You may be familiar with the term “triple threat” as it applies to performing artists equally competent in singing, dancing, and acting.  A good example would be leads in a Broadway musical.  We also know that dancers well-versed in a variety of dance styles (i.e. ballet, contemporary, jazz, tap, etc) increase their value and versatility as dance artists.  However, do you know that dance company artistic directors specifically seek out “triple threat dancers.”  These dancers demonstrate exceptional ability as equal parts athlete, artist, and performer.  Training as a triple threat dancer increases your marketability when it comes time to get that dance job you’re after.

Let’s look at the dancer as ATHLETE.  There’s no question that dancers must develop their athletic skills including physical strength, cardiovascular endurance, coordination, agility, and muscular flexibility.  Much research has been conducted comparing dancers to sports athletes.  As far back as 1974, New York Times journalist Murray Crass cited a study in his August 18th article conducted by the Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma at the Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City where ballet dancers were included in an evaluation of “individuals engaged in strenuous activities.” Dr. James Nicholas “considers ballet to be comparable to the most rugged of sports in terms of overall physical demands.”  A 2014 study published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine compared the lower body strength of ballet dancers and team sports athletes.  The ballet dancers came out ahead.

A fellow dancer once said to me, “dance is movement with meaning and feeling; movement without meaning and feeling is merely exercise.” Wow! I think that sums up the reason we consider dancers to be ARTISTS at their core. Choreographers draw on dancers’ creative problem solving skills, their emotional range, and their unique perspectives when crafting a dance. If dancers didn’t dig into their artist reservoirs, it would be like an orchestra conductor expecting the musical instruments to play themselves. Dancers who develop a comfort level with sharing their emotional hills, valleys, and everything in-between provide a nuanced palette for their own dance-making and that of the choreographers who work with them.

Anne Bak Marine received her BFA in Dance (magna cum laude) from Western Michigan University/Lee Honors College and spent more than ten years touring and performing with Eisenhower Dance Detroit. Ms. Marine has choreographed and taught master classes at many colleges and universities as well as at Interlochen Arts Academy, and she has served as adjunct faculty at Oakland University. She also served as founding director for the EDE Center for Dance (now known as the School of EDD), Artistic Director for the Center Dance Ensemble, and choreographer for the Archdiocese of Detroit’s “Art for God’s Sake.” In an administrative capacity, Ms. Marine served as Director of Operations for Eisenhower Dance Detroit from 1998-2006, Managing Director for the Rackham Symphony Choir, and project manager and lead curriculum designer for “Healthy Kids,” a collaborative residency project between EDD, Beaumont Hospital’s Weight Control Center, and the Pontiac School District and funded by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Community Foundation for S.E. Michigan. Ms. Marine has also served on the staff at the Detroit Skating Club since 1995 and as coordinator for the Dance Academy at DSC from 2013-2020.