223. What High-Achieving Dancers Do Differently

[00:00:00] Hi dancers. Welcome back to Passion for Dance. I'm your host, Dr. Chelsea, and I'm on a mission to create happier, more successful dancers through positive mental skills. And today we're diving into the science behind peak performance and how you can apply it directly to dance.

Peak performance is simply your personal best. It's your Mount Everest. It's reaching your fullest possible potential on stage. So why do some dancers reach their peak and others fall short? What do high achieving dancers do differently? There is so much advice out there about how to be your best People. Say, just work hard every day. Stay focused, eat well, drink lots of water.

So what's really true? What's actually proven to help dancers perform at their highest level? Today I'm bringing you tips from sports science and translating them straight to the world of dance. We'll talk about mental skills that move the needle forward. Training smarter, not harder, and the things you do outside of rehearsal that help you reach your best. So whether you're a [00:01:00] dancer, balancing school and competition season, or a coach guiding your team, this is the roadmap to achieving your personal best. Let's jump in.

Welcome to Passion for Dance. I'm Dr. Chelsea, a former professional dancer, turn sport psychologist, and this podcast is for everyone in the dance industry who want to learn actionable strategies and new mindsets to build happier, more successful dancers. I know what it feels like to push through the pain, take on all the criticism, and do whatever it takes to make sure the show will go on.

But I also know that we understand more about mental health and resilience than ever before, and it's time to change the industry for the better. This podcast is for all of us to connect, learn, and share our passion for dance with the world.

To start, let's talk about a few of the mental skills that can make a difference in peak performance. While mental skills is truly the root of this entire podcast, I want to highlight three here that are shown to help dancers perform under pressure.

Because for many dancers, we do well in rehearsal, we train [00:02:00] well, but then we fall short of our best on stage because of anxiety and nerves. So here are three tools to help reduce that anxiety and improve your performance under pressure. Making sure all that hard work in classes shows up on stage.

The first is box breathing. This is a way to regulate your nervous system, bring your heart rate back down, and make sure you're calm and collected. It's simply inhale for four counts. Hold for four. Exhale for four and hold for four. You can repeat that a few times and it calms your nervous system right before going on stage.

. Another tool is visualization. It's imagining yourself performing that routine with confidence and ease. Your brain actually activates similar neural pathways as if you were dancing for real. So that visualization rehearsal can help you see your best on stage and make that happen.

And a third mind over muscle tool is to reframe failure. A fall or a missed turn isn't the end. [00:03:00] It's part of your growth. The best dancers in the world miss tricks all the time in practice. The best dancers can also bounce back. Your artistry as a dancer thrives when your mind and body are working together, and these mental tools help you find that synergy.

Now, of course, I just mentioned these briefly. If you want more on any of these, I have talked about all of them in previous episodes. And a great place to start is episode 1 95, the emotional intelligence for dancers. Part two, handling those negative emotions, and you can find that at Passion for Dance podcast slash 1 9 5.

Beyond those mental skills. It's also about training smarter, not just harder, and it's something I wish every dancer knew. More hours in the studio isn't always the answer to being your best. Over training can actually lower your performance and increase your risk of injury. So if you want to be stronger and improve your tricks, you might need more strength training, not more repetitions of those skills.

A study on high school athletes showed that preseason [00:04:00] strength training improved agility, endurance, and performance. And we know dancers benefit from this too. Stronger muscles means higher jumps, more stable balances, and fewer injuries.

Being stronger is not just about drilling choreography or acro tricks endlessly. That can actually be harmful, , especially if it's really repetitive movements. Instead, you train smarter. Add strength training to your routine. And another way to reach your best is to track your progress so you can see how your balance and strength have improved, or how your cardio stamina is better, allowing you to see that growth and stay motivated for those workouts.

Training smarter is also about being focused when you're in class and rehearsals. If you are cleaning your jazz routine but are worried about your math test, you won't retain the choreography and then you're in trouble later. Now when you get home, you have to study for the math test and go over all your choreography again, it's double duty, which we don't have time to do.

And yes, sometimes you'll need to review the choreography even if you were [00:05:00] focused, but usually, if we can be fully present in the room and train smarter, we won't have to redo the work later. The goal here is to focus on quality over quantity, whether it's strength training, or a cleaning practice, you want quality rehearsal.

Dancers are athletes and artists, and smart training keeps your artistry safe and sustainable. Because it allows you the recovery time you need and the strength to protect yourself.

