Treating Your Body Like a Stradivarius

Fortunately, our ballet class is structured to be very safe for recreational dancers and emphasizes modest movement within your body's natural abilities.  In class, I never want you pushing through pain, or gritting through discomfort.  You should always feel free to modify the exercises and combinations we do -- or to skip them entirely -- if you feel that they are not right for your body.

Dance Masterclass has a great video on "The Truth about Pain in Ballet" that is really worth watching, even if you're just a ballet amateur, taking class for the joy of it.  It's about 30 minutes long, but well worth the time.

The video talks about how most injuries are not sudden, but build over time, and it describes some of the most common injury locations in your body.  It discusses how injuries can result from both intrinsic (within your body) factors, and extrinsic  (within your environment) factors.  It also reviews how psychological factors play into both injury and injury prevention. 

I especially like the message at the end, encouraging you to treat your body like a Stradivarius -- a highly valuable instrument that require care and maintenance. Injury prevention is not about reducing effort but about applying effort intelligently. By listening to your body, making informed adjustments, and prioritizing long-term sustainability over short-term performance, you can extend your dance-lifetime and protect your well-being.