Giving students, teachers, and parents an edge in dance education
Lauren Warnecke trained at Barat College and holds a BA in Dance from Columbia College Chicago and an MS in Kinesiology from the University of Illinois-Chicago. Lauren has fifteen years of teaching experience, and is an adjunct instructor for the Department of Kinesiology at UIC. She is a freelance writer and choreographer, member of the Cecchetti Council of America, and the Performing Arts Coordinator at the Menomonee Club. For more of Lauren’s work, visit Art Intercepts.
Dancers are athletes. Just like any other athlete, it’s important that we be conscious about how we are fueling our bodies. The stereotype of the stick-thin waif who dines on lettuce leaves and cigarettes is long gone, and as our field becomes increasingly physical, so too must our fitness and nutrition. Here begins the start [...]
Ah, the familiar sound of a snapping hip. Most dancers have experienced it at one time or another. Lauren takes us on a tour of the hip and what causes this popping sound, discusses the varieties of snapping hip, and lets you in on a ‘little secret’ that helped her get rid of the snap, crackle, and pop.
The path from the insular world of college dance to a real career in dance and dancemaking is rarely a straight line. Lauren illustrates this beautifully with a peek into her own journey, while also providing the soon-to-be or recent graduate with some solid (and remarkably clear-cut) advice.
Toe padding for pointe shoes is a controversial subject. Every dancer has an opinion. Lauren has tried nearly everything and wants to help you form your own.
Fresh from her Grade III Cecchetti teacher’s exam, Lauren Warnecke reflects on why, despite that she’s not actively teaching ballet, she continued to study the Method. Purely editorial, her musings are a peek inside the exam process and tip of the hat to the man behind the Method.
Lauren’s answer: a resounding ‘Yes!’ But don’t dancers have to be careful about getting bulky? See what Lauren has to say. Plus, learn the difference between anaerobic and aerobic activity and how intensity plays a role. And, discover how to decide if a cross-training activity is right for you.
Muscle fatigue is good but not when dancers push themselves (or are pushed by directors) to injury. We’re ignoring a crucial part of the formula for increasing endurance and enhancing performance. What is that element and why is it important for dancers to learn when enough is enough?
If you press, the upper body and center of gravity (CoG) needs to move over the leg, and if you spring, the supporting leg meets your CoG in the middle. Which do you prefer? In this post Lauren Warnecke explores the benefits and mechanics of both to provoke thought and conversation.
Achilles was infallible except for the small injury to his heel that killed him. Dancers, too, are prone to injury and stress of the Achilles tendon if they don’t do a few important things. Achilles tendonitis is the big one but it doesn’t have to be forever. Dancers must take great care and follow the proper steps to prevent flare-ups and further injury.
Why is it easier to balance standing up straight than bending at the waist? Lauren of Art Intercepts delves deeper into the science of balancing to answer that question and more.
Lauren of Art Intercepts follows our chat with Dr. Craig Westin with some pointers for dancers who are concerned about knee pain and/or injury prevention in this important, yet often fragile joint.
