Healthy Eating for the Dancer

One of the wonderful things about dance that makes it so unique is that dancers are both artists and athletes. For this reason, eating healthy and taking care of our bodies is especially important, and I would like to share with you some basic advice that has been helpful to me in my dancing and personal life. Some of us get caught up in fad diets that are very restricted and others get too busy and either do not eat enough or eat a lot of junk food. I tell my clients all the time that “going on a diet” for a fixed amount of time is not going to work – the goal should be healthy eating for a lifetime, and if you are going to stick with it, you have to be able to enjoy it! I recommend the following basic rules of thumb for eating healthier without driving yourself crazy.

First, it’s perfectly healthy to have treats, just in moderation, and eating a variety of foods will help you avoid having too much or too little of anything. Secondly, eat foods with simple ingredients. This means avoiding processed foods with lots of added sugars and junk. Read the ingredients. Many times, products that claim to be “low-fat” have added sugars and other unnecessary ingredients, so “low-fat” doesn’t always mean healthy. Another idea that is important is to think of calories as dollars and make sure that when you spend them, you are getting your money’s worth. This means that if you eat something, your body should be getting lots of good nutrients from it – this is what is meant by nutrient-dense foods. A good example of an empty-calorie food is soda: lots of calories, no nutrition. Eating more fresh produce is always a sure way to improve your diet because these foods pack in a lot of nutrients for less calories – why not throw some more veggies on that slice of pizza or have some salad with it? Lastly, dancers are athletes and need to get enough energy and hydration when doing a lot of training. Some basic principles of sports nutrition apply, such as hydrating before, during, and after long bouts of dancing. When participating in prolonged vigorous activity, keep in mind that carbohydrates are your instant source of fuel, so consuming healthy carbohydrates before and during training will give you the energy you need, and during rest periods, while your muscles are repairing themselves, make sure to get enough protein.

My philosophy is to keep it simple: eat plenty of nutrient-dense foods with simple ingredients, and make sure to get plenty of variety; you will not only be getting much-needed nutrients and satisfying your appetite, but you will enjoy it much more than being on a restrictive diet. To get more information on choosing healthier foods, I recommend exploring the Food Pyramid web site: www.mypyramid.gov, as it has lots of good information and interactive tools.

Johnna Paulsen has a BA in Dance from Smith College and is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine. She has been dancing for twenty seven years, performed here in the Valley and in New York City with local companies such as the Sorvino Project, and choreographed for local theater productions. Johnna has taught dance at Stoneleigh-Burnham School and Holmes Studio of Dance, Music, and Wellness. Currently, she is a Personal Trainer at Universal Health and Fitness in Northampton. You can contact her at 413-563-7796 or johnnadancer@gmail.com for information on personal training.

(Part of our Studio of the Month series - May 2011)

Why Shop Locally?

In addition to helping the local economy, there are other advantages to shopping locally:
* You get personal service, so if something doesn't work or fit, you have someone to personally talk to and you are able to exchange it without incurring shipping charges.
* When you buy locally, you’re able to try it on so it fits. It was exactly what you were looking for because you saw it in person.
* When shopping on-line you order things "you think" are going to “work” but when they arrive they don't fit, it’s the wrong color, and not right for your body type. These are issues heard over and over when ordering on line.
* When shop locally you are personally fitted and helped to find just the right size/item. Shopping locally affords you the expertise to find the perfect item that would best fit your request.
** Why pay for expedited shipping that typically never arrives when expected, which is normally during a time when you need the product the most. Buy locally to receive the item, immediately.


In addition to the aforementioned, when ordering from an on-line discount supplier, you run the risk of several other issues:
* When you order, you end up paying the same less a few dollars due to shipping and process charges. You could have shopped locally, tried it on or gotten fitted and walked out with your shoes/leotard that same day for only a few dollars more.
* When an on-line discount supplier sells items, that is all they do, they sell. If you have any questions/problems with the shoes then you end up having to “deal with it”, because again an on-line discount supplier is only a seller of the goods, not a retailer.
* The prices that you are getting from an on-line discount supplier can at times be for shoes or items that are "seconds." Seconds meaning ones that were made for the “brand name” company that suddenly decided that the batch wasn't passing their quality inspection, so the on-line discount supplier buys that “rejected” batch for a deeply discounted price.

Besides, Shopping Local is COOL! Mary Ann’s Dance and More can help you with your time management & dance necessities in one quick & easy step. We provide the customer service you deserve. Save time & money with one easy trip!

What makes a dance sneaker a dance sneaker?

Did you know that there is a difference between a dance sneaker and a “regular” sneaker? There is a big difference!

Seems obvious but dance sneakers are designed for dancing. They are specially designed to support the feet, but still allow for bending, spinning, and movement. Therefore, dance sneakers should only be worn for dancing; they are not intended for general use, because they often do not provide enough arch support for daily walking.

Dance sneakers can be used for a variety of dance, such as jazz, Zumba and Hip-Hop. Often, dance sneakers are designed with a split sole. This means that there is sole support in the front, underneath the toes and ball of the foot, and the back, underneath the heel of the foot. There is no sole in the middle of the foot under the arch, however. This split sole design allows the foot to bend much more freely when dancing. Some feature straps along the side to give the arch a small bit of support. Other types of dance sneakers have a very thin, extremely flexible sole over the entire sneaker.

Dance sneakers typically only come in a few colors, including black, pink, or white. This is because many dance schools have strict rules regarding attire; both for practices and shows, and brightly colored sneakers are not often allowed.

