Interview | Dance Student Zoe Norbury

Tell us about yourself

Hello!! My name is Zoe, I’m 20 years old and I study BA (Hons) Dance at De Montfort University in Leicester. As well as being a lover for contemporary dance, I also live for being active, whether that be throwing weights in the gym and doing circuits, playing sports (I play Netball at uni) or just getting outdoors, I must be up and doing something. I also have my own little blog on Instagram and Wordpress where I share all things food, fitness and life-related, spreading positivity and self-love every day. I am a huge chocoholic and peanut butter addict so expect to see many pictures featuring the two!

What type of supplementary training do you do? What benefits have you seen from this training?

I find myself in the gym quite regularly, aiming to be there 3-4 times a week and ensuring I get in some rest days. I vary my training in each workout, so one day I will focus on just weights for strength training, slowly increasing the weights when I feel is needed. I will also do some circuit training, adding in a mixture of weight, body-weight/plyometric exercises to keep up my fitness and I just love feeling like a ninja.

Since beginning supplementary training, I’ve noticed a variety of benefits. My strength has increased majorly – I’ve noticed that my balance has improved and I’m able to control movements much more. Another benefit is that my fitness feels are at a high, meaning that I am able to take part in class without being out of breath easily and so can fully focus.

At what age or stage in your dance career did you realise supplementary training was necessary?

I realised that it felt necessary when I was in my final year of sixth form - pretty much when I started my whole journey into fitness and healthy eating. I started with HIIT training and then was encouraged by Youtubers/bloggers, my dad (who was a personal trainer) and my older brother to start introducing weights into my training. As the year went by I noticed how much stronger and confident I was in my dance training. I was able to maintain a good level of fitness, control my movements and balance, and I was able to perform with more power.

Can you summarise your own personal approach to supplementary training and nutrition?

My approach is to be balanced, and I am constantly preaching this. I started my training the wrong way: overtraining, eating way too little and restricting myself from foods if they weren’t ‘clean’. It took me a long time to realise how wrong this was and I began to research more into how I should train and rekindle my love for fitness and food. I now train at least 3-4 times (sometimes 2 if I am busy) a week and if I feel like I am too tired or injured, I listen to my body and make sure I rest. It is so crucial to allow our bodies to recover! As with nutrition, I learnt that food is fuel and to not categorise into ‘good’ or ‘bad’ which completely changed my mindset. I now make sure I am eating enough food every day, ensuring that I eat plenty of carbs (the beauty that gives us energy), protein and fats, as well as lots of veggies and chocolate, of course. Everything in moderation and it’s all about finding your own balance.

From your blog and Instagram it’s clear that you love food! Can you tell us your favourite snack to nibble on between classes?

I love food!! It makes me happy and fuels my body! Most of my technique classes are early morning so I always have breakfast which is a huge feature on my Instagram – zoats (oats with courgette). I will have this with a scoop of protein, berries, peanut butter and some form of chocolate (I find that starting my day with some chocolate stops me from wanting to eat all of it at the end of the day). If I have an afternoon class, I make sure I have some carbs beforehand and I love bananas! Sweet, tasty and gives me energy for the class.

How do you juggle your studies and make time for supplementary training?

I always organise my weeks with my weekly planner. I write down my timetabled classes and work the gym into it, making sure that I have enough rest time but also time to let off steam in the gym. I aim to have gym sessions on days when the technique class isn’t too intense otherwise my body will be exhausted and injuries could occur.

As a student dancer do you feel you are sufficiently educated and supported in injury care/management and methods to reduce injury? 

In all honesty, no. These topics aren’t sufficiently covered on my course and it is down to us to research these topics if we wish to do so (I tend to take out a couple of books from the library when I feel like I need more information). We do learn about anatomy and physiology on my course, however, it is more about the Alexander Technique and how we should direct ourselves in order to be more at a mechanical advantage. I feel that learning about injury care and safe dance practice should be enforced more onto any dance course as not many student dancers (or even some professional dancers) are entirely educated on how to reduce the risk of injury or how to treat them. I would love to be able to have a career in this sector, I want to help others take care of themselves.

