Advice for Dancers.

Q My problem is that the boxes of my toe shoes are getting soft. Is there a way to prevent this from happening, or to at least slow it down?

Tamara

A You're in luck! It's possible to keep the boxes of your toe shoes hard longer by using Fabulon, a shellac sold at hardware stores. Just pour a small amount in the tip, swirl it around, and set your shoe on its tip to dry overnight.

Q Recently I've become alarmed at the number of young girls in professional companies who are injured. Is this because of inexperience, or is something more insidious going on?

Carla from New York 

A Many company directors believe that teenage dancers can handle anything. They're wrong! In fact, these dancers are often more vulnerable to stress overload than are their twenty-year-old counterparts.

Why? According to Dr. Michelle P. Warren, Wyeth Professor of Women's Health at Presbyterian Medical Center, the delay in menarche that's typical of female dancers prolongs skeletal growth into the late teens. Open growth plates (growing bones) are fragile.

Directors can avoid unnecessary injuries by easing young dancers into the company repertory.

Q My daughter's ballet teacher recently asked her to gain ten pounds, saying she looked weak and emaciated. It's been three weeks now without any change. Is it possible she's just naturally thin?

Frustrated Mother

A It's true that your genes play a role in your body weight, yet even naturally thin dancers should be able to gain some weight by eating the right amount. The question is, how much is she eating? According to nutritionists, dancers who need to gain weight should eat between 2,500 and 3,000 calories a day. This approach is easier said than done. Some gain weight, others like the attention that comes from being extremely thin. If your daughter is unable to increase her food intake, she may need help. The first step is to rule out an underlying health problem by paying a visit to your family physician. The next step is to have her evaluated by an eating disorders specialist.

Q I wonder about the mental health of dance teachers. My daughter's instructors were informed by a student that she'd taken class at another school. Now they've gone completely off the deep end, threatening to cancel her scholarship and even bar her from dance class. What's wrong with exploring other options? Her teachers won't tell me.

Cheryl from Maryland

A Parents often question why dance schools are possessive about students. The reasons are partly territorial. Yet a school may also have a unique method of training, such as Balanchine or Graham techniques. In that case, many faculty believe that outside classes promote a conflicting style, confusing students and teaching them bad habits. Dance teachers who discuss school policy with parents avoid misunderstandings about class attendance as well as other concerns about scholarships and promotions.

Linda Hamilton, PhD., is a clinical psychologist and former dancer with New York City Ballet.