6 Secrets of Ballerinas That Women May Benefit From

For centuries, ballerinas have mesmerized audiences with their exquisite movements, refinement and gracefulness of each step. Behind this beauty are years of hard training and strict discipline, but ballet dancers know how to do more than dance — they are true experts of self-care. Their time-tested routines help them maintain energy, beauty, and inner balance. They can be useful for everyone — even for those who have never stood at the barre.

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Treating food as fuel

We have often heard the myth that ballet dancers starve themselves to keep in shape, but modern dancers don’t sit on diets and don’t see food as their main enemy. Yes, they look after their health and nutrition and try to eat foods rich in nutrients, because food is fuel.

During a long rehearsal or performance, it can be quite hard to find time to sit down and eat properly, so a dancer always has a healthy snack on hand. Many of them may occasionally snack on a chocolate bar, have a slice of pizza or even a burger.

And they eat apples before a workout to increase stamina. The natural sweetener in these fruits enters the bloodstream, keeping sugar levels constant and providing dancers with energy.

Staying hydrated

Ballerina Misty Copeland pointed out that most people drink less water than they should. But for a dancer, staying hydrated is very important — especially during intense training, when the body loses a lot of fluid. Misty adds electrolytes to her water to help replenish water loss faster.

In fact, it’s not just ballet dancers who benefit from this. Everyone should know how much water to drink during the day and learn to spot the first signs of dehydration.

Lifehack for healthy feet: roll a ball

For dancers, feet are one of the most important “working tools,” and their health is crucial for training and rehearsals, as well as for overall well-being. Professional ballerina Emily Strickland shared her foot care lifehacks: how to relieve tension and combat overload. Many people also feel very tired and uncomfortable at the end of the day.

What do ballet dancers do after a lot of training when their legs cramp up? It’s simple: they carry a regular tennis ball in their bag. It is enough to put the foot on the ball and gently roll it on the floor. It’s best to do this exercise standing.

A foot roller or any other small hard ball will be suitable for this exercise. The harder the ball, the deeper it works the muscles. This is not only pleasant, but also incredibly useful — this massage helps to prevent the accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles. Try it and your feet will thank you!

Applying essential oil to your legs

Emily Strickland also advises to actively use essential oils. Not only do they smell nice, but they also help to relax your feet and bring back a sense of lightness! A few drops can be added to your bath or used when massaging your feet.

Lavender and chamomile oils are a great choice when you want to release your feet from accumulated tension, while peppermint oil relieves sore feet.

Using simple makeup life hacks

Dancers have a simple secret of neat lip makeup.

In order to get rid of lipstick on your teeth, you need to put your finger in your mouth after applying it, so the excess will remain on your finger and nothing will get on your teeth.

Not being afraid of your period

Training is very important for ballerinas, and periods are no reason to skip them. Some dancers admit that they consider dancing during menstruation not as a challenge, but as an opportunity to get rid of cramps. Exercises are good for this.

In addition, ballerinas really trust tampons, because they save them from leaking even during active training, but in extreme cases ballerinas can stick a pad directly to the tights during periods.

And here are myths about ballet that moviemakers made us believe.