Dancing: the downside (back from hiatus)
October 23rd 2006 21:30
Yes I know, I'm sorry. Several people have wondered if I had fallen off the face of the earth after the lack of posts on any of my blogs for a while (that is, about a month). What brings me back from hiatus is ironically, a broken back.
When I first got into blogging, I was enthusiastic, passionate, dedicated like a first year university student who wouldn't miss a class or lecture, ask for an extension on an assessment or plagiarize.
Then you start getting busier and busier with extra curricular activities that your parents don't find any potential in, career-wise, but you do them anyway because you've convinced yourself to follow your heart or be stuck with a life you absolutely despise. The frequency of your blogging decreases as you adopt a more "less talk, more action" view on life and you find yourself on stage with a drag queen in front of thousands of half-naked gay men and women (wait for future post "SLEAZEBALL" to be written after my rant).
All of a sudden, BAM, you crack your back, having what is described as a hernia of the spinal disc in your lower back and you're told it takes on average six months to recover (although it's never cured and you'll be stuck with back problems for the rest of your life).
With doctor's orders to avoid sitting down at all times, besides abstaining from most physical activities, you find yourself at the computer again, thinking now what the f--- do I do? So back to blogging it is.
I never thought I'd ever take dancing as more than something fun to do once in a while; I never thought it would take me this far, to becoming a somewhat professional dancer with no technical jazz, ballet, tap training; I never thought I would perform along celebrities, win competitions or travel because of it; I never thought it would become my life.
Still, there's no use crying over spilt milk (or in this case, my spilt spinal disc) and it's not like I lost any limbs or had severe spinal injuries preventing me from walking, let alone dancing again.
Maybe it's just a sign that it's time for me to take a break anyway, after going all hard out for the last two years, and it came at a time when DJing is just starting to make its way into my life (although I can't bend over so changing the vinyls can be a bitch).
A friend of mine suggested I focus on Popping (old school funk style of dance) - not a bad idea but my first choice would be Hiphop or Locking, or some Breaking.
The timing does suck though, since I've had to pull out of the national Shakedown urban dance competition in Melbourne, next weekend, but regardless, I'll still rock up with my crew, in uniform and all, cheering them from backstage.
This experience has made me thankful that I have things to fall back on, like my university studies in non-dance-related areas and it makes me wonder what full-time professional dancers do when they're physically injured to a point that it completely stops them from dancing...?
On another note, my physiotherapist is extremely hot, but I'm pretty sure he's gay. Not that I'm looking anyway...
Also, we have just recently been informed that we can now add forums to our blogs. I'm gonna test one out on this Dancing site, for those looking for classes of all styles in Australia and New Zealand, so please post if there's any information you would like to share, or any questions you want to ask.
- Trina
When I first got into blogging, I was enthusiastic, passionate, dedicated like a first year university student who wouldn't miss a class or lecture, ask for an extension on an assessment or plagiarize.
Then you start getting busier and busier with extra curricular activities that your parents don't find any potential in, career-wise, but you do them anyway because you've convinced yourself to follow your heart or be stuck with a life you absolutely despise. The frequency of your blogging decreases as you adopt a more "less talk, more action" view on life and you find yourself on stage with a drag queen in front of thousands of half-naked gay men and women (wait for future post "SLEAZEBALL" to be written after my rant).
All of a sudden, BAM, you crack your back, having what is described as a hernia of the spinal disc in your lower back and you're told it takes on average six months to recover (although it's never cured and you'll be stuck with back problems for the rest of your life).
Spinal Disc Herniation (Wikipedia)
MRI scan (not mine) of a spinal herniation
I never thought I'd ever take dancing as more than something fun to do once in a while; I never thought it would take me this far, to becoming a somewhat professional dancer with no technical jazz, ballet, tap training; I never thought I would perform along celebrities, win competitions or travel because of it; I never thought it would become my life.
Still, there's no use crying over spilt milk (or in this case, my spilt spinal disc) and it's not like I lost any limbs or had severe spinal injuries preventing me from walking, let alone dancing again.