Do you have a favourite exercise you’d like to share? 

Oh this is a tough one! I enjoy doing squats with the bar because I love seeing my strength slowly increase, it amazes me how strong our bodies are! However, I am a big lover of plyometric training and do love different variations of burpees (e.g. regular, to the floor, with a sandbag) and also lunge jumps! Call me crazy, but I love seeing how much endurance I have and how powerful I am when jumping. It’s great for the legs and glutes, and as dancers we need to have a strong base.

Thanks to Zoe for a great insight into her life as a Dance degree student! So glad to hear of such a positive attitude to dancer health. But it certainly sounds like there is a need for better education on degree courses...

Find Zoe on social media here and here. 

Improving ankle strength | Dance

Further to my blog post ‘The importance of a strong ankle’, here are some exercises for you to try to help strength the ankle joint.

Balance board stand Begin by standing on the wobble board on two feet. Find your balance and gentle rock the board backward and forward. Progress this exercise by circling the board so that the edge of the board remains in contact for a full circle. Once you have mastered standing on two legs, move to one leg. You can repeat the same exercises as before. If you feel too unstable then partially hold onto a wall until you feel more comfortable.

Theraband  Although a very basic and unexciting exercise, the theraband can help to strengthen the ankle from the beginning. Using a strength suited to you and loop the band around your toes so that you can perform plantarflexion, dorsiflexion, inversion and eversion. Try performing 3 sets with reps of 10-12.

Lunge on balance board Only perform this exercise once your lunge pattern is correct. Place one foot in the middle of a balance board and the other behind as if you are performing a normal lunge. Perform a normal lunge movement. This will feel more challenging due to stabilising the movement of the front leg. Perform 3 sets of 6 reps on each leg.

Hurdle hops Setup a row of hurdles placing them a few feet apart. Begin by performing this exercise on two feet.  Stand in front of the first hurdle with feet shoulder width apart. This will be the starting position. Push off both feet to jump over the first hurdle. Land on two feet, bending the knees, rebounding out and over the next hurdle. Finish by pausing in the ready position (1/4 squat) for a count of two.

Note- swing your arms up with you as you jump.

SL Romanian deadlift Standing on one leg, soften the knee so that you have a slight bend. From the hips hinge forward, bringing your free leg out behind you in derriere. Move until you are in a table-top position. Ensure you trunk, leg and head are in a straight line and your supporting knee has not increased in bend. From this position in one, return to the starting position.

Single leg squat  Stand in front of low box. Standing on one leg, hold the other leg out in front of you. Use your arms as a balance by placing them out in front of your waist. Slowly sit back into a single leg squat and down onto the box. Once on the box do not relax into a sitting position but keep the tension on through your working leg. To stand, engage your core, transfer your weight through the midfoot and drive upwards. Note -Try to move as slowly as possible on the way down.

Many thanks to YMCA in North Tyneside for the use of their studio.

Improving your jump height | Dance

Have you ever looked at a professional dancer and thought ‘Wow I wish I could jump that high’?

I have, and no doubt you have too!

In my past post ‘Jump height and the dancer' I spoke of the qualities required by these dancing athletes in order to achieve such elevation. Achieving such a goal is not quick task, instead it takes years of hard work.

Start implementing these exercises into your sessions now to obtain that elevation!

1.       Weighted Squats

This exercise is an all-round great exercise as it works all major muscle groups needed for achieving speed and jump height.

·         Place the bar in the squat rack at a level slightly below shoulder height.

·         Settle the bar across the base of your neck with the bar resting on top of the trapezius and deltoids. Ensure you are positioned in the centre of the bar prior to movement.

·         Hold the bar in an overhand grip, with hands evenly spaced and elbows bent at 90 degrees.

·         From this position take the weight of the bar, stand straight and take a few steps back.

·         Fix your eyes on a point in front of you, slightly above eye level and keep your eyes fixed here throughout the lift.

