Supporting The Healthy Dancer®
The dance world is inspiring, but it can also feel overwhelming, especially when it comes to helping dancers fuel, recover, and thrive. Without enough energy, dancers risk Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S), which can lead to fatigue, injury, impaired growth, and burnout. Parents and teachers play a pivotal role in shaping a dancer’s relationship with food, body, and performance.
Tips To Support The Healthy Dancer®
- Provide Fluid Structure
Encourage organization around tasks. Keep a communal calendar and remember to make time for downtime. - Navigate a Busy Schedule
Prepare balanced meals, snacks, and a well-packed dance bag. Encourage dancers to eat every 2–4 hours— three meals and two to three snacks throughout the day. - Model a Healthy Mindset
Parents and teachers are role models. To start shifting your mindset, register for The Healthy Dancer® Mastermind - Encourage Realistic Body Expectations
Address the risks of striving for impractical body types. - Get Involved
Simple tasks like volunteering backstage, typing performance programs, or packing snack bags are examples.
Ready to Go Deeper?
These tips are just the starting point. Explore these next steps:
- The Healthy Dancer® Studio Package offers resources about fueling for performance and building a balanced lifestyle.
- The Healthy Dancer® Mastermind teaches you how to model a sustainable relationship with food and body.
Parents and Teachers FAQs
Always! Start with these:
- Apple slices + nut butter
- Trail mix with dried fruit and nuts
- Hummus + pita chips or veggie sticks
- Cheese stick + whole-grain crackers
Nutrition workshops can be provided to dancers in group settings, usually at studios or within dance companies. Nurture The Healthy Dancer® is a customizable nutrition workshop designed by Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and dancer Rachel Fine. A snapshot of topics covered in this dance nutrition workshop include:
- The risks of disordered eating among dancers.
- The importance of balance among the macronutrients.
- The key elements of building sustainable habits around meals and snacks.
- Boosting body image and body confidence.
- The role of nutrition in injury prevention.
- The role of nutrition in injury recovery.
- Meal planning and the role of pre-performance nutrition principles.
Dance teachers and studio directors nationwide use The Healthy Dancer® to implement nutrition education into training programs and summer intensives. The Healthy Dancer® Nutrition & Wellness Initiative is a great place to start. Additionally, workshops are available for groups. Click here for more information.
Focusing on food variety can be challenging. Depending on your dancer’s age, learning about the connection between nutrition and performance can help.
Encourage your dancers to think of meals and snacks as building blocks for performance. Also, celebrate nutrient-dense meals while making room for fun foods—ice cream after a performance counts as part of fueling joy. Here’s some help.
Reach out to a dance-specialized registered dietitian if your dancer:
- Frequently skips meals or snacks
- Experiences recurring injuries or fatigue
- Shows signs of food or body struggles
- Is navigating growth, puberty, or an intensive training schedule
