Returning to the Stage During a Pandemic
As dancers begin to return to the stage there are many new barriers that they are having to navigate. After months out of the studios the dancers we have spoken to are very excited to be back working and around their colleagues, but tensions are running high with a lot on the line. Many companies are shifting their focus on how to return dancers to the stage, but that doesn’t make the dancers immune to the mental struggles of returning after months away from the studios. While in the midst of Nutcracker shows I sit down with Dr. Scott Leydig to discuss how to help dancers get past some of the mental barriers that they may be facing in this current COVID world.
What to do if you don’t feel performance ready
You have been out of the studios for months, the longest you have ever been away from the studios. Performance ready this time around may be different than in years past.
Visualization
Dr. Kat has used visualization work with dancers to help them see and feel what it might be like to be back on stage.
Dr. Scott recommends seeing yourself succeeding
It’s ok not to be at your pre pandemic level. Focus on being successful for where you are now.
Not feeling performance ready is a normal thought that almost every dancer is saying to themself right now
Might be some truth to the statement → shake the rust off
Self-assessment → evaluate yourself on different levels
mental, emotional, physical, technique, etc.
Be aware of our own emotions
Is your evaluation negative? Can you make this more neutral or positive
Dancer’s assessment
What are some of the positives in coming back
Did your conditioning make a difference in your return
What areas are you may be stronger in
This year will be different, this is the longest you have been out of the studios and away from the stage
You have done everything you can to come back
Audiences are grateful to have you out on stage if you give your best they will love you.
May have to put that perfectionist side of you to the side right now.
Use the same grading scale
Ask for feedback from people that you trust
Instructors, coaches, peers, medical professionals
Managing expectations:
How do we help a dancer who may feel that they will not live up to the expectations of the company director, teacher, choreographer.
Control what you can control
Can’t control someone else’s expectations
show up and work hard, and do your best every day,
make sure that you are doing what you need outside of class to condition, recover, stay mentally focused
Company director expectations versus our own expectations
Cognitive distortions
Ways that we think that are not healthy for us
Mindreading
Company directors thinks this?
I know I am not doing good enough
Where is the evidence for this thought?
Do you think this may be something you are viewing yourself.
All or nothing thinking
Pass/fail mentality
Don’t beat yourself up mentally if things do not go perfectly
One mistake does not make you a failure
Try to find the gray area/ neutral place instead of failure
What to do if you are worried about injuring yourself
Normal thought that every dancer has
Seek out a provider that you trust to talk to about this fear
Could be a psychologist, PT, MD
What percentage of risk did the medical professional give to you?
Is this percentage higher or lower than what you think?
Can you find a middle ground?
Injuries can’t really be predicted, so why try to predict them?
Process versus outcome
We can only control the process of our efforts and we have to live with the outcome
Trust YOUR process and training
You did what you could during the pandemic to stay in shape and be ready for a return
What are you doing daily that can help improve your outcome
Stay in the here and now to help keep you mentally sound
We cannot predict injury, it's part of being an athlete and giving it your all
What are your concerns as a dancer and where do you not feel prepared?
If you are concerned about the cardio aspect time how long the piece is and add in some intervals for that length of time to your cardio workout
If you want to add this to your training program please discuss this with the appropriate medical professional first
Many times when you are feeling fatigued it’s mental
Dancers able to make it through 45 min of conditioning without stopping but hard to get through 12 minutes of flowers.
Helping them to realize that they could go for longer made 8 minutes seem possible
Find your active recovery moments in the choreography to catch your breath, bring your heart rate down before the next big push
Focus mentally on staying healthy as opposed to getting injured
Visualize completing choreography flawlessly as opposed to getting injured
Take a deep breath during hard sequences
Focus on your recovery
Make sure that you are eating healthy, balanced meals
Enough to meet the demands of your schedule
Sleep
8-10 hours for musculoskeletal health
Great for mental health too
cool-down/ rolling out
Epsom salt soaks to increase magnesium that helps with muscle recovery
How to cope if you have to shut down your performance/filming due to COVID cases?
Mentally I struggle with this- I am thankful to be back and treating in person, and I know how down i get when we close down.
There is truth to that fear, it has happened before, basically all of 2020!
Visualize to succeed versus preparing to avoid failure
Focus on the show succeeding instead of it getting shut down
Trust that the correct precautions have been put in place
Celebrate that you were able to get back out there in any capacity
Celebrate the small wins this year
Being back in the studios
A change to perform in any capacity
If we do have to take a step back
We now have the tools to easily transition
Keep yourself moving
Conditioning
Dancing at home as needed
Know that this is a temporary setback to keep you safe and you will be back, hopefully sooner rather than later
Intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation
Many dancers are extrinsically driven and thrive off of the shows/performances that make all of the training worth it. Without that, we have to find other reinforcements
Dancer vs. non-dancer identity
Find your healthy balance
Find a way to stay intrinsically motivated and connected to your dancer self
Remember it's still the holidays and interpersonal connection is important. Make sure to continue your normal traditions.
Bake cookies and decorate over zoon
Wear matching pajamas
Hot cocoa and a movie
Think outside the box
Consider a new holiday tradition
Does not have to be all or nothing this holiday season
Thank you to all of our listeners for tuning in, sending us your questions and allowing us this opportunity to share our advice with you in 2020. All of us here at The Dance Docs look forward to more great conversations and answering your questions in 2021.
Happy Holiday!
In Health,
Dr. Kat Bower PT