Some dance sneakers feature additional benefits, such as smooth spots on the soles to make spinning easier, or notches in the heel to make it easier for a partner to lift another dancer. Sneakers are typically lace-up. The sneakers are typically made of leather, canvas, or suede; leather and suede shoes tend to be more expensive than others. Again, the style, type, and features of the shoe vary depending on the brand.

Remember, dance sneakers should never be worn for anything other than dance. Not only can this damage an expensive pair of dancing sneakers, but it can cause injury or pain in the legs and feet. It may also cause damage to the dance floor.

How do I find which size of sneaker fits best? It is very important that your feet are comfortable and that shoes are not too tight, nor too loose (you don't want to be constantly worried they will fall off!). The soles of the shoe should provide good grip on a number of surfaces, again, with some having a special spot made of different material to enable spinning. It is preferable for dance sneakers not to scuff too readily. Some sneakers are heavier than others, even if they look similar, so weight may also influence your decision. Those “universal’ size charts on-line or in discount catalogues aren’t always accurate. We’re happy to help you find the right fit for you…sizing varies by company so it’s always best to come in and try them on.


Information complied from www.wisegeek.com and www.ezinearticles.com

(Originally part of our "Studio of the Month" series - March 2011)

Is Tan really Tan?

Common request: “I need a pair of tan tights?” Most common answer: “Which color tan – suntan, light tan, jazzy tan..?” Tan isn’t really just Tan anymore! As the genre of dance expands, so does the color spectrum of dance tights available.

Each manufacturer of dance tights has their own color palette – many do not match other companies (to obviously capitalize on sales). Therefore, each company has different tight swatches with their color palette. For example: BodyWrappers offers the following colors in the “tan family” ~ Jazzy Tan, Suntan and Toast. While Bloch offers the following colors in the same family ~ Light Tan and Tan. The same is true for pink – pink isn’t just pink. The two colors which are universal within the tight world are white and black.

When you are in the market for a specific color tight, be sure that the studio/teacher is specific as to which color tan or pink. We’d be happy to lend out our swatches to help studios/teachers decide which color they would prefer. We’re here to help you get the right color tight!


(Part of our "Studio of the Month" series - December 2010)

Pointe Shoes: How Long Should They Last?

We’ve received a lot of questions about the life span of pointe shoes and we thought we’d use our “Studio of the Month” flyer to help clear up some of the confusion.

How long should pointe shoes last? Unlike other dance shoes, pointe shoes are very unique in their fit and care. You can usually expect about 12-15 hours of wear from a pair of pointe shoes. To get the most out of that time, there are some things you can do:

Pointe shoes breakdown when they are wet, therefore:
1. use a mesh bag to carry your pointe shoes
2. remove toe pads immediately after use
3. store the pointe shoes and toe pads separately
4. set shoes out to air dry between classes – ideally for at least 24 hours

When should you replace your pointe shoes? There are several reasons:
1. foot growth
2. change in foot shape
3. technical development
4. worn-out

Because pointe shoes have to fit precisely, they are “out grown” much more quickly than street shoes. Wearing shoes that are too tight or no longer the right shape can damage the feet.

What are the signs that the pointe shoe is worn-out? There may be a lack of support in the toe box or platform and/or over-flexing in the shank. Appearance of the pointe shoe can be deceiving – the shoe may look new but structurally worn-out or it may appear dirty and worn but still functional. Dance teachers are usually the 1st to notice if the shoe is no longer functional – don’t hesitate to ask and don’t be surprised if the teacher makes that determination prior to your asking.

Many beginners, being on pointe for a short time each week, are able to wear shoes until they are outgrown and may need only a pair or two in their first year on pointe. However, many dancers – especially professionals – wear each pair only once! If your dancer is a more advanced student, you should be prepared for the expense of frequent shoe replacements.



(Part of our "Studio of the Month" series - February 2011)

How Should I Care for my Dance Apparel?

Did you know that there are special care instructions for your dance apparel? You should always follow the care instructions on the garment label to help prolong the life of your apparel. Each apparel item has different care instructions based on its material. Following are just a few examples.

Care instructions on tights are typically: “Hand wash in lukewarm water, separately. Use only non-chlorine bleach when needed. Drip dry.” If you dry your tights, they will shrink!

Care instructions on a 90% cotton/10% Lycra leotard are typically: “Machine wash warm. Use non-chlorine bleach when needed. Tumble dry low, remove while damp. Warm iron.”

Care instructions on a 90% Nylon/10%Lycra leotard are typically: “Machine wash cold. Gently cycle. Use no bleach. Wash colors separately. Line dry. Cool iron. Do not dry clean.”

Bottom line – be sure to read the labels carefully and that will help prolong the life of your dance apparel.


(Part of our "Studio of the Month" series - January 2011)

Tight Color Preference

A studio owner posed a question to us a while back – “What determines the color tight a student wears, teacher preference or student skin tone color?” What a great question! So we began researching the answer…

There are varying opinions on this subject. Although pink is the most popular color for dancewear, many of the color choices for tights are based on teacher preference. Some dance schools and instructors are very particular about what clothing items they require and therefore dictate the tight color. However, there are those dance schools and instructors without a preference so it is up to the student to choose a tight color.

We weren’t able to find a written “rule of thumb” but found some guidelines to consider when your studio or teacher isn’t specific about tight color. For example, in most jazz classes the most commonly accepted colors for tights are black or a natural skin tone like nude or suntan. But don’t go crazy, you do not want to attract too much attention to yourself. We also discovered that it is best to match the color of your tights to not only your style of dance but to the rest of your outfit.



(Part of our "Studio of the Month" series - December 2010)