FRIDAY'S FEATURE:
"The mistreated body, mindful of its past neglect, eventually exacts its repayment in full with interest..." -- Joseph Pilates
Youth makes us feel invincible. We often live in the moment without any thought of the repercussions of our actions. I'm writing completely from my own experience as a 37 year old professional dancer and a spectator into the world of the 20-something year old guys I've been rehearsing with for the past month.
My own experiences with disc herniation, a torn meniscus, multiple ankle sprains and tendinitis everywhere has taught me to arrive at my 8 hour rehearsals at least 30 minutes early to do a Pilates warm-up and some active isolated stretching. Without it, my body wouldn't be able to produce much in the way of any choreography. I might break. But what do I expect? I've been dancing professionally since age of 23; performing some of the most relentless choreography and aerial stunts without taking care of my body consistently. Unfortunately, regular self-care only came when injury necessitated it.
Now I'm discovering what my peers and I have in common is the residual effects of neglecting our bodies. As Joe said, "the body... eventually exacts repayment in full with interest". Besides not "bouncing back" like we used to, simple actions such as returning to an upright position after sitting for prolonged periods can take upwards of 10 seconds. I'm not kidding! How can I be so "fit" and active but feel so old and arthritic?
So, as I warm up religiously every morning, I watch the guys linger into the studio eating their fast food breakfasts and talking about last night's adventures at the club. Then, they go from a completely sedentary state to full-out dancing! Ah... youth. And you should see these guys dance! They're mind-blowing... like extreme athletes! What they do doesn't even seem humanly possible; performing head spins, super-hero-like flipping passes and doing the most athletic choreography I think I've ever seen. As I watch in awe I also wonder what their bodies are going to feel like when they're my age.
At the risk of sounding motherly, I try to warn them about the potential consequences of not taking care of their bodies. I try to be helpful; offering mini-massages, teaching them how to train their abs properly or stretch more effectively. Unfortunately, for so many of us dancers, we're stubborn and end up learning the hard way. I can only hope for the best for the newer generation of dancers. As for my generation, I think that our own lessons with injury and recovery has led many of us into the healing arts such as Pilates and massage therapy. In fact, my massage school, The Swedish Institute College of Health Sciences in NYC, was often referred to as the "graveyard for dancers".
I feel so grateful that I finally know how to take care of myself and that I prioritize it. In fact, I think I'll treat myself to a body buzz at the Korean spa on Sunday (my day off from dancing).
Rock Your Powerhouse!
Kira
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