Search results for: cross-training

Traditional kettlebells can build core strength.     Amy O’Neal detonates across the stage. Because her choreography requires fearless momentum, O’Neal, a Seattle dancemaker (see “Why I Choreograph”), trains three times a week with kettlebells, an old-school weight system. Since she began, she has seen a reduction in pain and overuse injuries, while her dancing […]

My dance-obsessed daughter is ready to become a professional. Her teachers think she can excel in either ballet or contemporary, which is fortunate. My concern (probably late in the game) is if a career in one technique is healthier for her body and mind than the other. Nervous Mom, San Antonio, TX The answer depends […]

Taking good care of her body and mind     “The idea of ‘Technique My Way’ really tickled me,” says San Francisco Ballet soloist Courtney Elizabeth with disarming candidness. “I never thought of myself as a technical dancer.” Elizabeth may be modest, but her performances reveal not only a steadiness—born of early Cecchetti and RAD […]

When I was 12, there was a girl in my class who was not allowed to go on pointe. While the rest of us wrinkled our noses in pain during relevés at the barre, she dutifully rose up in her slippers. The following year, when we advanced to the next level, she stayed behind. She […]

This Parsons dancer is fiercely focused—and becoming a mom hasn’t stopped her.     Gavezzoli (left) with fellow Parsons dancers Eric Bourne and Sarah Braverman. Photo by Paula Lobo, Courtesy Parsons.     Since joining Parsons Dance in 2002, Abby Silva Gavezzoli has been a lynchpin of the company. Her angelic face brings genuine emotion […]

From road bike to Pilates mat, this Houston Ballet dancer takes charge of her health. Houston Ballet soloist Jacquel Andrews is known for her exquisite precision as Myrta in Giselle and her sultry touch in Hans van Manen’s Five Tangos. These days, she’s getting thrown off balance—and loving it—in Christopher Bruce’s Rooster, to the music […]

Is it my imagination or do tap dancers last longer than those who perform modern or ballet? My teachers still tap in middle age and it seems like the steps cause less wear and tear on the body. My hope is to happily tap into the sunset of my life onstage! Craig NYC There’s a […]

A diet rich in omega-3s wards off inflammation.     Houston Ballet’s Jordan Reed skated through Ashton’s Les Patineurs this season with the fluidity of a champion ice queen. Her secret: an omega-3–rich diet to keep her ache-free during performances. “I was dancing the brown couple. Because we are jumping the whole time, the ballet […]