Maybe it's just a sign that it's time for me to take a break anyway, after going all hard out for the last two years, and it came at a time when DJing is just starting to make its way into my life (although I can't bend over so changing the vinyls can be a bitch).
A friend of mine suggested I focus on Popping (old school funk style of dance) - not a bad idea but my first choice would be Hiphop or Locking, or some Breaking.
The timing does suck though, since I've had to pull out of the national Shakedown urban dance competition in Melbourne, next weekend, but regardless, I'll still rock up with my crew, in uniform and all, cheering them from backstage.
This experience has made me thankful that I have things to fall back on, like my university studies in non-dance-related areas and it makes me wonder what full-time professional dancers do when they're physically injured to a point that it completely stops them from dancing...?
On another note, my physiotherapist is extremely hot, but I'm pretty sure he's gay. Not that I'm looking anyway...
Also, we have just recently been informed that we can now add forums to our blogs. I'm gonna test one out on this Dancing site, for those looking for classes of all styles in Australia and New Zealand, so please post if there's any information you would like to share, or any questions you want to ask.
- Trina
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Comment by Anonymous
Ironically, I just mangled my back recently too, but not to your extreme.
Hope to still see you around though, regardless of anything being broken.
Take care!!!
Wing-yan
Comment by Trina
Hiphop
Confessions of a Serial Dancer
Competitions
Clubbing
Catch you soon!
Comment by Shumai
Dang, I can't imagine breaking my back, but now and then afta dance class, my lower back feels very tense and it takes a couple of days for me to recover. I do yoga everyday for about 45 minutes to stretch my muscles out - not sure if this is enough though.
Hey, there must've been signs before you cracked your back. That kinda shit just can't happen. Were you trying to break dance? Or did you have a pair of stillettos on and you slipped backwards? What happened, Trina? I really wanna know.
Cares,
Shumai
Comment by Shumai
How do you mangle your back? Also, are you part of a dance crew? If so, what's yo dance crew called? Maybe, I've seen you around.
Steaming,
Shumai
Comment by Trina
Hiphop
Confessions of a Serial Dancer
Competitions
Clubbing
My back injury was triggered by some stretching actually (and lots of dancers laugh and tell me how ironic it is, then I ask why they think its so funny...).
No ambulance was necessary, I just rushed to the medical centre and the doctor diagnosed it as nothing serious so I went to another one the next week who told me to see a physiotherapist.
I think you do a good amount of stretching, but my problem really was building up over the last year and a half, it was only now that it got really serious. I used to get pains shooting down my leg but thought it was something I could stretch out... I didn't know it was one of the symptoms of something going wrong in my spine.
Wing-Yan is a dedicated Dancekool student so if you go to their classes or events, you would've spotted her although I'm not sure if she's in a crew right now...?
Pz and thank you for your comments and questions.
Comment by Shumai
I can't believe that happened to you. But, yeah, stretching can put a lotta strain on the body beautiful sometimes. It's always a good idea to get the body massaged now and then to loosen up the muscles particularly in the upper and lower back. I mean think about all the body rollin you gotta do when you're dancin' right? Any form of exercise that does well for one part of the body will almost always compensate and cause strain to another part of the body. Professional dancers are not only trained to dance. They're forced to do other forms of exercise to condition their entire body to avoid repetitive strain.
I feel so bad for you, I just wanna cry. I can't imagine not being able to do anything for 6 months. Dancing is like my number one passion in life so I feel you girl!
Anyway, I wish you all the best and hope for a speedy recovery for you. Peace out to your crew for the Shakedown finals. I'm sure your team will nail it.
Cheerio,
Fragrant Shumai
Comment by Trina
Hiphop
Confessions of a Serial Dancer
Competitions
Clubbing
Thanks for your support.
Trina
Comment by wyl
I think I pulled it incorrectly, because the it feels like the lower spine is out of place
Really really have to go see a doctor soon, just don't have the time. Must heal.
Don't think I did it while stretching though, may have just landed incorrectly when doing random routine.
Not in a crew, but as Trina mentioned I've been hanging around Dancekool for a while though. Who knows, someday I might be in one
Not sure if i have met you Shumai, but perhaps I might see you around!
Wing-yan