Published in issue 2 of Houston Ballet Magazine, this feature discusses the athleticism and athletic training required by professional ballet dancers.

1. Houston Ballet’s performers balance art and sport
with the help of an impressive support system
from Houston Methodist.
BY DAVID CLARKE
WHERE ART MEETS
ATHLETICISM
EN POINTE
nutrition, which the Houston Methodist team also helps
with. “We harp on nutrition first and foremost because
that’s what is going to help our bodies recover,” explains
Barrera. “That is what is going to give them energy to put
out the performance that we want to put out there.”
Nutritional maintenance during performances is a
science of its own. “We are bumping the carbs. We might
bump the fats a little bit because that is going to be our
primary fuel source,” says Barrera. Naturally, protein is
an important part of the ballet diet too. “We have these
jumpers coming on and doing the Russian roles, and these
principals that are coming off and on and off and on,” she
explains. “They are feeling different aches and pains, and
their muscles definitely need those amino acids that the
protein helps build up.”
In addition to processes practiced day in and day out,
ballet dancers have pre-show rituals that ensure peak
performance condition when it’s time to let their hard
work shine. The day normally starts with a 90-minute
warm-up class. As the performers get into costume and
makeup, their muscles naturally cool down. “Before the
stage, I will do some ab exercises and a little more barre
to help my muscles get warm again so that I am ready
for the stage,” says Chan. Mennite has her own pre-show
routine. “Before shows, I’ll just kind of jump around the
stage, not even doing ballet jumps. I’ll just start jumping
up and down,” she says.
Often, the sounds of gently rustling tutus and swift feet
sliding sprightly across the stage disguise the amount of
grit, sweat, and perseverance required to get through a
run of The Nutcracker. But, with every ounce of determi-
nation that goes into preparing for every show—from the
performers and the support team alike—there is no deny-
ing that these artists are athletes of the highest caliber.✺
First Position
GRACEFULLY FLOATING ON POINTE OR SOARING
through the air, ballet dancers use the elegant
beauty of movement to draw audiences’ attention
away from the athleticism and stamina required for these
dazzling feats. Akin to preparing for a race or a game, Houston
Ballet’s company trains both physically and mentally for The
Nutcracker’s month-long run. From daily dance classes to
cross-training at Houston Methodist’s in-house facilities, the
performers put in at least 40 hours a week honing their skills,
working on their mobility, and strengthening their endurance
with the help of experts.
Ballet is not your typical sport, though, because it utilizes
non-natural movements. “If you look at every other athlete in
the world, they’re going to be doing the same thing, but their
motions and their limitations are going to be more in tune with
what’s natural to the human body,” says Bené Barrera, Head
Athletic Trainer for Houston Ballet. “Dancers don’t do that.
They exceed limitations that their bodies put on them.”
With this in mind, the standard ballet season can look like
a marathon. Each production has its own requirements when
it comes to rehearsals and preparedness. “Each role that we
do requires a different level of stamina based on what the
steps are, or the tempo of it, or how long the duration is,”
explains Melody Mennite, Melza M. Barr Principal Dancer.
“We are constantly having to adjust. We’re not always going
to run the same kind of distance or the same speed, it’s a
constantly moving target.”
These consistently changing demands prepare the
company for the perennial audience favorite, The Nutcracker.
“We are always training to get our stamina ready, so
when The Nutcracker is here, we are ready,” says First
Soloist Chun Wai Chan.
Regardless of the program, some aspects of ballet’s athlet-
icism remain the same. There is always a need for appropriate
HeadAthleticTrainerBenéBarreraworkingwithFirstSoloistChunWaiChan,photobyToddSpoth
the average number of The
Nutcracker performances
Houston Ballet puts on
each year
39
Houston Methodist staff
members dedicated to
helping Houston Ballet
company members train,
recover, and perform
at their best
15
the typical number of
hours Houston Methodist’s
athletic trainers are on-site
at Houston Ballet during
show days
11
THE
COUNT
16 ✺ HOUSTON BALLET