·         Pull the shoulder blades back (Imagine holding a pen between the shoulder blades). Push your chest up and out.

·         Feet should be flat on the floor and roughly shoulder width apart (although dependant on the individual). Toes may be pointed slightly outwards, however some may find it more comfortable facing forwards.

·         Before beginning the lift take a deep breath in. hold this until the final stage of the lift. By doing this you aid stability at the trunk by increasing intra-abdominal pressure.

·         You should tighten the glutes and lower back then begin the movement by flexing the hips and knees simultaneously. The trunk should be kept upright throughout the lift, with the back in a neutral position.

·         The knees should move in the same direction as the toes. Do not allow your knees to drop in towards each other. This is a weak position and so puts you at risk of injury.

·         Continue the downward movement until the thighs are past parallel with the floor i.e. the knees are past 90 degrees. Go as low as possible while maintaining the correct technique.

·         The ascent of the lift should be led by the chest, with the torso kept upright. Hips and knees are extended through a powerful drive from the legs.

·         At the top of the lift reaching a standing position exhale.

·         Try 3 sets of 8-12 reps

2.       Ankle taps

This exercise is a prime starter for building elastic energy within the calf muscles.

·         Stand with feet hip width apart and hands on hips.

·         Shift your weight to your toes.

·         From the ankles, jump repeatedly (There should be no bending of the knees)

·         Pointe the toes on each jump to push off, but pull your toes up towards your shins while in the air.

·         Contact with the floor should be quick and noisy.

·         Try 3 sets of 6 reps.

3.       Split leg squat

Dancers do not always jump from two feet, thus it is important to ensure we train equal leg strength in the single limbs. The split leg squat develops strength within the hamstrings, glutes and quadriceps allowing for elevation.

·         In the rack, rest the barbell on the upper trapezius. Take a step backwards within the rack.

·         With one foot take stride forwards with your foot flat on the floor and your back foot raised onto the toes.

·         When ready take a deep breath and lower your body into the split squat position by flexing the hips, knees and ankles.

·         Keep an upright trunk throughout the movement, lowering with control and having weight placement evenly distributed between your front and back feet.

·         Lower to a position where you back knee is around 4inches off the floor.

·         Pause

·         Drive upwards to the starting position y extending your knees and hips.

·         Try 3 sets of 8-12 reps

4.       Depth jumps

An excellent exercise to improve eccentric strength. As a very simple exercise, they are easily added into any training programme, however should not be abused or risk injury.

·         Standing on a low platform step off.

·         Using the ‘ankle tap’ movement, immediately push off the floor to achieve maximal jump height. (The jump should be immediate and quick with minimal bending of the knees.)

·         There should be no rest between repetitions.

·         Try 3 sets of 6 reps

5.       Clean

A clean is an explosive movement. This movement pattern can take a long time to master so don’t worry if you can’t get it at first. The clean heavily involves the hip extensors which is key for speed and jumping ability.

I feel the clean is far too complicated to explain in a simple blog post, so I would recommend seeking the advice of a coach in your gym to help you master the skill!

Plus, don't forget to actually train the movement itself (i.e. a pas de chat)!

The importance of a well fitted bra with Firm Fit

If there’s anything you NEED for exercise women, it’s a sports bra! Forget those new Nike leggings or heart rate monitor, these are not important, a good fitting sports bra is!

 Breast structure

The female breasts are mostly comprised of fatty tissue which is supported by skin and fragile ligaments called the Coopers ligaments. No, unlike what you may think, there are no muscles within the breasts! Due to the lack of anatomical structure within the breast during high impact and repetitive exercise these non-elastic ligaments pull forcing them to stretch. Once they have stretched, they will not return to the length they once were, resulting in sagging breasts.

A good sports bra limits the amount of movement when performing high-intensity exercise such as running or jumping in dance class. Wearing ill-fitting or poorly structured bras can cause breast pain, upper back and shoulder problems.

