--- title: "How To Take Care of Your Body While Dancing - Nan's School of Dance in Raleigh" description: "Warming up and stretching is probably one of the most important things a dancer can do before practice. When you stretch your muscles, ligaments and tendons," url: https://www.nansdancenc.com/blog/how-to-take-care-of-your-body-while-dancing/ --- # How To Take Care of Your Body While Dancing - [Hillary White](https://www.nansdancenc.com/about-us/hillary-white/) - October 26, 2021 ## Tips to keep your body healthy ### Warm up and stretching Warming up and stretching is probably one of the most important things a dancer can do before practice. When you stretch your muscles, ligaments and tendons, you can push them to their limits. If you do not take the time to properly warm up and stretch, that’s when you could really hurt yourself and cause serious damage to your body! ### Add strength training Dancing is a physical activity…but what most people don’t understand is that a lot of dance is cardio. So even though you may think that you are in great shape because of all your dancing and daily routines, your body may still need something more — that’s where strength training comes in. Building and developing muscles will help you to become a stronger dancer! Lifting weights can also help with better posture and spinal alignment — this will help with cleaner movements on the dance floor! ### Get plenty of rest We understand how busy our dancers are at Nan’s School of Dance. They have school, social engagements and dance practice. It is important for your body to have time to recover and rest. Getting a good night’s sleep each night is vital to keeping your body healthy. ### Stay hydrated Drinking water is important when you are doing any physical activity. When you are dancing your body sweats to try to cool down, so the fluid loss must be replaced. When you are dehydrated, muscles can cramp which can also cause injury. Hydrated muscles are more elastic and mobile which is important for any dance routine. ### Maintain a healthy diet All dancers need to ingest sufficient energy to meet the demands of training and performing. It is crucial to think of food as fuel for your body. A well-planned diet helps to prevent muscle loss, weak bones, chronic fatigue and stress-related injuries. Here is a list of foods to help fuel your dancing: - Low-fat granola bars, smoothies or dried fruit for energy before dance class. - Sports drinks during long practices to replace electrolytes lost in your sweat. - Fruits and vegetables are full of vitamins and minerals that aid in sports recovery. - Eating a combination of protein and carbohydrates after class can help repair muscle tissue and restore your energy levels. ### Pay attention to signs of an injury Dancing can put a lot of strain on your body. It is essential to pay attention to how you are feeling. If you are injured or suspect an injury, it is critical to seek care for that injury. Do not try and push yourself — that is when you can do lasting physical damage. ## Keep dancing better for longer If you love dance, you probably can’t picture your life without it. “Once a dancer, always a dancer” is the motto at Nan’s. Plenty of us hope to dance with our grandchildren someday, and that means looking after your body now so you can keep dancing as you get older. ### Build your endurance You can’t dance well into your golden years if walking to the end of the driveway for the mail wears you out. Daily walks are an easy way to build endurance. A smartwatch can help you keep track of your steps and check on your progress each day. ### Keep your muscles strong Muscles get weaker as we get older, and “if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it” really is true here. Yoga and Pilates are both good for core strength, and they’re a gentle, low-intensity workout. If you’re comfortable with weights, try some exercises with hand weights at home or at the gym. If you do go to the gym, we recommend at least one session with a personal trainer so you learn to use the equipment properly. ### Stretch every day Your flexibility can fade too if you don’t work on it regularly. Stretching every day is the best way to hold on to it. ### Keep on dancin’ Our last tip is the most fun one: keep dancing! Take more classes, go out dancing with friends, or just dance around your kitchen. If it’s been a while, here’s [how to return to dance as an adult](https://www.nansdancenc.com/blog/how-to-return-to-dance-as-an-adult/). Our [adult ballet and tap classes](https://www.nansdancenc.com/dance-classes/adult-dance-classes/) are for dancers 18 to 99. ## Reach your goals with Nan’s School of Dance [At Nan’s School of Dance](https://www.nansdancenc.com/about-us/), our goal is to provide top-quality instruction at a competitive price. We encourage our students to reach technical proficiency in their favorite dance form and build self-discipline, poise, and self-esteem. We offer instruction in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Contemporary, Hip Hop, Acro, and Pre-Dance, at all levels. We love having new members in our dance classes and will help get your child acclimated to our dance school to make them feel right at home. When your child attends Nan’s School of Dance, they will become a part of our dance family and share in our love for dance! ## Don’t forget to register! From ballet to hip hop, we offer dance classes for ALL ages and skill levels in a variety of styles. We place students in classes that will challenge them while offering a fun atmosphere for learning and growth. We also offer Mommy & Me classes (18 months – 2.5 years). [Register online](https://www.nansdancenc.com/register-now/) or give us a call at [(919) 803-6044](tel:+19198036044) to hold your spot! \*Feel free to follow us on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/NansSchoolOfDanceRaleigh) | [Twitter](https://twitter.com/NansDanceNC) | [Instagram](https://instagram.com/NansDanceNC) ## Want to read more about dance? Take a look at some of our other articles about health & conditioning. - [Cardio Dance: A Fun Way to Exercise](https://www.nansdancenc.com/blog/cardio-dance-a-fun-way-to-exercise/) - [Dance Nutrition: Top 10 Tips for Competitive Dancers](https://www.nansdancenc.com/blog/top-10-nutrition-tips-for-competitive-dancers/) - [Dance Stretches to Improve Flexibility and Prevent Injuries](https://www.nansdancenc.com/blog/dance-stretches-to-improve-flexibility-and-prevent-injuries/) ## Want to learn more about our classes or studio? Just fill out this form and we can answer all your questions. We look forward to seeing you soon in our studio! Warmly, Hillary *This form is on the web page: *