When you think of strength training for dancers, you likely conjure images of a Pilates reformer, or some exercises with light weights. But for Tracy Shibata, a commercial dancer currently on tour with P!NK, strength training looks a bit different. You’ll often find Shibata wearing a full-body Katalyst suit, performing simple exercises as the suit […]

Dancers need to be both artists and athletes, so physical conditioning can be an effective way to enhance performance in the lead up to competitions.

Here’s how interesting and fun cross-training exercises have propelled me forward in my goals of stabilization, strength, stamina and emotional support.

Dancers know that choosing the right cross-training methods can improve their performance and increase the longevity of their careers. But as sports training has evolved, there are more options than ever. So what’s your best bet? If you’re looking to improve your level of fitness and want to see that carry over into your dancing, […]

For Strengthening Sure, exercises on the OPTP BOSU Elite make for impressive Instagram content. But more importantly, they help with everything from strengthening your ankles and core to improving your overall balance and stability. $199.95, optp.com To make the most of your stretching, FLX Flexistretcher’s adjustable (and compact) resistance straps can be used to work […]

Between social media posts of ballerinas balancing on BOSUs and fitness influencers doing push-up challenges, dancers are inundated with new cross-training regimens on a daily basis. There’s an endless amount of exercises that could be valuable, but do we need to do them all? How do we create a cross-training budget that leaves us with […]

Let’s be real: Dancers (particularly ballet dancers) have a lot of feelings about turnout. As a foundational element of ballet technique, it presents high-achieving artists with a theoretical ideal, the fabled 180 degrees, while simultaneously requiring them to work within the practicality of their own anatomy. Much of accessing your turnout comes through technique, strategy […]

Sometimes you’re thrown a big opportunity mid-season—but aren’t always given all the rehearsal you need to fully prep for it. At Houston Ballet, for instance, there are often 12 casts of Sugar Plum, according to ballet master Amy Fote. That means some dancers might only get one full run before performing the role. But not […]