wellness4performers

I find it really amusing that several of you find "being with family" NOT a relaxing vacation. While it may be necessary to see them - after all they supported you in the beginning - camping in the middle of nowhere like Catface plans to do is a great idea & probably a great boost for a marriage or a relationship.

I totally understand how uncomfortable some dancers can feel when they stop exercising during a break. Our bodies are so used to being physical so it can REALLY affect your entire way of functioning when you take time off! Would it help to change our way of thinking about "taking time off"? Maybe. I really enjoy pilates on my down time, even if it's just for 20 minutes A few crunches and stretches make a world of difference yet still let the body rest!

A working vacation sounds like a smart compromise "ktbird," especially if the alternative is going broke when you take a break from work. I wish we could all afford real vacations though. Perhaps the answer is having a good survival job on the side that pays the bills. There's a discussion about this topic in the forum. I think I'm going to look at it and see what other performers have to say because I could sure use more money!

I can't remember the last time I had a "real' vacation. As a performer I worked holidays and weekends. My home base was always west coast, my family is east coast. Any time off was spent with family. Which is never a vacation! As a performing artist, money is always tight. While you're working, there's money, but no time. But if you're not working, there's time, but no money. Such a Catch-22. As a student, I always took two weeks off at the end of the summer intensive and before the school started back up, usually a family vacation. When I was dancing with a ballet company, there were intermittent weeks of unemployment (never a 52-week contract), but I'd try and stay in shape and even audition during those week's. Nowadays, my solution has been working vacations. I find a summer intensive or two or three to teach at. It's usually in a different town or different state. You may teach a few hours a day, but then have the rest of the time OFF. You can rest without going broke. If you're lucky you'll have transportation paid for, along with housing, and per diem.

I felt the same way "mnairne" until I realized the point of a vacation is to relax. When I give myself permission to do nothing on a break I come back really motivated to work hard. I also have more energy! Why don't you try it and see what happens? You might be pleasantly surprised.

I, of course, do enjoy taking some time off from dancing and all the stress it causes, however I find that I often feel guilty not doing anything. I feel like being active allows me to do so many other things and motivates me, and once that is gone it's difficult to have that same motivation everyday.

I used to dance every summer, intensively- but now that I am older and looking to experience new things in my life away from performing and dancing 24/7, I have made other options for myself. I traveled to London earlier in the summer and I currently intern in the city and working on the side to make a little money...Im not dancing like i do during the year and I definitely needed that, however, my body is begging me for some exercise! I'd like to take a dance class or two for the next couple weeks of the summer for leisure and to ease my body back into it. Taking these vacations (or break from dancing) always helps to "re-charge" me for the year. Vacations do not necessarily mean traveling for me just some time away from the intensity of dancing in a program all year round. Happy summer everyone!

I think it's important to take time off. After a vacation, my body and mind always feel refreshed and rejuvenated!

Alas, I can never afford to take a vacation. If I do go home to my own country then I often feel like I have so many things to do and people to see that it's not really a holiday. And then I feel bad for not being in class and rehearsal. However, my husband and I are hoping to go camping in the middle of nowhere for a few days, sometime in August. It's so relaxing!

I think it would be practically impossible for me to give up my iPhone cause I'm hooked on technology. The only thing that gets my mind away from it and everything else is skiing. That's when I let go of my problems and actually feel carefree. I wish I could afford to ski more often. For now my so-called "vacations" are mostly doing yoga and taking a walk in the park. They calm me down but don't keep me from thinking about constantly checking my messages for acting auditions.

You did exactly what you should have Songbird. A vacation is for getting completely away from your usual life. My husband always used to comment on how few clothes other people packed to go away - they washed out their things every nite. I wouldn't even wash a handkerchief on vacation. I wanted to get as far away from NY as possible - preferably a deserted isle on the other side of the globe with no telephones, TV, radio or newspapers. You come back happy to start your life all over again.

I usually try to take off every August just to unwind. My family like reunions around then but those aren't always very relaxing. This year I went to a spa with my girlfriend. It wasn't very expensive but it really helped me get away from all the hassles of my life. I don't know where I'd be mentally or emotionally if I didn't get away!