With Christmas and the new year quickly approaching, holiday breaks are coming up fast. Being out of school and dance gives you more free time than you are used to, and it can be difficult to know what to do with it. It is important to take time to rest, but this is also a great time to be productive and have fun! Here are some of our favorite ways to spend the holidays.
Relax and Recoup
Giving your body a break is a necessity! As a dancer, you are using so many different muscles and spending a lot of time on your feet. This can cause muscle soreness and body aches and can lead to an injury if you are not warming up and cooling down correctly. So, take some extra time to just lay in bed, watch your favorite show, read a book, and do your favorite low-impact activities. If you still want to be somewhat active, another option is to stretch. It is a great way to prevent injury and help with muscle tightness.
Volunteer
The holiday season is all about giving back. Take a day during your break and volunteer your time, money, resources, or creativity to something you are passionate about. You can volunteer at food drives, donate gifts for kids in need, spend a day walking dogs for your local shelter or see if Habitat for Humanity has any projects in your area. There are endless volunteer options out there during the holiday season. Pick one that speaks to you! This is also fun to do with friends.
Go to Open Gym or Studio Hours
To stay active and keep training over your break, check if your studio or a local gymnastics gym has open hours to train and work on tricks. Studios will often have a day each week where anyone can drop in for the time slot and train. This is a great way to get a little bit of training while taking a break from rigorous practices.
Set Goals for the New Year
It is important to enter the new year with a positive mindset and an idea of what you hope to accomplish. Make a vision board. Write your goals down in your journal. Create ways to track and reward yourself for your progress. Find what works for you and have fun with it! It is good to have a visual representation of your goals and what you want to work on.
