performance energy

[balletma]

My 10 year old DD has her first performance coming up in about 2 weeks. She has two dances back to back and the first is very fast paced and high energy. and the second she is leading younger children in their dance. Tech rehersals start this weekend and will be long. I was wondering about the types of food she should be eating to keep her enegry levels up. Rehersals are after a full day of school. I know that sleep is very important and plan on having her go to bed early during this time. Any other advice would be helpful.

thanks

[Sewlinda]

A while back when my daughter was also 10, she was in 6 dances in one recital show. It was crazy! I have always found that fruit, cheese and crackers work well to keep her dancing. Gatorade and water are great too. She eats a lot of small meals rather than a few large ones.

 

Hope this helps!

[Blanche]

Is she worried about her energy, or are you worried? Definitely small snacks and drinking enough as Sewlinda mentioned are good. One thing I have found, though, through our Nutcracker performing experiences is that the kids have way more energy than we give them credit for (even with four days in a row of four hour tech rehearsals that end at 10pm). The parents'energy is sapped well before the kids' energy.

[WriteLife]

The AD at our daughter's school never gives them time to eat. So they may reherase all morning and then are expected to take a warm up class and then perform. Since they aren't allowed to eat around the costumes they have to huddle in the hall outside the dressing rooms and eat as fast as they can so after abortive attempts by parents to actually have a schedule meal break ( rebuffed by the AD, this is what we do:

 

dried fruit like cranberriess or raisins.

 

Smoothies in a thermos.

 

Cheese or those little little single serve cottage cheese cups.

 

sliced turkey rolled around shredded carrots or other veggies

 

nuts ( but be aware if others have peanut or other nut allergies)

 

sunflower seeds

 

A "Lunchable" made with whole grain carckers and sliced turkey and low fat cheese cut into circles so they fit on the crackers.

 

baby carrots

 

oatmeal cookies or "breakfast" cookies - you can find recipes online

 

muffins usually made with protein powder

 

bottles of Ensure ( careful with these, you probably should not drink them if you are in costume :>)

 

Luna Bars

 

yogurt

 

hummus but only before costumes are put on and pita chips - sliced cucumbers and bell peppers are good with hummus also.

 

And lots and lots of water

 

Hope that helps,

 

Kandi

[dancingjet]

I kind of agree with Blanche. But the suggested snacks given already are all good. Being able to eat a little bit here and there without a big heavy meal seems to suffice when my DD is at the theater for rehearsals/dress rehearsals. Sleep can be tough to come by if she gets home late but there isn't much one can do about that.

[LauraR]

Our dancers are not permitted to bring snacks backstage with a few exceptions. The only allowable items are water, pretzels, and cheerios. Nothing colored, nothing messy, no exceptions, for costuming and general cleanliness reasons.

 

Perhaps you can have a snack ready for her when you pick her up from school and on the way to rehearsal? A small sandwich or some fruit or cheese or crackers? Even the drinkable yogurt might be nice.

[heleen]

I don't know how long those rehearsals will take,but I don't think it will be necessary to give her anything to eat at rehearsal.As LauraR says,let her have something to eat between school and rehearsal,that should be enough.

My daughter has trainingsessions almost everyday of about 3hours,and she never takes anything to eat with her,just a bottle of water.She eats before and after.