How to Deal with Burnout for Dancers
What is Burnout? How Can It Be Prevented and Treated?
Sep 29, 2009
The condition known in the dance industry as "burnout" can be disguised as fatigue, muscle weakness, or frequent injuries. When one or more of these factors arises for a dancer from overexertion, this is burnout.
Factors that Can Contribute to Burnout
There are many factors that cna contribute to the development of burnout in dancers, such as:
- Increased commitments in class or onstage
- Imbalance between activity and rest in daily schedules
- Overachieving dancers who set high standards for themselves
- Excessive exercise, especially in pre-adolescents
- Stress in family or personal relationships
- Issues at school or at work
- Financial difficulties
Often, there is an event or situation in a dancer's personal life that can trigger more serious symptoms of burnout. Dancers are trained to cope with heavy workloads, and learn not to complain, because they believe there are other dancers waiting to take their places.
Typical Symptoms of Burnout
There are numerous signs of burnout that can easily be ignored if they are not examined closely. Dancers can report, or teachers can observe, any of the following symptoms of burnout:
- Insomnia or differing sleep patterns
- Vivid nightmares or stressful dreams
- Irritation, dramatic mood swings or outbursts
- Negativity, pessimism
- Loss of appetite
- Loss of technique in class
- Loss of stamina, fatigue
- Elevated blood pressure and heart rate
- Excessive sweating
- Inability for the body to recover after intense activity
- Increased likelihood of injuries
How to Prevent and Treat Burnout
Burnout can possibly be avoided by dancers, if rehearsal schedules can allow them sufficient time to recover between sessions. Choreographers and directors should provide adequate access to support for their dancers, whether it is nutritional direction, counseling, or physical therapy.
Dancers must also take charge of their schedules to ensure they have adequate sleep and rest. They should assemble their own support systems of friends and family, dancers and non-dancers. By combining a fitness regimen with their dance schedule, dancers can help to build up their immune systems and provide stress release. For more information, please see the article Five Ways for Dancers to Resist Injury.
When burnout is diagnosed, it is important for dancers and teachers to react. A more reduced schedule of classes and performances should be implemented, so that the dancer can deal correctly with the burnout and avoid relapse a few months down the road. Dancers and teachers should work together to improve the situations, so that the dancers do not feel helpless in their positions.
A support system to provide advice on workloads, recovery times, nutrition, and other aspects of dealing with burnout can help to prevent burnout in dance students and professionals.
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