Healthy Snacks for Busy Dancers

As a follow-up to last week's message from Miss Tanisha about how to fuel a healthy dancer's body, here are some great easy and healthy stacks that can work well for busy dancers!

http://www.danceadvantage.net/healthy-snacks/

10 Healthy Snacks for the Busy Dancer

May 23, 2013 by Kathi Martuza
Dancers are busy people –

Flitting around between school, dance classes, rehearsals and performances…It can be difficult to find the time to fuel yourself properly to best perform your craft.

During my 15-year career as a professional ballet dancer, I found it pivotal to my performance to plan ahead and bring lots of healthy snacks that gave me tons of energy without ever causing me to feel too full to dance.

When searching for a healthy snack, a good rule of thumb is to find one that will give you a healthy protein, a healthy fat and a healthy complex carbohydrate. With this in mind, here are my top 10 favorite healthy snacks for busy dancers on the go!

1. Avocado toast

Toast 1 piece of good-quality gluten free or whole wheat bread, smear with half an avocado, sprinkle with salt and pepper and enjoy!

Photo by Ewan Munro 

2. Hard boiled eggs

Cover desired number of eggs with an inch of water in a pot with a lid. Bring to a boil on the stovetop on HIGH. Turn burner down to low and simmer for 7 minutes. Rinse in cold water. Peel, add a little salt and pepper and enjoy!

3. Hummus and carrots

Scrub carrots clean, dip in your favorite hummus and enjoy!

4. Banana/apples/celery with nut butter

Prepare your banana, apple slices or celery sticks, smear with 1-2 Tbsp. of your favorite nut butter (peanut, almond, cashew, sunflower, soy) and enjoy!

5. Popcorn with coconut oil

Heat 2 Tbsp. of organic coconut oil in a large pot on the stovetop over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot put a kernel or two of popcorn into pot and wait for them to pop. Add ½ cup popcorn kernels, cover with lid and gently shake over the burner until it all pops – about 5 seconds – and enjoy!

6. Avocado with salsa

Slice an avocado in half. Keep the pit in half of the avocado and store in a plastic bag/container in the refrigerator for later. Take the other avocado half and fill the “cup” with your favorite salsa. Eat with a spoon and enjoy! (For an easy and fresh salsa recipe check out my fresh salsa recipe.)

Photo by cyclonebill

7. Edamame

Boil edamame in a large pot of boiling water on the stovetop according to the directions on the package. Drain, rinse with cold water, sprinkle with a little salt, and enjoy!

8. Nuts, dried fruit and dark chocolate chips

Mix together raw or roasted almonds, cashews, walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, with dried cranberries, cherries, apricots, mango, pineapple…add a few dark chocolate chips and Voila! Your very own trail mix to enjoy!

9. Grains with olive oil, soy sauce, siracha

Make grains such as brown rice, quinoa or millet, ahead of time. Divide into small portable containers, toss with 1-2 Tbsp. good quality olive oil, a little soy sauce to taste and, if you like spice, try adding a little Siracha sauce (can be found in the Asian section of most supermarkets). Take a spoon with you and enjoy!

10. Protein/veggie “rolls”

Take thin sliced oven-roasted chicken/turkey breast and lay flat. Put 1 piece of good quality cheese in the center, along with a slice of avocado and a slice of cucumber…roll it up and enjoy!

Miss Tanisha, ESB teacher, thought that many of our dancers and parents might be interested in this article regarding healthy eating for a strong dancer.

http://ausdance.org.au/articles/details/fuelling-the-dancer

Fueling the dancer

by IADMS in Safe Dance® fact sheets

To perform at their best, dancers need to be well-fuelled (i.e. they need to eat the right balance of carbohydrate, fat, protein, micronutrients, and fluids).

An easy way to estimate how many calories or kilojoules a professional dancer requires during heavy training is

• Females 45–50 calories (190–210kj) per kilogram of body weight
• Males 50–55 calories (210–230kj) per kilogram of body weight.

For a more accurate assessment, dancers should consult a dietitian.

A low caloric intake will not only compromise energy availability, it may also lead to an under-ingestion of many micronutrients that could affect performance, growth and health. After calculating the number of calories needed, the next step is to estimate the necessary amount of carbohydrate, fat and protein—the building blocks of the diets.

1. Carbohydrate

A dancer's diet should consist of about 55–60% carbohydrate, 12–15% protein and 20–30% fat. As carbohydrate is the major energy source for muscles, during particularly heavy training and rehearsing, the amount of carbohydrate should be increased to about 65%. Ingested carbohydrate is broken down into simple sugars (glucose) in the digestive tract then stored in muscle as glycogen, the primary fuel for energy production. If you do not eat enough carbohydrate your ability to perform will be compomised because of low levels of glycogen in the muscles. You may feel more fatigued during classes and rehearsals.

