Of all the emotions that come with shows—excitement, nervousness, joy, fear—depression may not be one that artists expect to feel. “The first few years I was presenting work, I would get pretty depressed after a show ended,” says Robert Dekkers, artistic director of Post:Ballet. “You build all year towards this thing and then it’s done, […]

If you ask Luca Sbrizzi what he remembers about performing Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, he can provide you with a laundry list of his mistakes. “Although I remember feeling an incredible connection to my partner and hearing comments afterwards on how moving and beautiful our performance was, those are not the first things that […]

As a dancer working with your toes to the marley day in and day out, it is easy to feel like no one but your immediate colleagues understands your challenges. Yet there are countless medical professionals working to improve the lives of dancers. Last week the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science gathered more […]

We all know that dancers are typically perfectionistic, highly-motivated, driven and capable of enduring physical pain. These same qualities that lead to success can also drive stress that eventually leads to burnout. But did you know that diet can play a role in taking care of your mental health? Research continues to demonstrate that nutrients […]

It’s a cycle familiar to many: First, a striking image of a lithe, impossibly fit dancer executing a gravity-defying développé catches your eye on Instagram. You pause your scrolling to marvel, over and over again, at her textbook physique. Inevitably, you take a moment to consider your own body, in comparison. Doubt and negative self-talk […]

As a young dancer, I was taught that falling out of a relevé, even during class, was not an option. I was told to never, ever give up on it. “Die for it,” my ballet master used to say. I used to love, even dream, of being immersed in dance every day. But after 10 […]

I am a dancer in a successful West End show and a year ago I nearly quit. My anxiety came suddenly and without warning. We were in the middle of a stressful cast change and tensions were high as everyone wanted to prove their value to the production. I felt as though someone flipped a […]

Along with the rewards of a dance career come numerous sources of stress, from the demands of a busy schedule to challenges in the studio. “We want to be perfect,” says Shuaib Elhassan, a dancer with Alonzo King LINES Ballet, “and we want to reach for the best we can do.” While occasional acute stress—like […]