Like every woman, every dancer enters a pregnancy from different life situations. These

physical, emotional, social and economic situations influence in which frame dance and movement play a role during pregnancy and the time after birth. For freelance dancers, the situation is often quite difficult due to changing work situations and an insecure income. In my interviews I have met dancers who became pregnant in all kinds of situations, ages and socio economic situations. Some stopped to dance, some continued to worked as a teacher or performer into the third trimester (but none danced professionally after month seven) and others did training until the very end.

I became pregnant unplanned right after my graduation in contemporary dance. At  that time I should have been sorting out in which direction I want to go within the dance world, but instead I had to sort out where to live, how to go on in general. Without an established name or network, missing work experiences and the forthcoming limitations of my body, I asked myself if I could even call myself a dancer.

Fortunately, I got funding from DISTanzen Solo to do research on the second half of pregnancy, birth and the time afterwards in a dancer’s body. Since my „work life“ did not resemble the situation of most dancers (I was mostly working and training on my own, not in a fixed performative project or institiution), I focused a lot on the pure physical and mental experience in a dance trained body. What is possible? What should the dancing person be aware of? What thoughts, questions, possibilities and limitations occure? I kept on training in the fields of my studies (contemporary and ballet), improvised/created small material and tried out different pregnancy related methods that strengthen the body or are supposed to prepare for birth. Through a detailed diary I observed changes in my system, my body, my training, my approach, my creativity. At the same time, I  also personally interviewed nine dancers in depth about their pregnancy and birth experiences.

I danced until the very end and enjoyed it. Due to many factors, known and unkown, I started with a home birth and ended up with a cesarean section. So my experience of becoming a mother and being a dancer turned out to be more intense and transoformative than expected. It also added a new dimension to my research: Besides a strong and intense labour and the new life with a child, I had to heal and take care of a traumatic cut in my midline. This was a time that taught me about my limits, my physicality and my trust in what the body is capable of.

These six months have been full of small and big physical and mental sensations and changes as for all becoming mothers. But I would say that there are some special aspects and perspectives in the experience of dancers.
The document below, is a very personal collection of practical advices, information and ideas. It is meant to provide insight into the complexity of a pregnant dancer’s body and mind. I hope this inofrmation can be useful for those wh are in a similair situation and provide guidance to those who work with pregnant dancers or those who have only recently given birth.