Jul 1 / Kristin Deiss

The Secret to Achieving Longevity in Dance

The secret to achieving longevity in dance is actually not a secret at all and is really quite simple. So, what is this simple solution to achieving the longevity in dance that we are all striving for?

Your mindset.

I know, I know. You’re thinking, “There’s no way.” “What about injuries?” “It can’t be that simple.” But, the research says it is. And overwhelmingly so.

When we think about achieving longevity in dance, we may first turn our minds to the part that our physical health plays in that equation. We may believe that some of us are just blessed with good genes. That some of us don’t get injured as often. And that some of us are lucky in this arena, while some of us are not.

After all, dance careers tend to be short, right? But this is the very thinking that leads to a problematic mindset.

Most dancers are afraid to age. Fearful that as their bodies mature, their abilities will decrease as injuries increase, opportunities will cease, and their careers will come to an end. But these beliefs are not doing us any favors.

We know from decades of research that what affects our physical health is not only what we put into our bodies, but also what we put into our minds. And the very things we feed our brains have the power to not only make us feel better, but, among other things, to actually slow down the aging process.

Yep. Our mindset has the ability to affect how our cells age. And whether you are aware of it or not, your mindset around aging is either helping you achieve the longevity we all seek or is hindering you from attaining it.
Studies show that those of us who look forward to aging, and see it as something positive, rather than negative, actually live longer and healthier lives. Why? Because when we view getting older as a gift, instead of a curse, we tend to make better choices in our lives. We also tend to feel more in control of our journey, rather than feeling like a victim to circumstances beyond our power, which helps us steer clear of what researchers call a failure mindset. This failure mindset can lead to feelings of hopelessness and despair and often results in a lack of longevity, the very thing we are all after in our dance careers.

Take for instance someone’s reaction to a serious injury if they are operating under a failure mindset. They might stop rehab too early on in the process, or never really start at all, if they feel that they have lost control over the health of their body. But that same injury, when faced with the opposite mindset, can be seen as an opportunity for growth and improvement, leading to a dancer who continues on despite the difficulties they may face on the road to recovery.

These shifts in our mindset around aging and our sense of control affect more than just our choices, they also have very real physical consequences. Social psychologist Ellen Langer, in her landmark 1979 “counterclockwise” study proved this to be true when she sequestered eight elderly men for one week in surroundings that reminded them of twenty years earlier. They were immersed in sights, smells, conversations, sounds, and information designed to transport them to 1959. After the experiment, all participants showed “improvements in their hearing, memory, dexterity, appetite, and general well-being.” And perhaps even more remarkable was that they physically appeared younger than when they had started the experiment just one week prior!
Mindset shifts have also been shown to decrease inflammation and cellular damage (both huge drivers of aging), while also increasing telomere length (the small cuffs that protect our chromosomes and erode as we age). In a very real way then, our minds have the power to slow how quickly we age.


But this mindset shift to embrace aging can be extremely difficult to achieve in an industry that tends to celebrate youth. But the good news is, the tide is changing. More and more we are seeing both dancers and choreographers having careers much longer than their predecessors, indicating that there is a shift happening in the industry as a whole. And it’s so important that we each individually continue to contribute to that shift.

Not only can we contribute to this shift by engaging in a mindset to embrace aging, thereby extending both our physical and mental health, but we can also contribute by diving into what’s called an abundance mindset.

The dance world is small. This is true. But it is important to remember that it is large enough for all of us, that there is a space for anyone who wants it, and that there is more than enough to go around.

Often, dancers and choreographers fall into the trap of a scarcity mindset that believes we are all replaceable, there isn’t enough opportunities for everyone, and that someone else’s win is our loss. And while it can be easy to fall into that thinking, it actually keeps us from realizing our full career potential since it often leads to fear, anxiety, and isolation.
This is what’s called the psychology of scarcity and it’s actually been proven to lower our IQ. When we use our brain power to focus in on everything we fear we lack, we aren’t able to see the abundance of opportunities that may be right in front of us, leading to a string of poor choices, and as a result, a shortened dance career.

If we see opportunities and a long career as scarce and few and far between, we are more likely to stop trying to improve, to stop trying to seek out ways to advance, and therefore more likely to cut a career short.

We need to do a better job of reminding ourselves and each other that opportunity abounds, even as we age. That our career can last as long as we want it to. And that there are always ways to pivot should we need. Every career may not look the same, but there are certainly way more than enough opportunities to create dance careers, long dance careers, for anyone who wants one.

So, how can you begin to shift your mindset around longevity in dance right now?

I challenge you to the following: instead of seeing your fellow peers as competition, see them as inspiration and a chance to celebrate our dance community – one that embraces all ages. Because a win for one of us, is a win for all of us. And that simple mindset shift can contribute not only to the health of the industry as a whole, but also to the longevity of your own career.

Kristin Deiss

Kristin Deiss is a dancer, educator, yogi, and mom living her best life through helping others improve theirs. She holds an MA in History, an MFA in Dance, and is currently the co-chair of the dance division at AMDA. Having battled a JIA diagnosis that changed the trajectory of her dance career, Kristin is dedicated to helping dancers better cope with the challenges of their art form.