The best energy foods are complex carbohydrate (cereal, bread, pasta, rice) rather than simple sugars, because a complex carbohydrate is full of nutrients, while simple carbs are not. The estimated carbohydrate need is 6–10 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight. In addition to meals, a carbohydrate snack about 1–2 hours prior to hard work (e.g. a bread roll or an energy bar — preferably one that does not list sugar as the main ingredient) will increase glucose levels in the circulation and ‘top-up' muscle glycogen stores.

During long rehearsals it is also important to maintain circulating levels of glucose to prevent fatigue.
After a period of dancing, the muscles require an adequate supply of carbohydrate to replenish the muscle glycogen stores. The fastest rate of glycogen resynthesis occurs in the two hours immediately after exercise, so it is important to eat some carbohydrate during this time to refill muscle stores and be ready for the next activity.

2. Fat

Why do we need fat?

• to provide structure for cell membranes
• it forms the insulating layer around nerves
• it provides the base of many hormones
• for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins
• for muscle fuel

The estimated amount of fat needed is about 1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight. Because ingestion of high amounts of saturated fats is associated with chronic disease, the recommended amount of saturated fat in the diet should be less than 10%.

Muscle and adipose (fat) tissue store fat in the form of triglycerides. During exercise, triglycerides are broken down into fatty acids, which the body converts to energy. Fatty acids are an energy source for muscles for endurance activities or long rehearsals where the body is continuously exercising for over 20 minutes at a time. A diet too low in fat can have serious health consequences and ultimately can impair performance.

3. Protein

Adequate protein ingestion is essential for all working athletes and dancers. Even if you are not wanting to build muscle, protein is needed to repair the breakdown of muscle fibres that are stressed by constant use. Protein is also used by the body as fuel, and it is important for synthesising the many enzymes necessary for metabolism. The estimated protein need is 1.4–1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

For non-vegetarians, chicken or turkey without the skin are excellent low-fat protein sources. For vegetarians, tofu, seitan (wheat gluten) and mixtures of beans and rice are good protein choices. Protein powders are not necessary, even for male dancers, if they are following these recommendations. If a protein supplement is warranted, the best choice is milk powder. The high tech and expensive protein supplements on the market are not any better than simple dry milk.

4. Micronutrients

Vitamins and minerals comprise the micronutrients in the diet. Water-soluble vitamins are the B vitamins and vitamin C. Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat soluble. The B vitamins play important roles in energy production (especially thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and vitamin B) and in red blood cell formation (folic acid and vitamin B12).

Deficiency of these vitamins can impair performance. Vitamins A (beta carotene), C and E function as antioxidants that are necessary for the repair of over-stressed muscles and are needed to help muscles recover from strenuous activity. Vitamin D is important in bone formation.

macrominerals

We need over 100mg/day of the macrominerals which are calcium, phosphorus and magnesium, but only calcium will be mentioned here because of its importance for dancers. Calcium is vital for healthy, strong bones. It is only during the first 2 – 3 decades of life that bone mass is developed so it is essential to eat adequate calcium during these years. Low bone mass and low calcium intake are also associated with increased risk of stress fractures. 1

microminerals

We need under 100mg/day of the microminerals (or trace minerals) of which there are nine, but iron and zinc are the ones that dancers are most inclined to be deficient in. Iron is needed to carry oxygen in the blood because it forms part of the haemoglobin molecule. Oxygen is used for the production of energy in muscle cells. Dietary iron is of two types: the heme, found in meat, and non-heme, less absorbable type found in plants.

Vitamin C increases the absorption of iron, so eating a source of vitamin C (such as capsicums, strawberries or oranges) along with iron-rich food is a good idea. Dancers should include some lean red meat in their diet for an adequate supply of iron. Red meat is also a good source of zinc, which is a component of several enzymes important in energy production and plays a role in red blood cell production. If you are vegetarian, then you should eat plenty of iron-rich whole grains.

Dancers should be cautious about taking vitamin and mineral supplements because supplements containing only selected micronutrients can do more harm than good. Excessive amounts can interfere with the absorption of another and megadoses of some vitamins and minerals can be toxic. 2 Getting micronutrients from fresh food, which generally consists of numerous health-giving phytochemicals, is far preferable.

Ideally, dancers should have two serves of fresh fruit and at least five serves of vegetables daily, plus whole grains, dairy products and lean red meat. Because not all vitamins or minerals occur in all foods, it is recommended that you eat a wide variety of foods. A calorie restricted or monotonous diet could lead to a deficiency in some vitamins and could sgnificanlty impair the ability to work and recover.

5. Fluid

Exercise increases heat production by muscles. Cooling the body depends on evaporation of sweat from the skin. Sweat losses during a hard class or long rehearsal can be substantial—up to two litres per hour. Fluid loss results in dehydration that can impair performance and mental function, making it difficult to quickly pick up complicated choreographic combinations and execute them.

