Get over nicotine addiction, turn to dancing instead

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—SXC.HU

The world of dance is highly competitive; there are thousands of young dancers that come to cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and many others dance promoting cities. I have met so many such talented dancers who have moved with their baggage just to follow their dream and passion for dance.

When I visit cities for workshops, talks, shows and sessions on dance, many dance lovers tell me about their secret wish to move to another city that will help them achieve the dream of becoming a full time dancer.
People go to extreme lengths to work on themselves. The money spent on lessons, the dedication to long hours of practice, the intense focus and competitive mindset makes you think dancers leave no stone unturned to get ahead in their careers. They even fight and run away from home just to do what makes them happy and that is to dance.
I remember the legendary Dr. Sonal Mansingh once telling me that how at a very tender age she ran away from her father’s house only because she wanted to dance and dance forever. Coming from an orthodox Gujarati family, dance was one of the activities she was allowed but only as an activity. So the best thing she could think of at that time was to simply pick up her bag and run away to her guru and follow her only dream. Well that’s why she is a legend I am sure.

Today where are the dancers like Sonal Mansingh, who run away from home and move to big cities for dance opportunities? But from what I notice, the difference is the discipline and the dedication to chase one’s dream. Why then, would serious dancers take up a habit as self-destructive as smoking, drinking and doing drugs? From ballet dancers to ballroom dancers to classical and even Bollywood dancers, you see them shivering outside in the rain, having a smoke. How does this work?
We all are aware that, now specially with all advertising anti-smoking campaigns that, whenever you light a cigarette, the nicotine causes an increase in your heart rate and blood pressure, and the air passages in your lungs constrict, making it more difficult for you to breathe. From a dancers standpoint, it is like dancing with a 50 pound weight on your back. Within minutes of lighting up, carcinogens, and toxic gases, such as carbon monoxide, enter your bloodstream. This can cause chest pain and disturbance of your heart rhythm during physical activity or exercise, and it impairs your ability to perform.
We all have friends and loved ones who have found it difficult to kick the habit. It’s such a frustrating subject because smoking is so intensely addictive. Current smokers hate to be reminded of it. They roll their eyes and say, “I know, I know...” and the discussion ends there. Now if they ‘did’ know, a large majority of them would like to quit.
Cigarette smoking remains the number one preventable cause of death in the world. The list of negative effects caused by smoking are well documented, and yet every day thousands of young dancers start smoking for the first time.
I feel a dancer takes to smoking, drinking alcohol and doing drugs when he/she loses focus from his passion of dance. Many a time it is also the insecurity in the dance world and more so in big cities where competition is stiff. But let’s look at the brighter side, insecurity is everywhere in all jobs, but what makes we dancers different is our passion and that we follow our heart, we do what makes us happy. Then habits like these should be kicked out at once.
While many of the effects of smoking are long-term, others are reversible. The good news is smokers who quit before age 30 avoid more than 90 percent of the risks of smoking! Quit now and you will reduce your risk of many diseases as well as add years to your life! As you smoke, your pulmonary function is rapidly declining. Once you stop, the rate of decline slows down, giving you a second chance with your health. Quitting at any age is advisable, as the risk of disease becomes less once you quit.
Many methods exist for quitting smoking. The most important thing is that you get the same attitude like you did when you ran away from home to follow the dream to dance, and it was that you believed you could do it! The same is needed here. An addiction can’t be broken in half an hour. Nicotine addiction is only thought to be about 10 per cent of the battle.
The rest is psychological and behavioural, combined therapies including the patch, nicotine gum, and group counselling work better together than individual methods alone. Meanwhile, you need to learn to think like a non-smoker, and to find other ways to socialise, relax, maintain your weight, and manage stress. Best is to dance and dance the time you feel the need to smoke. Remember dance was the high for you always and not anything else.