Welcome back, dancers and thanks so much for joining us today! As we end off this year’s recital series, we wanted to take the time to speak not only on preparation, but recovery. With May being Mental Health Awareness Month, it is so important to have the conversation of just how mentally tiring being a dancer and performer can be at times. Here at FTT, we have always brought out the point that being a dancer is just as much of a mental job as it is a physical one and times such as performance season can really bring that point to the surface for performers, teachers and studio owners. Having the task of basically keeping everything together and making sure everything turns out as perfect as possible is extremely stressful and having the task of teaching, performing, extra rehearsals, dealing with all of the curve balls that come with putting on a recital is something that can also be mentally taxing. So today, we wanted to take this opportunity to share some ideas that will help you unwind, or decompress, after performance season is all said and done. Let’s get into it.
Tip #1
Celebrate the end of recital season with people you love
One amazing way to relax after a long recital day is to spend time with your loved ones! Having a small get-together at your favorite restaurant or even in your own home to celebrate the end to another wonderful dance season is both relaxing, rewarding and another way to add more memories to the day. Nothing feels better than being surrounded by people who are always rooting for you, so surround yourself with love this year. It goes such a long way.
Tip #2
Get Some Rest
My auntie always had one solution to almost everything, and that is to take a nap. And while sometimes I would debate with her that this solution doesn’t exactly fix everything, on this one, she had a point and I couldn’t deny it. Recital season is awfully busy and you’re on “go” for weeks at a time, so one very vital way to decompress is to start getting some rest, pronto. After the day is said and done, try your best to waste no time and prepare for a good night’s rest. Your body more than likely needs it more than you know and staying up late will probably not help in the long run of recovery. So on the night of recital, let’s be kind to our bodies and rest up. And if your recital day ends early, follow my aunt’s advice.
Take a nap. 😉
Tip #3
No Stretching, No Practice. Take A Break
Post recital, there is usually a short time off between the end of recital and the beginning of summer classes. If you plan on taking summer courses this year, consider taking the short break in between to let your muscles recover. A couple of weeks is not a long amount of time and trust me, taking time off of practicing and stretching will not be of any detriment to your training and progress as a dancer. As a matter of fact, the times I took my two week breaks to simply just be, it rejuvenated me even more and I went into summer courses super refreshed! A little down time goes a long way!
Tip #4
Spend Time On Your Non-Dance Hobbies
This last tip kind of goes hand in hand with the previous and that is, take some time to focus on something other than your dance training. Coming off the heels of performance season, we eat, sleep and breathe dance even more than we normally do. So unravel all of the 8 counts in your head by taking your short break (mentioned above) to focus on any other personal interests that you may have as well! I’m a huge advocate of having hobbies outside of your career as it always aids in creating a well balanced and healthy lifestyle. I know for me personally, I like to dive into art, photography, cooking (alot) and yoga during my breaks from teaching classes. It helps me unwind and connect to the other parts of myself. This also keeps your mind fresh as a dancer, because the more you are connected to all parts of yourself as a person, the more you connect to yourself as an artist, because your unique artistry is a reflection of who you are.
Thank you all so much for rolling with us throughout this recital season! We wish you the best of luck as you hit the stage this year and most importantly, we hope you have a great time doing what you love. We wish you a wonderful weekend, filled with love and light, and remember…
Keep dancing!
Lexi
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