MomCares

In the past six months, D has seen a cast mate get kicked in the head (hard) during a dance routine and have her neurologist tell her she should not perform for at least a year, three friends diagnosed with serious vocal issues during their first weeks in school, seen a Tony-winning Broadway performer who can now barely carry a tune apparently due to vocal injury, watched a famous guitarist struggle through a performance due to a degenerative disease, seen one of her high school role models return from her BFA program with a greatly-diminished voice (apparently due to nodes), and D recently struggled through four weeks of auditions with bronchitis and a sinus infection. When I was in college, having studied ballet since I was three, I stepped off a curb wrong between classes and forever ended my dancing days.

All of these things are reminders that our MT kids are, in a very real sense, in the business of selling their bodies. While the immediacy of this is part of what makes live performance so uniquely exciting, and performers such vibrant humans, it's also a decent case for having a plausible backup plan -- much as any other athlete is wise to consider what to do if/when they are no longer able to play their sport.

One of our greatest hopes is that D leaves college with a broad set of skills that will enable her to contribute and enjoy her life even if she's not one of the performers lucky enough to keep it up for a lifetime. Maybe the past six months have driven the importance of that home to her, as well.

megpmom

This is a tough business for sure. Re vocal health issues: both of my kids see an ENT who specializes in vocalists every six months just to make sure that everything looks OK. We have also searched for voice teachers who understand vocal health. But, I realize that my kids have to be their own advocates when it comes to vocal health - not singing when sick, not singing in too high or too low a register for too long, resting, keeping hydrated, etc. So far, voices are holding up well. Dance injuries are another story. D has broken her foot 3 times!

MomCares

@megpmom- So sorry to hear about your D's dance injuries! Has she broken her foot while dancing, or just in regular life? It's great that your kids regularly see an ENT!

D's voice teacher is awesome, but now she's away to college and doing more singing unsupervised by trained adults (e.g. her A Cappella group), so hopefully she's learned enough over the years to take good care of herself. There is someone at her school who offers free vocal health screening for the MT kids, but D was ill when that happened so I think she missed it this round. And though she knows it's better not to sing when you're sick, her first four weeks of college involved non-postponable (is that a word?) auditions that set the stage for the coming four years, so she sang through illness, as she's also done for a few performances in her life.

D also had a ballet teacher when she was very young who was hit by a car in the parking lot between classes, so she's certainly seen that performing careers are fragile.

Kids feel invincible, though, which is awesome and age-appropriate but may limit their thinking when it comes to the long range planning involved with choosing colleges and courses of study. I think D's recent exposure to body-fragility has reinforced her college choices, but time will tell.

megpmom

D broke her foot twice dancing - once by doing a fouette too close to an auditorium chair and once coming down wrong on a jete. I think the third time was being stepped on, but I wasn't there so forget how is happened. And of course, various pulled and strained muscles, etc. Dancers are athletes so injuries are just part of the job. Luckily singers typically have a longer shelf life than dancers and actors are "forever" so being trained as a triple threat has its pay-offs.

SongSearcher

This is an intense career, mentally, emotionally and physically. Being in college isn't healthy either: between the flu spreading around campus, all nighters, the food...and if you dance/play sports like me (muggle quidditch!), there's constantly the fear of injury as well. I also have to keep up on my medication, to keep hive attacks at bay. There's even the mental/emotional illness, I have friends who go in for counseling and I know I'm at risk for depression myself.

I'm taking a class on voice and movement right now and my professor is so keen on keeping yourself healthy, safe and moving at it's best; he promotes both tai chi and acupuncture to us (and then is teaching us tai chi as well)!

At the same time though, as much as we should rest and keep ourselves safe, we have to practice, exercise, push ourselves. Two months ago, I couldn't have done an intense dance class or tackled a guy during a game and look at me now! Is there still risk? Yes, but it's a matter of safe, healthy gradual gain.

MomCares

@megpmom -- S is a classical guitarists, so for him the hands are everything. You're right that at least MT kids trade in more body parts, so their shelf lives may be longer -- either that or they have even MORE moving parts that must be maintained in peak operating condition! ;-D

MomCares

@SongSearcher -- I'm glad you brought up the mental health issue as well. I can think of few careers that put so much strain on a person's ego! Imagine having a job where you have to go through job interviews at least every few months of your entire life, and not only is your basic competence and personality being judged, but also every aspect of your appearance. Add to that the fact that each time you perform you put yourself in front of a room full of people who have often paid a high price to watch you work.

Intense career, indeed!

kjgc

In case you wonder why you seek out strong training. It is for these reasons. While the business is difficult, you can do it for a long time and in good health. A good voice teacher teaches vocal health, and a good dance teacher teaches you to keep injuries in check (as do movement and acting teachers). Accidents happen in any profession. But strong training helps longevity (among other things.) Here's to good health everyone.

daffymom

Wow - I had no idea that dance/theatre was so injury prone. These injuries can have life long consequences, just as sport injuries can.

MomCares

@kjgc - I totally agree that accidents can happen to anyone, but IMHO the stakes are much higher for those who rely on so many aspects of their bodies for their profession. Just imagine if baseball players also had to have gorgeous faces, be able to sing AND look amazing in leotards! ;-D

I second your toast; Here's to good health and long careers, everyone!!

blueskies1108

MomCares - wow your post gave me chills.

My daughter is just a senior in high school and has already been to an ENT three times (once diagnosed with vocal fatigue, another time with swollen vocal chords due to the common cold virus, and the final time just because she hadn't been in a while and mother just wanted to make sure everything was ok before she took on another big show) - in both cases where her chords were swollen she had to somehow power through because of commitments to semi-professional shows that did not provide her with an understudy (or in one case did - but was not willing to use her). One of the times she took steroids to reduce the swelling - yikes wasn't thrilled about that. She takes proper voice lessons; I'm hoping is learning to sing properly - but it's hard to know - I'm not a singer and not in the business or well connected. I'm really hoping that all the schools she's applying to are experts at teaching these young adults how to keep their voices and bodies (and minds!!) healthy. If anybody has advice as to what schools are better at this than others, would love your advice.

MomCares

So far D has been fortunate in avoiding any injuries or serious illness (I'm knocking on wood even as I type), but I am ever the advocate of the rational backup plan.

In D's case, she's pursuing academic interests along with MT training. I know they say "go big or go home", but we've seen enough amazing performers benched very young that keeping options open seems wise.

Senior0991

Even plain acting is dangerous. I've kicked someone before, been slapped, and I've heard stories of a guy at my school couple years back who jumped out of a 15 foot high window as part of an improv exercise.

jbehlend

From the well documented tale from a current Broadway show ....

Broadway's Spider-Man Suffers 4th Injury : People.com

alwaysamom

Although it's true that injuries can affect actors and their ability to pursue their careers, and getting good continuing training is important, I think the larger issue is that very few actors are able to earn a good, sustained living simply by performing. The percentage who are able to do that over the course of their careers is miniscule. So, kids who are thinking about pursuing theatre, or who are currently studying theatre, should definitely be giving thought as to how they are going to support themselves when they're not onstage. So, in that sense, a 'sensible back-up plan' is essential in this business.