Nutrition, Dance and a Happy Tum

I absolutely loveeee food. Four years ago, I completed my Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition and was keen to combine my knowledge of health and wellbeing with my desire to teach dance.

Some may think that food and dance has quite a tenuous link but actually it comes up in conversation rather a lot…Are school students eating enough before their evening classes? How much energy does a dancer need to perform at their best? Do dancers get given enough time to eat during tight rehearsal schedules? Are teens eating enough to compensate for the amount of energy they exert in class?

A study by Dr Smeeton showed that dancers in a 30-minute ballet class burnt on average 231 calories. This is more calories than half an hour of swimming, running or cycling! It is important to note that this study provided an average and the calories burnt by an individual depends on variants such as weight and gender. What we can take from this, is that it is important for every dancer’s body to be well-fuelled before class. Some pasta, sandwich or a yoghurt with added fruit are all great before-class energy boosts. This is especially valuable for dancers who attend school or work then go to class at 6pm having not eaten anything since lunchtime.

 So next time you are thinking of dancing make sure your tummy is happy first. Planning before class snacks can help you to make sure you are fresh, revitalised, and ready to put your dancing feet into action!