Sidelined?
Written in 2017 by Samantha Hope Galler/Edited by Rachel Hellwig 4dancers.org
Understanding Injuries
Since I began my career nearly 10 years ago, I have discovered that
professional ballet dancers are among the strongest human beings. When I
was 5 years in to my professional career, I met with a sports medicine
doctor. During our conversation he said to me, “Well, it’s not like you
are playing tackle football.” I could not believe it. His comment opened
my eyes to how little people understood the dance world and the risks
that come with it. Dancers put their careers on the line every day. We
must deal with disappointments, but, most of all, we must deal with
injuries. Discovering mental stamina while sidelined is the biggest
challenge.
The Worst News
The worst news a dancer can receive is that she or he must hold off
on what they live and breathe. Dance injuries come when you least expect
them. Performing and rehearsing is going along so well and then all of a
sudden things come to a screeching halt. It is a complete shock. Many
injuries will take weeks, months, or even years to come back from.
Emotional attitudes are compromised and difficulties arise from being
sidelined. Fortunately, dancers today have access to advanced dance and
sports medicine doctors who will answer any questions they have
regarding their path to recovery. Depending on the severity of an
injury, movement may be limited. This can force a dancer to be away from
the studio for quite some time. Other injuries may allow a dancer to
continue some normal activity like watching rehearsals or marking in the
back of the studio. It is common to find a young dancer joining a
company and sidelined early on from an overuse injury. A professional
dancer’s schedule can be drastically different from that of a student
and they may not be used to it. I have learned that a dancer’s first
injury is a crucial learning experience. It was for me. It is the first
time a dancer is forced to sit out, cross train, and build back mental
and physical strength. There is a significant amount of time to reflect
on yourself and any recent experiences. Reflection can be a positive
experience, especially when the person is in their most vulnerable
state. Reflecting can build a dancer’s confidence while they discover
new ways to approach goals. This is when a dancer finds their deepest
strength to pull through.
Learning to Cope
Mental stamina and mental clarity are two crucial elements dancers
require to tackle their careers. Interestingly enough, our training
prepares us for injuries in more ways than one. It is a matter of
finding the patience we need to keep our head in the game. Most
professional dancers are accustomed to spending 7-8 hours a day
rehearsing. It can be quite a shock when all of a sudden you do not have
that schedule anymore. Time seems to go by more slowly because the
schedule is quieter. It is important to fill that schedule with
activities that keep the mind and body alert. A portion of time can be
spent working with a sports psychologist to learn how to
compartmentalize, gain focus, and grasp the situation. Feeding the mind
with positive thoughts and meditating has helped me find trust and
confidence. I really have to believe there is a master plan behind it
all.
Back to Work
Visualization plays a key role in my return. As I approach the weeks
before returning to the studio, I begin to visualize my pirouettes and
jumps. Sometimes I watch rehearsals just to become accustomed to the
sounds of the pointe shoe hitting the floor. In addition, I find time to
research and study ballet videos. Even though injuries stop us from
being able to physically practice, we can still keep our minds going.
Watching these videos reminds the mind what the movements feel like
without actually doing them. All of these practices guide us in the
right direction. When the chance comes to finally step back into the
studio, it is important to feel ready. I find comfort in knowing what
muscles I can and cannot move. This helps me narrow down a productive
workout routine to stay into shape. Although it is not easy to work out
equivalently to a daily rehearsal schedule, two or three hours in the
gym can make a huge difference. The more I do while recovering the more I
can focus on the main issue once I am given the ok to move on. My
workouts typically include reformer sessions, gyrotonics, biking, and
swimming as permitted. My advice for those coming back from an injury is
to try all different forms of cross training. If you do Pilates all the
time, make sure to throw in a few sessions of swimming to build stamina
in a different way. This career is first and foremost visual so it is
important to understand how to make an appropriate comeback so that you
can feel confident with your progress once you are in the studio or on
stage. Be ready to face anything that comes your way.
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