Advice for dancers.AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT FORDHAM UNIVERSITY Fordham University (fôr`dəm), in New York City; Jesuit; coeducational; founded as St. John's College 1841, chartered as a university 1846; renamed 1907. Fordham College for men and Thomas More College for women merged in 1974. , LINDA HAMILTON, PH.D., IS ALSO A LECTURER, A PSYCHOLOGIST, A FORMER DANCER WITH NEW YORK CITY BALLET New York City Ballet, one of the foremost American dance companies of the 20th cent. It was founded by Lincoln Kirstein and George Balanchine as the Ballet Society in 1946. , AND AUTHOR OF ADVICE FOR DANCERS (JOSSEY-BASS). My daughter has always had a weight problem in ballet despite endless diets, access to a gym, and frequent visits to a nutritionist nu·tri·tion·ist n. One who is trained or is an expert in the field of nutrition. nutritionist Dietitian, see there . We both have concluded after years of fighting an uphill battle Uphill Battle was an metalcore band with elements of grindcore and noisecore. The group was based out of Santa Barbara, California, USA. History Uphill Battle got some recognition releasing their self-titled record on Relapse Records. that her body will never fit the standard "ballerina" look due to a bigger (not fatter) physique physique /phy·sique/ (fi-zek´) the body organization, development, and structure. phy·sique n. The body considered with reference to its proportions, muscular development, and appearance. . My question is: Should I insist that she switch to another activity where her success doesn't hinge on Verb 1. hinge on - be contingent on; "The outcomes rides on the results of the election"; "Your grade will depends on your homework" depend on, depend upon, devolve on, hinge upon, turn on, ride how thin she is? She loves ballet but I'm not sure that it's good for her confidence. Concerned Mother Parents who take their children out of dance often do so with the best intentions. Some want their offspring to focus on a career with more pay and better job security; others want to protect their young dancers from failure by removing them when they are injured or left back during their training. Unfortunately, this approach usually backfires, because the parents, rather than the dancer, make the decision to move on to something new--a recipe for disaster! At the same time, I agree that the wrong body type can be extremely detrimental to a young dancer who compares herself to others or feels that she doesn't fit in with the crowd. While diet and exercise can help dancers modify their natural weight, serious problems, such as anorexia nervosa anorexia nervosa: see eating disorders. anorexia nervosa Eating disorder, mostly in young women, characterized by a failure to maintain body weight at a normal level because of an intense desire to be thin, a fear of gaining weight, or a disturbance , often arise when they force themselves to go more than 10 percent below their genetic set point. My advice is to let your daughter continue ballet (unless she is experiencing undue stress) while introducing her to other forms of dance where body type is less of an issue, such as hip-hop. You might also encourage her to develop hidden talents that could satisfy her need for achievement. Many former dancers develop successful careers in a range of areas from journalism to photography. People who gossip should be shot! One of the ballet mothers has her nose in everyone's business no matter how personal it is. The information isn't even accurate, like when she said one of the principal dancers A principal dancer is similar to a soloist in dance. However, principals are hired by a ballet or dance company to perform not only solos, but also pas de deux. A principal may be male or female. in the company had her eyes fixed when I know her sinuses were swollen because we see the same allergist al·ler·gist n. A physician specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of allergies. allergist Immunology A physician, who is often trained in both internal medicine and clinical immunology and who manages Pts with . The lie spread anyway and hurt this dancer's feelings. What makes people be so mean? Feeling Angry While it's normal to gossip a little, someone who makes a career out of telling other people's secrets is often lonely and desperate for attention. Gossiping about someone important makes them feel special. Yet few people respect or trust someone who talks about others behind their backs. After all the next time it could be about you. This fall I will be entering my senior year of high school. After exploring my career options, I've decided to major in journalism in college, as I would like to write for a dance magazine one day. However, in the future I would also like to help injured dancers. So should I minor in dance or some kind of anatomy or physical therapy course? April From Riverside, California Riverside is the county seat of Riverside County, California, United States and is also a focus city of the Greater Los Angeles Area. The city is named for the nearby Santa Ana River. As of 2006, Riverside had an estimated population of 293,741. I'm proud of you for thinking ahead. Many dancers put off considering the future until they're cornered, which can leave them without sufficient resources to prepare for another career. Yet the reality is that even nondancers have to develop second or even third careers in a constantly changing marketplace. While this can be stressful, it can also be exciting, as long as you manage your time and money. For example, when I decided to become a psychologist, I discovered that it would take ten years of full-time work before I could set up my own practice. Fortunately, I was still dancing with New York City Ballet, which allowed me to pay for school, dance, and eventually make a smooth transition--thanks to the support of the company director, Peter Martins Peter Martins (October 27, 1946 - ) is a Danish ballet dancer and choreographer. He danced with the Royal Danish Ballet and the New York City Ballet, and is currently NYCB's Ballet Master in Chief. . Nonprofit groups, such as Career Transition for Dancers (212/581-7043), now help many professional dancers negotiate the stages of career development through a variety of services, including free vocational counseling. Still, until these services are made available to dance students, it's crucial to plan ahead by speaking to your guidance counselor guidance counselor Child psychology A school worker trained to screen, evaluate and advise students on career and academic matters about the core requirements of your interests in journalism and physical therapy. Whether you decide to pursue each of them now or down the road, just remember that it's never too late to go back to school get a degree, and transform your life. I'm living proof! What can I do to make a good impression on my director? I'm a new apprentice and I would love to be offered a permanent position in the company. Serious Dancer Be dependable! Apprentices who stay in shape and know their roles inside and out are invaluable to a company director. Why? Because few companies get through a busy performance season without losing dancers to injuries, particularly if they're doing new choreography that requires added hours of rehearsals. The more prepared you are to step onstage at a moment's notice, the better impression you make. Send your questions to: Linda Hamilton, Ph.D., at 2000 Broadway, PH2C, New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of , NY 10023 and read her answers exclusively in Dance Magazine. |
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