The female breasts are affected by various hormonal changes such as menstruation, pregnancy, contraceptives and menopause. Such changes include changes in size, tenderness and density of the breasts.  It is currently unknown how the anatomical changes to a woman’s breasts that occur with age are affect the bra requirements for the older woman, however it is logical that the breasts must be supported in order to reduced shoulder, back and breast pain.

A funny story – one of my old secondary PE teachers told us that using a seated chest fly machine would reduce the sag of the breasts later in life. You can imagine the swarm of people to that machine afterwards!

The history of the sports bra

In 1977, two American women decided to make a bra more supportive for exercise. They did this through stitching 2 jock straps together. The Jockbra became the Jogbra! Nowadays a lot goes into the design of modern sports bras to provide structure and support.

 Sports bra design

Ultimately there are two common types of bras – the encapsulating bra and the compression bra.

The compression bra was the first type of bra to be designed, with its aim to restrict movement through compressing and flattening the breasts against the body. It is believed that this type of bra is better suited to women with a smaller cup size (A or B) (however at a C/D cup I feel perfectly comfortable wearing this style as long as it’s tight fitting). While women with larger breasts (C or D) require more support i.e. Encapsulating bras, which contain moulded cups to support the breasts individually. The breasts may move up to 21cm during exercise, and so the aim of the sports bra is for the breasts and trunk to move as one. Therefore even the smaller-chested of us still need some added support!

A 2013 study concluded that the most effective bras had the following features: compression, short vest style, high neckline, slings, cross back, bound neckline, no center gore, no wire, no cradle, no pad and a non-adjustable wide strap. This provides practical guidelines choosing the best design of sports bra!

A well-fitting bra

A shocking piece of research conducted by The University of Portsmouth reported ‘about half of all girls in UK secondary schools might avoid sport because of the embarrassment or pain caused by their breasts’, that  ‘only one in every ten 14 year old girls meets the government physical activity guidelines’ because ‘almost half of the girls they surveyed said their breasts had an effect on their sport or exercise participation’ and ‘15% of girls thought their breasts were too big to be able to exercise’. Even more shocking, ‘only 10% always wore a bra when exercising’. It is understandable that the teenage girl might feel uncomfortable with her changing body, however it is clear that little education has been given on the matter of breast health re the implications of not wearing a properly supportive bra. To find out more about The University of Portsmouth breast research follow this link to view an interesting infographic - http://www.port.ac.uk/department-of-sport-and-exercise-science/research/breast-health/

Additional research from the University of Portsmouth has found wearing a sports bra reduces the activity of the pectoral muscle by 55%, which could affect levels of fatigue when a woman runs. Plus supporting the breasts can significantly reduce the forces exerted through the leg and to the ground when running, reducing the risk of injury. It has also been suggested that the choice of bra may influence the breathing rate, lung capacity and thermos regulation during exercise. Therefore, by just wearing a sports bra, you could increase your athletic performance!

Indeed for the athlete, a sports bra is an integral part of their kit. The 11-times British javelin champion, Goldie Sayers has been reported to have commented that if she forgot her sports bra, she wouldn’t compete. The sports bra allows for the athlete to focus on the task at hand and not what their body is doing.

How to tell you’re wearing the wrong bra

1.       If you’re wearing the same bra to yoga as you are to run this is a bad idea! A sports bra for yoga or a barre class can be light and less supportive, however for high impact exercising you need something far more supportive.

2.       If you’re wearing two bras, then get rid!

3.       Spend the dosh to save saggy boobs. It might be all well and good paying £9.99 from H&M for a light bra, but this isn’t going to give you the proper support you need from paying £20 more on a sports brand bra.

4.       If your boobs hurt after you exercise.

5.       Cotton sports bras are not breathable enough for sport and it stretched. Sweat-wicking fabric is best! Plus, cotton sports bras are never supportive enough.

6.       6+ months old. Time to get out your purse!

