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Vitamin B6 and B12: Energy, Recovery, and High-Demand Training Periods
If you’re training consistently — whether that’s dance, lifting, running, or a mix — there are times when energy seems harder to access. You might notice: stamina dipping earlier than usual focus fading faster on long days soreness lingering longer recovery feeling “off,” even though your routine hasn’t changed Often, this leads people to assume they’re doing something wrong. But during high-demand periods, energy challenges aren’t always about effort or motivation. They’re o
Melissa
Feb 94 min read


The Science of Weight Loss: What Actually Drives Change (and What Most People Get Wrong)
A NOTE: In my practice, weight loss is a neutral physiological outcome — not a moral goal or a prerequisite for worth, health, or performance. It’s also not a realistic outcome if someone is not, at the very least, meeting their daily nutrition requirements. Any reason someone pursues weight loss deserves clarity, not judgment. At the same time, I’ve seen how oversimplified, aggressive approaches to weight loss often create more harm than help, especially in active and high
Melissa
Jan 266 min read
![Dancer with a [Vitamin] D: Bone Health, Immunity, and Winter Performance](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d0fd33_2cbffaaf2b4b40ef971e18ff29bf8664~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_avif,quality_auto/d0fd33_2cbffaaf2b4b40ef971e18ff29bf8664~mv2.webp)
![Dancer with a [Vitamin] D: Bone Health, Immunity, and Winter Performance](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d0fd33_2cbffaaf2b4b40ef971e18ff29bf8664~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_299,h_299,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_avif,quality_auto/d0fd33_2cbffaaf2b4b40ef971e18ff29bf8664~mv2.webp)
Dancer with a [Vitamin] D: Bone Health, Immunity, and Winter Performance
Why Vitamin D Matters in Dance Vitamin D plays an essential role in: bone health muscle function immune support For dancers, this matters not only for day-to-day performance — but for injury prevention and career longevity. Dance places repeated stress on the skeletal system through jumping, landing, and high training volume. Vitamin D helps support the systems that allow the body to adapt to this stress over time. Why Winter Is a Risk Window Vitamin D is synthesized in the
Melissa
Jan 253 min read


what if 'superfoods' were just... foods that work?
We’ve all heard the term “superfood.” It’s a shiny label slapped on açaí bowls, goji berries, turmeric lattes, kale, and avocado toast — usually with the implication that these foods are somehow magically better than others.
Melissa
Jan 123 min read


what it takes to fuel the life of a traveling showgirl
In this guest post, Lori offers a behind-the-scenes look at life as a traveling showgirl and continually training ballerina. This isn’t a highlight reel or a “perfect routine.” It’s an honest reflection on what it actually takes to fuel, move, rest, and adapt when your schedule changes week to week and your body is your livelihood.
Lori (aka The Prima Valentina)
Jan 54 min read


Iron for Dancers: Energy, Endurance, and Audition Season Support
This year I'll be digging deeper into some micronutrients and other aspects of performance nutrition that are vital for dancers to know and understand. As I share with all dancers I interact with, we have an innate need to understand the WHY for nutrition before we'll even attempt the WHAT and the HOW. Let's get started! why iron matters for dancers Iron plays a key role in transporting oxygen throughout the body. For dancers, this directly affects: stamina across long rehear
Melissa
Jan 53 min read


barriers to nutrition support in the dance community: a fall 2025 survey
This report presents the findings of an anonymous survey conducted in October 2025 among dancers, parents/caregivers, dance teachers/directors, and dance medicine professionals.
Melissa
Nov 12, 20258 min read


does strength training make dancers bulky? (spoiler: no—but underfueling could be your downfall)
“Bulky” is the word many dancers use when they worry their lines will change—or that muscle gain will outpace what reads well onstage. I...
Melissa
Oct 21, 20253 min read


performance recovery starts before the curtain falls
Performance recovery for dancers starts before the curtain falls. Learn simple nutrition, hydration, and rest habits to keep you strong all weekend.
Melissa
Oct 15, 20252 min read
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