Decades of Dancing

It's been awhile since I've posted, and it hasn't been due to a lack of topics to discuss.  Quite the contrary; I have been thinking about so many ideas related to Irish dance, that I haven't been able to pinpoint any one thing to elaborate on.

 

By far, the largest topic I have been hashing over is body fitness and injury prevention.  So let's elaborate.

Because I am not too old, and not too young, I sometimes think that I can eat whatever I want to, and push my body as hard as I can to improve my dancing.  You are laughing, I know, because you have tried it too.  A dancer's body is not the same at 17, as it is at 27, or 37... or 47!  So what should I watch out for as I doggedly pursue dancing while the decades roll by?

Perhaps the biggest step towards maintaining a healthy body is simply to be aware.  I need to remember that I am prone to less flexibility and more injury as I age.  Making stretches a daily routine, and allowing time for warm-ups and cool-downs are no longer suggestions to be brushed aside-they are essential tools to prevent injury and make me limber.

When I over-indulge in refined sugars and carbs, I find it hard to get my body off the ground.  Following an eating lifestyle that sticks to the food-guide pyramid jump starts my muscles and keeps my mind alert.

Break the cycle.  When I maintain my body's health, I find myself in an upward spiral:  eat healthy and practice dance=feel good and do my best=eat healthy and practice dance, etc.  When I let things slide, I go downhill: lazy and indulgent=poor performance and little practice=lazy and indulgent, etc.

I'm going to do it.  I'll stick to a practice schedule and eating routine, and make sure that I take my warm-ups seriously.  After all, I want to be dancing when I'm 97, don't you?