 Follow these steps to find the perfectly fitted sports bra

ü  The band is horizontal around the whole trunk

ü  The cups do not bulge or gape

ü  The underwire follows the natural curve of the breast tissue

ü  The front of the bra sits flat against the chest

ü  Shoulder straps should be adjusted appropriately

Support when dancing

It was very noticeable when I was dancing 4 times a week that ballet leotards, although some fitted with a shelf bra, were not at all supportive.

During puberty I had some puppy fat on me, and consequently I had larger boobs. While they weren’t huge, I still struggled to find a good fitting leotard. Many leotard’s at the time were cut too closely under the arm pit (the side boob is not an exam requirement), had tiny thin straps with awful elastic that would easily stretch (especially as I was an am almost 6ft tall!) , low backs so you couldn’t wear a bra underneath, or had no internal bra support.

Even those bras with internal support were insufficient and at one stage I purchased a soft nude dance bra to go underneath. However this gave little more support when performing petite or grand allegro.

This problem is a very unlikely for the professional dancer. However, for young girls studying dance as a hobby, I believe better designed leotards should be made. If companies can make top quality sports bras, then there is no reason these designs cannot be integrated into a leotard.

For now, I would recommend wearing a decent sports bra underneath the leotard to help reduce any injuries or discomfort caused without.

  

Firm fit

I was recently very fortunate to be sent a few items by Firm Fit, a branch of the dance brand Dansez, a British dance and active wear manufacturer. Firm Fit design active wear for women participating in different sports and forms of exercise using high quality fabric sourced from Italy in order to support the female body through movement.

Their Minimal Bounce Bra was first launched in the 80s which has since been adapted.

The Punch Bra uses a compressive material to prevent damage to the Copper Ligaments within the breasts. I love the fit/shape of the Punch Bra as it sits very low, almost as a crop top. I have the medium size which fits me perfectly at a 10/12. The design is modern, with a bold colour showing through a black ‘mesh’ style overlay. The Layered Sports Bra is of a similar design and is a good option for those wanting something a bit brighter.

The elite sports bra is my favourite of the two I have worn! The bra is totally supportive and squishes me down to an a/b cup (which I love)! Not only this, but it stays completely in one place when moving around. When wearing most of my current sports bras I end up pulling down the bottom band after lifting my arms above my head. This can get annoying when working and exercising. Plus, the back design is pretty funky with an insert of colourful material.

Firm Fit were also kind enough to send me their Racer Vest which features a neon mesh back panel. This vest isn’t something I would usually choose to wear. However, after putting it on I am in love! The cut is perfect and fits me really well, and like the Elite Sports Bra, doesn’t ride up with movement.

These items ticks it all; chlorine resistant (for those swimmers looking for some extra support), blocks the sun’s harmful rays, is quick drying, environmentally friendly and wicks away the bodies sweat. I’m a big fan!

In the next few weeks Firm Fit are joining the organisation ‘United through Sport’ in St Lucia on the ‘Female Empowerment Project’. Here they shall be working with disadvantaged children to educate and raise awareness about health benefits of wearing a sports bra. Not only this, but they are sponsoring teams with kit, including sports bras and shorts for the girls competing in a competition in August – how ace are they!

Check out the Firm Fit range here - https://www.dans-ez.com/firmfit

The Dancer’s Essential Warm-up – Part 1 The Foot and Ankle

Photography by C. Rennison-Rae

The Anatomy

The foot consists of 26 bones and is divided into three separate parts- the hind foot, the midfoot and the forefoot.

·         The hind foot consists of the talus, calcaneus (heel bone), navicular, cuboid and 3 cuneiform bones.

·         The midfoot is comprised of 5 metatarsals.

·         The forefoot consists of the toes, each with three parts (the phalanges). Only the big toe (also known as hallux) has two phalange, just like the thumb.

The talus is a very important bone as it transfers the body’s weight to the foot, and is stabilised by multiple ligaments which are often exposed to injury due to insufficient strength at the joint.

