Fueling the Stage

Dr. Dan Benardot's Unique Course Tackles Nutrition for Performing Artists

Performing artists and performers in training — including musicians, singers, actors, and dancers — have unique energy and nutritional demands, yet little scientific attention has been given to their needs, leaving them vulnerable to nutrition myths that are likely counterproductive. Whether it is a dancer managing the last of a hundred pirouettes or a jazz trumpeter energizing a crowd through a long evening's final set, it takes power, concentration, and endurance to bring all the elements of a successful performance together. Dr. Dan Benardot developed a unique course to address this gap, covering the nutritional science behind strategies that can help performing artists achieve the desired body profile, optimal hydration, endurance, and health. The course gives special attention to artists of different ages and genders, the nutritional demands of travel, performing in hot, humid environments, and optimal eating strategies for performances at different times of day and night. As an integral part of the course, highly talented performing artists — including a string quartet, a classical guitarist, a singer, a dancer, a pianist, a violinist, and a physical therapist who worked with the national ballet — volunteer their time to discuss their experiences with students, giving them a realistic understanding of rehearsal and performance schedules, environments, and the nutritional stressors artists encounter.