For dancers, the correct nutrition for the body is of utmost importance for their performance in dance. Dancers are athletes combined with artistry, so they must think of themselves as athletes, and how athletes manage their food intakes or their nutrient and energy needs.
The energy dancers need varies enormously but generally increases with the level, time and intensity of training. Males need more energy because they have more muscle mass than females but every day can be different for both sexes. If dancers find that they are tired most of the time, not recovering sufficiently from an injury or just not performing well, they are not meeting their energy needs.
Compared to the general population, dancers need to eat foods that are going to help them in their dance performance. Specifically, these foods are energy-giving grains, high quality proteins as well as some good fats and oils. Dancers must eat good quality food to serve their bodies, filled with nutrients and vitamins which are useful for performance. Many dancers also get caught up with the energy content of food rather than the quality; often what is required is higher energy content food in order to meet needs rather than opting for low-energy or fat alternatives.
Another vital need for dancers and their performance is hydration – this is critical to dancers’ well being and energy levels, supplementing the body during its hard work. Dehydration most commonly causes low energy, headaches and difficulty concentrating or focusing, so is the number one requirement for dancers or any athlete. On an average day, dancers should be aiming for 35-45ml per kg per day, and more if it’s hot or classes are long or intense.