I injured my foot in class after 10 relaxing days on the beach. I thought vacations were the way to deal with burnout. What am I missing? —Confused, New York, NY While you just took some time off, burnout requires at least three weeks of downtime to correct the imbalances between intense exercise and recovery. […]

I’ve been on a crying jag since I sprained my ankle for the third time. It kills me that I can’t dance my favorite roles. I’m also disgusted with myself for being a crybaby. —Maggy, Philadelphia, PA You’re being too hard on yourself. Crying is a natural, healthy response to sadness and frustration, according to […]

Have you ever consciously danced through pain? Or watched colleagues do it? The answer is most likely, “yes.” Dancers are notorious for forcing themselves to keep dancing, no matter what. Some level of pain is simply part of being a dancer. “You can’t tell a dancer to never dance with pain,” says Leigh Schanfein, MS, […]

I feel like a failure because I canceled a big competition after getting injured. I’d hoped that ending up in the finals might get me a position in a company. Now what? —Devon, Washington, DC Congratulations for acting like a seasoned pro! Dancing injured can cause greater damage to your body while also leaving an […]

You’ve rested and rehabilitated. But what if an injury still bothers you? Health-care professionals share eight reasons dancers might heal more slowly than expected. You Got the Wrong Diagnosis Make sure you’re targeting the right injury. Photo via Unsplash If a chronic injury won’t heal, make sure you are treating the right one. According to […]

Since its founding in 1999, more than 80,000 ballet dancers have participated in Youth America Grand Prix events. While more than 450 alumni are currently dancing in companies across the world, the vast majority—tens of thousands—never turn that professional corner. And these are just the statistics from one competition. “You may have the best teacher […]

How could I get a bone bruise from wearing a boot for a stress fracture in my fifth metatarsal? It’s taking forever to go away, and I can’t dance full-out. Help! —Anonymous, New York, NY A metatarsal injury like yours (aka the “dancer’s fracture”) typically needs six to eight weeks to heal in a short […]

Since the beginning, when I first started dancing at 6 years old, I loved it. I never really thought of the hard work and long hours as a sacrifice because ballet always brought me joy and happiness. In 2013, a bunion injury left me unable to dance for a year and three months. There was […]