Sleep is an essential tool for wellness and performance, and in the same way that you can use good nutrition to fuel your dancing, you can use it to enhance the quality of your sleep.

Recovery routines have gotten much more elaborate recently: We use high-tech gadgets to reduce soreness, take fitness classes dedicated to rest, wear trackers that monitor our sleep.It isn’t just a fad. Recovery is a key variable in the “performance equation,” says Andrea Kozai, who studies exercise science and dance as a doctoral researcher at the […]

Whether you’re naturally peppy in the morning or primed to burn the midnight oil, your internal body clock determines what time of day your body performs at its best. With some effort, you can adjust that cycle so you’ll peak when you want to. What Is Circadian Rhythm? Think of your circadian rhythm as a […]

On busy performance days, international guest artist Joy Womack always makes time for one activity after class and rehearsals: a nap. “I like to feel well-rested when I need to be in the spotlight at night, not dragging at the end of the day,” she says. “It helps me recover and refocus.” With her earbuds […]

You know that how you care for your body before curtain can impact your performance. But with so many factors to consider, it can be difficult to nail down an exact routine. How much rest is enough? How close to showtime should you eat? We asked the experts. The Night Before Tirachard Kumtanom/Stocksnap Roll out […]

Perfectionist, type-A dancers often try to squeeze a million things into their days, waking up early to cross-train or staying up late to finish one more side project. But the next time you’re tempted to skimp on your slumber, consider this: The longer you sleep, the more benefits you get from it. With each sleep […]

Show week can take a lot out of you. You might have early company classes, long tech rehearsals and late-night cast parties—not to mention the actual time you spend performing. But developing the right post-show routine can help you recover before the next time you hit the stage. Fight Inflammation Fast Start battling inflammation within […]

During a particularly heavy rehearsal season, sleep is more crucial than ever so your body can recover. But unfortunately, the harder you dance, the harder it might be to sleep: A small study in the Journal of Sports Sciences found that nine days of intense training caused a “significant and progressive decline in sleep quality” […]