamins and minerals. Hopefully this booklet will give you a basic understanding of how to keep your body healthy. This booklet discusses your body's energy, vitamin, mineral and water needs. It also addresses eating habits and offers some sample menus. However, keep in mind that each person's body has different needs so the suggestions made in this booklet are only guidelines. If you would like more specific recommendations please go to a registered dietician for individual help. |