The ankle Talocrural joint is classified as a hinge joint. Due to it being this kind of joint, movement is only possible in one plane i.e. plantarflexion (pointing the toes) and dorsiflexion (flexing the foot). The gastrocnemius, soleus and toe flexors work together to produce this movement. Dorsiflexion is carried out by the tibialis anterior, extensor hallucis longus, the peroneus tertius and the long toe extensors.

Inversion (sickle foot) and eversion (winged foot) of the ankle occurs at the Subtalar glide joint. Inversion is produced by the tibialis anterior and tibialis posterior. Eversion is carried out by the peroneal muscles.

Source: Bing Images

The importance of warming-up the foot and ankle

Strong coordinated feet are essential to a dancer’s technique.

The foot is required to be stable, yet at the same time, flexible and elastic. The joints of the foot are shock absorbers, built for dynamics and balance of the foot. Mobility of the foot is genetically determined, but good training from a young age can improve its form and mobility. Strength and stability are also important areas within the foot, which can be trained (an area I shall talk about in a future post).

Due to this, it is vitally important that the dancer thoroughly prepares their feet for class and performances. Fully preparing from the bottom of the kinetic chain up will contribute to preparing the rest of the body.

Follow these steps to correctly warm up your feet

Foot circles

This exercise not only acts as a gentle mobilisation exercise, but is also good for focusing the mind.

1.       Start by lying on your back. Bring the left knee to your chest and hold the shin parallel to the floor. Dorsiflex the ankle.

2.       Circle the foot to the outside, through a pointed foot, to the inside and back to the start in a dorsiflexed position.

3.       Repeat this 6 times and then repeat this movement in the opposite direction.

Note: Focus on working the whole range of movement while imagining yourself stirring a pot of thick porridge.

Good toes, naughty toes

1.       Sitting upright with your legs stretched out in front of you

2.       Wrap a theraband around the balls of the foot and hold either end of the band in both hands.

3.       Starting with the ankle in a neutral position, slowly roll through the foot to pointed ‘good’ toes. This movement should be against the resistance of the band.

4.       Slowly return the ankle to the neutral ‘naughty’ positon, resisting the recoil of the band.

5.       Repeat this exercise 15 times on each foot.

Good Toes

Naughty Toes

The Franklin Method

There are eight steps to follow to feel the full effects.

Preparation – stand comfortably on both feet and feel fully aware of your body

1.       Massage

Using one ball e.g. a tennis ball, gently roll your foot back and forth on the ball, massaging the whole sole of your foot.

How much pressure you apply is dependent on you as an individual.

2.       Forefoot rotation

Put your forefoot on the ball, keeping the heel on the floor. Inwardly rotate and outwardly rotate your foot, touching the little and then big toe to the ground.

Your knee and hip will move with the rotation of the foot. Go to your own comfort.

Repeat 5-6times each side.

3.       Inward/outward foot rolling with toes towards the sky

Continue rolling the foot inwards and outwards but reach the toes towards the sky.

4.       Point flex

Keeping a straight knee, roll the ball under the arch of the foot, point and flex 5-6 times (plantar flexion and dorsiflexion).

5.       Toe scrunch

With your forefoot foot still on the ball, hug the ball with your toes. Repeat this 5-6 times.

6.       Heel rotation

Bring the ball under your heel, toes brace on the floor. Rotate the heel inward and outward. Repeat 5-6 times.

7.       Step up

Place the ball in the centre of the foot and step up on it briefly, taking the other foot off the floor. Repeat 5-6 times. Keep alignment and posture.

8.       Take the ball away and stand on both feet. Notice how one foot feels different from the other.

Massage

Forefoot rotation

Heel rotation

Point flex

Forefoot rotation

Massage

Step Up

Toe Scrunch

Toes towards the sky

Single leg balance

1.       Using a folded towel, folded yoga matt or cushion place this under the standing leg.

2.       Raise the working leg off the floor and keep the standing leg slightly bent.

3.       Close your eyes and stabilise the joint.

4.       Progress this exercise by turning out or standing on demi pointe.

Hope you find these useful!

-E