A cup (250 ml) of fluid every 15 minutes is recommended. Whenever there is a break in class or rehearsal the dancer should have ready access to fluid and should be encouraged to drink because the thirst mechanism does not keep up with the body's need for fluid. A water bottle or sport drink should be part of a dancer's ‘gear’ and, if possible, dancers should be able to have a drink bottle in the studio or theatre. Following class and rehearsal, dancers should continue to increase fluid consumption for the next few hours. Avoid carbonated drinks and large quantities of fruit juice.

A simple way to monitor hydration is to check urine color: clear to light yellow is hydrated; yellow to dark yellow means dehydrated. (Note: Vitamin B supplements will result in yellow urine and make this dehydration test inaccurate.)

All dancers need to ingest sufficient energy to meet the demands of training and performing. Consuming the right amounts and types of food and fluid will provide the body with the ‘high performance fuel’ necessary to achieve optimal training benefits and peak performance.

6. Further reading

• Dancers Diet and Exercise by Ashley Lucas
• IADMS Resource papers
• Australian Sports Commission nutrition factsheets
• Health & Lifestyle video by The Australian Ballet School

7. Acknowledgements

Priscilla Clarkson, PhD under the auspices of the Education Committee of IADMS. Special thanks to Elizabeth Snell.
© 2003–2005 International Association for Dance Medicine and Science

Review: ‘Life’ by BalletBoyz is mesmerizing tale of alienation

From Katie Duncan, ESB teacher - I saw this company while they were in town and this review helped my understand what was going on a bit better. So for any one who saw the show or wants to look at more international companies I thought it might be interesting.

https://thegatewayonline.ca/2017/03/review-life-by-balletboyz/

Maja Staka Image: Courtesy of Tristram Kenton Alberta Ballet, BalletBoyz, Life Mar 3, 2017

Life: Rabbit and Fiction by BalletBoyz
Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
February 24 – 25

 










Some ballet performances are predictable from the start, while others leave viewers gasping in their seats, aching for more. Life: Rabbit and Fiction by BalletBoyz belongs to the latter category, featuring rabbit head costumes, wild acrobatics, interpretive dance, and a duality that could only be the brainchild of British choreographers Michael Nunn and William Trevitt. 

During their 12 years of training at the Royal Ballet, the pair managed to perform every principal role offered by the company between them. In 2000, the dancers co-founded BalletBoyz and the company quickly found success in Great Britain, winning several prestigious awards for its achievements in dance. In 2010 the dancers created TALENT, wherein eight dancers from very different backgrounds were selected to represent BalletBoyz in the UK and internationally. These dancers are the heart and backbone of Life.

 















Courtesy of Tristram Kenton

A scene from Rabbit and Fiction from Life by BalletBoyz at Sadler’s Wells.

The story of two halves begins with two men, one dressed in a British private school uniform, the other sporting a plush rabbit head. The rabbit and the schoolboy move as one, going left to right in smooth and incredibly precise movements. They are soon joined by a horde of rabbits rolling onto stage who separate the boy from his friend, instantly creating the sense of isolation and dread that carries through the two radically different acts of the performance.   

Why are the dancers wearing rabbit heads? Can they even breathe in those things? These questions aren’t clear, and neither is anything else. Instead, viewers are forced to leave their inquiries aside and place all their focus on the dancers, who throw themselves across the floor in unpredictable ways. The end result is beautiful, a patchwork of bodies showcasing their strength and incredible flexibility to choreography by Pontus Lidberg, who took inspiration from childhood swings and how they relate to life. The first half ends, appropriately, with the rabbit and the schoolboy dancing around and eventually sitting on a swing, leaving the audience wondering if they are lovers, friends or simply children. 

It’s strange — but it somehow works.

The second half of Life is more surreal and showcases Venezuelan choreographer Javier de Frutos’ storytelling abilities. The schoolboy, now a man, continues to be isolated by the pack as they move the barre away from him, tutting and waving a finger at him as he tries to move closer. The story is funny enough to keep the crowd laughing, but sad enough to keep them wanting more.  

De Frutos, who wanted his narrative to be about death, integrates his own demise into the dance by way of falling scenery. Dancers stretching on a barre react to the news with bemused expressions and sharp movements, creating a juxtaposition to Lidberg’s softness. God-like voices begin to scratchily duplicate De Frutos’ fake obituary, interrupting the dancers and forcing them to repeat their practice over and over again, until frustration takes over and the boys begin to jump and jeté hurriedly and almost manically.  The last scene is simply fabulous, with Marc Galvez — our alienated schoolboy — discoing joyously to the voice of Donna Summer. 

Although the lack of specifics is frustrating at times, Life excels as a poignant illustration of life itself, which can be lonely and miserable, but also exciting and hectic. The true highlight are the dancers themselves, who jump and perform acrobatics with such ease, you’d think they’d been dancing Life for years. Life is modern, creative, versatile and above all, extremely memorable.