Dancers must pay meticulous attention to nutrition. A professional ballet dancer expends just as much energy -- and is just as prone to injury -- as a professional football player. The football pro, however, can simply eat what he needs to replenish the energy he expends; he doesn't need to maintain a perfect line in a leotard or be lifted by a partner. As a dancer, you need adequate protein to repair all the muscles you use in class and performances, while eating adequate but not excessive calories. Your diet should consist of 55 to 60 percent carbohydrate, 12 to 15 percent protein, and 20 to 30 percent fat, although if you are making unusually high demands on your body, consider slightly more carbohydrates and less fat to maintain energy.
Total Calories
Your first step in nutritional planning is determining your total caloric needs. The advanced female student or professional, who is taking a class, rehearsing or performing several hours a day, needs 45 to 50 calories per kilogram of body weight; men with similar schedules need 50 to 55 calories per kilogram of body weight. You need adequate calories to have the energy to perform. Responsible companies and dance schools no longer foster the culture of anorexia that was so common in the 1990s but prefer strong, healthy bodies.
Protein
Dancers need 1.4 to 1.6 g of protein per kilogram of body weight. Your body needs protein to build muscles and to repair the muscles fibers you are using as you dance. It's also a building block for many of the enzymes your body uses every day and helps you recover from injuries. Choose lean proteins such as skinless poultry, skim milk, soy products and beans. Protein supplements are not necessary if you are eating a well-balanced diet. If you are really busy or touring and are skipping meals, try adding powdered milk, soy or whey powder to fruit juice, soy milk or skim milk or blended powdered protein into a smoothie.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates, which should compose approximately 60 percent of your calories or 6 to 10 g per kilogram of body weight, are transformed in your digestive tract into glucose and then stored as glycogen in your muscles. If you don't eat enough carbohydrates, your muscles run out of their preferred source of fuel and perform less efficiently. After classes or performances, or during long rehearsals, eat small snacks of carbohydrates to replenish muscle glycogen. Sports energy drinks can be a quick and convenient source of carbohydrates during short breaks.
Dance Nutrition Recommendations
Fitting adequate nutrition into a busy dance schedule is difficult. You don't want to eat big meals just before class or rehearsal, but female dancers, in particular, are at risk for what the American College of Sports Medicine terms the "female athletic triad" of insufficient caloric intake adversely affecting "energy availability, menstrual function and bone mineral density." To maintain the good health necessary for a dance career, work with a registered dietitian to develop a well-balanced eating plan. Your school or company may have health-care providers on staff who specialize in dance health.
References
- International Association for Dance Science and Medicine; Nutrition Fact Sheet: Fueling the Dancer; Priscilla Clarkson
- Eating Disorder Resources; Ballet Dancers at Risk for Eating Disorders; Dec. 2010
- "The Observer"; Size Zero Cast Aside as Dance Shapes Up; Luke Jennings; April 2007
- Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise; The Female Athlete Triad; Aurelia Nattiv, M.D., FACSM et al.; October 2007
- The Centre for Dance Nutrition: Nutrition Information for Dancers
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