It’s time for an all new installment of everyone’s favorite ballet confession session: Tutu Talk.  This time, however, the talk will be a bit less “tutu” and slightly more “icepack”.  Yup, I said it.  The two syllables that will always make a dancer cringe…ice…pack…oooooh even typing it gives me the chills (pun very much intended).  The topic of today’s discussion, as you’ve probably already deduced, is injuries.

My mom has always told me it’s best to “write what you know”.  So, while I’m currently experiencing an injury, I figured I’d write what I know and share it with all of you.  Plus, misery loves company, so as long as I’m in pain I might as well drag you all down with me, right?!  Right now, I’m suffering from a lower back muscle strain of sorts. It started with a few displaced ribs, then some overcompensation in the surrounding muscles…yadda yadda yadda…doctor lingo…my back is in a lot of pain.  So instead of rehearsing my favorite scene from The Nutcracker with the rest of my snowflake friends, I’m sidelined on the couch with a heating pad/icepack rotation and a lovely little holiday cocktail of medications.

Ask any dancer what the worst part of being injured is, and I assure you their answer will not include the pain, the doctors visits, or the extra money spent on various healing devices (we dancers are quite creative when it comes to treating injuries).  The worst part of being injured is not being able to dance.  Having to sit t the front of the studio while everyone else sautés and chaines across the floor.  Losing that achey sense of accomplishment you get after a grueling day of dancing…yes, these are the things we dancers hate most of all.

But sometimes, laying flat on the couch with ibuprofen, a heating pad and an icepack is the only thing you can do.  So here I am.  Luckily, it’s December 1st and I have Christmas movies, vanilla chai and snow outside to distract me from the pain!  So enjoy the holiday spirit in the air and send your healing vibes my way.  Until next time, xx.