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Posts in Dancer Health & Wellness
DWC Ambassador Kendall Hadley On The Mental Challenges Of Injury

Overcoming the physical and mental challenges of my injury was one of the hardest things I have gone through as a dancer. 

In both 7th grade and my sophomore year of high school, I dislocated my knee during dance class. The first time I came out of a jump and landed poorly and sat out for four months. The second time my pointe shoe slid out from under me and I sat out for six months. 

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How To Flexistretch Your Hamstrings

The Flexistretcher is a great tool that is used for the recovery and strengthening that dancers around the country find themselves using. Luckily, we have a certified Flexistretcher instructor on our DWC team that has a great tutorial on how to use this product. Read on to learn more about the FLX Hamstring Stretch with DWC Staff member Emma Neilson!

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Seattle Dance and Performing Arts Medicine

Seattle Dance and Performing Arts Medicine, also known as SeaPam, is a fantastic resource for dancers who are in need of medical treatment from an injury! This community is filled with committed professionals in the industry that strive to promote healthy performance, education, training and help maintain a beneficial lifestyle for dancers in the Seattle area. They hope that they can enable all performing artists to pursue long, healthy performing careers!

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Tips For Preparing Your Pointe Shoes for Summer Ballet Intensives

An exciting summer of dancing is in store for many dancers this year with summer ballet intensives right around the corner. Intensives are a great way to challenge oneself, try new skills, meet new people, and experience different ballet styles. They are also called “intensives” for a reason, as dancers are typically dancing hours a day for weeks on end, sometimes in different states. At Dancewear Center, we want to make sure our customers are prepared for an exciting summer of dancing by providing them with the tips and supplies they need to be successful.

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Get To Know DPT Era Terry

All dancers have struggled with the issue of trying to find a physical therapist or doctor that understands how a dancer’s body moves. There are various doctors out there who just don’t understand how dancers move which can be frustrating in the recovery process. Luckily we got the chance to speak with Dr. Era Terry to learn more about the dance medicine field in Seattle. Read on to learn more about Era’s dancing journey and what got her into doing physical therapy on dancers!

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How Do You Cope?

During the month of May, mental health is brought to the entire country’s attention. Mental Health Awareness Month was put into effect in 1949 to reduce the stigma of mental health issues and to provide support for those going through those issues. We here at Dancewear Center believe that mental health is something that is very important to talk about and it is important to know that you are not alone in what you are feeling. Many people can feel stuck when they are experiencing bad mental health days and it is important to find ways to alleviate that. We got to speak with some of our staff and ambassadors about what they do to cope with their mental and physical health through hard times. Read on to learn more about how they take care of themselves during rough times.

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Encouragement for Dancers with Anxiety Disorders

One of the most common misconceptions about anxiety is that all people experience it in the same way. For those who do not have an anxiety disorder or do not believe anxiety disorders are legitimate health concerns, the assumption reigns that anxiety is a temporary and fixable cluster of symptoms brought on by isolated circumstances.

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Let's Talk About Dancers and Depression #mentalhealthawarenessmonth

May is Mental Health Awareness Month! In this series, we are giving the staff here at DWC a platform to talk about their personal mental health journeys. We believe in supporting the wellbeing of the whole dancer; both body and mind. We want you to know that you are not alone. We believe in the importance of talking about mental health openly, especially within the dance world. So let’s talk about it!

In this article, Cherie, Social Media Director here at DWC is sharing her experience with depression.

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How to Cultivate Inclusivity in Food and Dance Work

Perfectionism is a challenge that Mindy has experienced in the dance world as well. Her biggest challenge as a dancer has been countering those perfectionist ideals by accepting herself as she is each day. As a “recovering perfectionist,” Mindy shares that it’s a journey: some days it’s a lot harder, some days a lot easier, and other days it’s somewhere in between. She encourages others struggling with perfectionism to practice self-compassion, directing the kindness they offer to others towards themselves.

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Bunions: Are They Preventable?

Bunion: word likely originated from the early 18th century from ‘bunny’ or ‘boni’ to describe a swelling or from the Greek word for turnip

There is still a lot of research that needs to be done to understand this complex condition. We know that dancers are prone to bunions. But we also know this condition has a strong genetic component. 

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