News

Do you avoid eating nuts because of their high fat and calorie counts? You shouldn't! Researchers recently gathered the results of 31 trials across the world, and found that there was little difference in the weights or waist sizes of people who ate nuts and those who didn't. They believe this might be because nuts' protein, unsaturated fat and fiber all help suppress our hunger. Just don't go nut crazy—keep your servings to a small handful.

Staatsballett Berlin has a new stage: a techno club. The company is currently performing inside one of Berlin’s most popular nightclubs, Berghain. Located in the city’s ex-communist east side, the venue is known for throwing massive, sexy parties. Masse, featuring three contemporary pieces by choreographers Nadja Saidakova, Xenia Wiest and Tim Plegge, is scored by DJs who regularly play at the club.

Still aching from last night's rehearsal? Don't use sore muscles as an excuse to skip today's class. In fact, getting moving again will actually help you feel better. A new study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that light activity could help ease soreness as much as a massage. Researchers believe that because exercise increases blood flow, it may help your body drain the metabolic waste and chemicals that are making your muscles sore— and it will speed up the delivery of healing nutrients.

It was just announced yesterday that New York City Ballet will be starring in its own reality show, developed, produced and narrated by Sarah Jessica Parker. The docuseries, called "city.ballet," will air on AOL On this September, as AOL ventures into original programming for the first time. Catch the trailer here. The shots are so intimate you can almost feel the pressure to perform, and you can almost smell the dancers' sweat.

The Rock School has a certain reputation: "The kids call the school 'Pirouettes R Us,' " says director Bo Spassoff. But although it's become most well-known for producing technically dazzling dancers, The Rock also has another side. For many students, it's a lifelong second home.

Roberto Bolle’s no longer just a superstar dancer. (Or a jaw-dropping model, for that matter.) This fall, he'll try out his hand as artistic director, leading a special one-night event, Roberto Bolle and Friends Gala.

Do you have difficulty remembering choreography? Try spraying on some rosemary oil before rehearsal. A recent study at the University of Northumbria at Newcastle in the UK found that smelling the scent of rosemary could help boost your memory. Researchers think this might be due to eucalyptol, a compound found in rosemary oil that evaporates into the air and can be absorbed as you breathe, and has been shown to play a part in memory formation when it reaches the brain.

The nominees for the 2013 Benois de la Danse Awards were announced today at a press conference in Moscow—and they include a former Pointe cover star, several exciting up-and-comers and many other big names. Here's the complete list:

CHOREOGRAPHERS
Hans Van Manen – Variations for Two Couples, Benjamin Britten, Einojuhani Rautavaara, Stevan Kovács Tickmayer, Astor Piazolla. Dutch National Ballet.
Justin Peck – Year of the Rabbit, Sufjan  Stevens. New York City Ballet.

I’ve always told myself that when my ankle swells, that's just my body attempting to heal itself. I'm not completely wrong: Inflammation—and the swelling, heat, pain and redness that comes with it—is our body’s first response to injury. However, sometimes this attempt to destroy the damaged tissue goes a little too far and our body starts attacking healthy tissue, too. That's where anti-inflammatory medications come in, preventing the negative consequences of inflammation. The only problem?

With its mix of gangsters, vaudeville and ballet, On Your Toes was the first major Broadway musical to incorporate classical dance—courtesy of George Balanchine. One of the 1936 show's numbers is the much-beloved Slaughter on Tenth Avenue, often performed by itself as a standalone ballet.