A True Miracle Drink
Why water is the essential drink of choice for dancers.
Dancers have probably heard all their lives from countless sources that they must drink at least eight glasses of water a day. Although this may seem like one of those silly rules created by parents akin to “because I said so,” the benefits of drinking water and the dangers associated with dehydration are indisputable.
60% of the human body is composed of water, and the body requires all 60% to function properly. This is why hydration is vital, as it enables critical bodily processes to maintain overall health and strength, enhance metabolism, and support the immune system. When the body is properly hydrated and healthy, all of its systems function at their optimal parameters. The opposite effect occurs when water intake is less than what the body needs. According to the staff at the Mayo Clinic[1], “lack of water can lead to dehydration, a condition that occurs when you don’t have enough water in your body to carry out normal functions. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you tired.”
Any day in the life of a dancer, professional or otherwise, requires a substantial amount of energy. The last thing any dancer wants to be is perpetually tired when their days are filled with classes, rehearsals, and practice. For many, dancing isn’t just a hobby; it is a job, and a dancer’s body is essentially their primary tool or instrument with which to do their job. As such, it is vital that the body be kept in peak condition, and drinking water plays a key role in this.
One of the most common questions people have when they are told to drink eight glasses of water a day is whether all eight glasses must be filled with water. While all fluids technically count toward the eight-glass total, what’s inside the glass also matters a great deal.
When people are tired in the middle of their workday, one of their first instincts is to reach for a cup of coffee, a soda, or an energy drink, anything with enough caffeine to give them a boost. However, many of these drinks, especially sugary or caffeinated beverages, dehydrate the body rather than replenish. Caffeine and alcohol are diuretics, meaning that they essentially flush the water from the body.
Therefore, opting for a soda, tea, or beer instead of water when thirsty will actually end up causing dehydration. No matter how many Monsters or Red Bull dancers drink, if they are dehydrated, the caffeine rush won’t last long enough to get them through class let alone provide them with enough energy to hit the clubs in the evening.
Dehydration is a dangerous state for the body to experience, as it can cause a slew of immediate health problems. People who are dehydrated often have headaches, dizziness, lethargy, muscle weakness, and cramps. Dancers and other athletes who are constantly active, especially those who are training for competition or rehearsing for shows, should take extra care to ensure that they intake enough water at all times, as even slight dehydration can negatively impact their performance.
“In order to get the most out of any given workout, proper hydration is vital and will drastically improve your performance in the gym,” says Danny Long, professional fitness consultant at Florida State University. Athletes, including dancers, are encouraged to meet and even exceed the recommended intake of water and hydration fluids in order to ensure the proper flow of blood through muscles and tissues used and strained in sports and exercise.
For many dancers and athletes, drinking large amounts of water is an easy task, but for some, drinking water can be a chore. There are many ideas and products circling the market that are designed to make water easier to swallow, such as low calorie flavoring packets like Crystal Light. However, many of these water enhancers contain dangerous artificial sweeteners, which can actually cause dehydration among a myriad of other ailments.
In order for it to retain its pure hydrating benefits, the best flavor additives to water are small pieces of fruit, such as lemons and limes, as well as herbs like fresh mint. There are some favorable products that taste like Crystal Light and Kool-Aid but do not include the dangerous chemicals found in most artificial sweeteners. These are naturally sweetened tablets that add fruit flavors to any bottle of water without artificial sweeteners, and they can be found at many local health food stores around the country as well as online.
As a human being, one of the essentials of life is water, as staying hydrated is what allows the human body to function properly. For dancers, with schedules full of classes, rehearsals, competitions, and performances, it is even more imperative that hydration is kept up. After all, what’s a better way to start a long day of great classes, intense competitions, or sold-out performances than with a refreshing, zero-calorie glass of the liquid fuel known as water?
[1] Source Mayo Clinic Article at http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/nu00283
Jenne Vermes is a professional Tap dancer, Instructor, Choreographer, Musician and Writer. Reach her at https://www.jennevermes.com/