Speaking of recovery, and another important piece is to get some sleep. Now, I know that is something most of us sacrifice between late night rehearsals, early classes, long competition weekends. Most dancers and teachers aren't getting enough sleep. But research is clear and athletes who are chronically sleep deprived have a harder time learning choreography, experience more injuries, and struggle to recover mentally and physically. In fact, one study found that athletes actually sleep less than non-athletes overall because of their crazy [00:06:00] schedules.

And in dance we have lots of crazy schedules and precision and memory matter. So sleep becomes one of those secret performance tools. I know it's easier said than done. I get that. But high achieving dancers prioritize sleep rather than passively deciding, well, I'll get to sleep when competition season is over, or it's just what I have to do right now. I don't have a choice. You can make it a priority over some other goals and desires.

So here's what to try. Of course, we wanna prioritize eight hours of sleep whenever you can, especially in competition season. And I know it doesn't always happen. I don't always get it either. But if you can't get the eight hours or even when you can, frankly, utilize a simple, cool, down routine, just like you would cool down after practice.

Turn off screens, stretch. Do a skincare routine, maybe journal to release the mental clutter. We know how important it's for a physical cool down after class and your brain needs that cool down at night. [00:07:00] So take control where you can and have a small routine to help you wind down at night.

Think of sleep as recovery for your brain. Without it, your body can't perform at its peak because your brain isn't functioning on all cylinders.

Another important part of peak performance for all my students out there is to remember you're a student first. For my high school and college dancers, I see you.

I know how much is on your plate. This phase of life where you're trying to balance academics with practice, maybe jobs and a semblance of a personal life is a lot. But research shows academic struggles hurt athletic performance too. If you're struggling in the classroom, you will likely hit roadblocks and struggle on stage too, so you have to prioritize your academic work.

So a few ideas. You can use a time blocking app, or any time management you like to organize classes, rehearsals, and assignments in one place. I know lots of dancers who are very smart and so they feel like I can handle it in my head. [00:08:00] I know where I need to be, but it will catch up with you.

Also, you probably have information and requirements coming at you from different places. Maybe your dance schedule is on band, your teachers post on Schoology or some other classroom learning management system. And it's important to have one place where you see it altogether. Whether that's a physical planner, a digital calendar, you need one view.

This is really about taking care of yourself. If it's all together in one place, you can see when you have particularly busy weeks coming. When you have a chance for additional self-care, and when you might need to look for help and support.

Putting it all together helps you see and prioritize self-care over other goals and desires. And also speaking as a professor myself, talk to professors and teachers early. If you have a scheduled conflict or will be missing class, let them know your schedule before conflict happens. Most teachers are much more accommodating to proactive athletes who are trying to manage schedules rather than [00:09:00] athletes who only react to missing assignments after the fact. So be proactive.

And most importantly, remember that you are more than a dancer and a student. Yes, you are both, but you are also a friend. Someone who loves reading or drawing or whatever else is a part of your identity. When you're focused on school and dance, it's important to build your identity outside of both of those places. You perform better when you're thriving as a whole person. And that's my last piece of advice for peak performance.

Performance is more than strength and endurance. It's about taking care of the whole person. Being able to reach your personal best is not going to come from one hack or one lifestyle change. It's not only training better, but recovering better and prioritizing physical and mental recovery. When you train the whole dancer, mind and body, that's where you unlock your peak performance.

So let's recap these key takeaways today of how you reach your peak [00:10:00] performance. Use your mental skills, train your mind with breathing, visualization, and any other mental skill that has helped you before. Train smarter, not harder, and be focused while you're there. Sleep is a performance tool. Protect it like you protect your rehearsals. Balance your academics and your identity beyond dance. And remember that peak performance is holistic. It's about training the whole person because the science is clear. Dancers perform their best when they treat their body and mind as a whole system. It's not about quick fixes, it's about consistent habits over time.

If you're ready to reach your best, pick one tool out of this today that you want to get started on. As it becomes a habit, you can add in more. Thank you for joining me today and listening in. If you found it helpful, please share it with a teammate or a coach who could use these tips, and if you haven't yet, I would be so grateful if you would rate and review [00:11:00] the show. It helps more dancers find these tools, and I want every dancer to reach their personal best.

So until next time, keep sharing your passion for dance with the world.

Thank you for listening to Passion for Dance. You can find all episode resources at passion for dance podcast.com and be sure to follow me on Instagram for more high performance tips at Doctor Chelsea dot Otti. That's P-I-E-R-O-T-T-I. This podcast is for passionate dancers and dance educators who are ready to change our industry by creating happier, more successful dancers.

I'm Dr. Chelsea and keep sharing your passion for dance with the world.