Hitting the Greens With Philadelphia Ballet’s Jack Thomas
Philadelphia Ballet principal Jack Thomas delivers powerful performances onstage, but what might surprise you is his skill on the golf course. Thomas started learning to play golf at just 2 or 3, he says, and was taught by his father, who pursued a professional golf career. Even now, as a golfer with a handicap of 12 (a handicap in golf is a measurement of a player’s skill—the lower the better, and anyone with a handicap under 15 is considered a great player), he insists that anybody can learn and benefit from playing the sport. “A lot of dancers would be really good at golf if they tried it,” Thomas says. “[Ballet and golf] complement each other really well.”
In addition to his golf game, Thomas has a cross-training regimen that he follows, though listening to his body, he says, is “really the most important thing.”
Weight Training
When in season at Philadelphia Ballet, Thomas does weight training two or three times a week in the evening after rehearsals. His routine usually includes the shoulder press, bench press, lat pulldown, squats, and deadlifts. “I try to use just enough weight to where [my muscles are] engaging, and I do about two sets of 10 reps,” he says. “When I’m dancing a lot, I don’t want to be too sore after a workout.”
During periods where he has more energy, Thomas will do cardio training for 30 minutes once or twice a week. His favorite exercise, however, is a single-leg deadlift with a 45-pound kettlebell. He stands on one leg, holds the kettlebell in the opposite hand, and hinges at the waist to lift the weight from the floor to an upright standing position, all while maintaining balance on the standing leg. “It does wonders for my hip strength and my core,” he says.
The Offseason
During the offseason or on longer breaks, Thomas maintains an active lifestyle and increases his workload in the gym. “I try to do three days of cardio and three days of weight training a week,” he says. It’s also when he gets the most time to practice his golf game. “My dad, sister, and I usually play every day—it’s a great way to spend time together and get outside,” he says.
Benefits of Golf for Dancers
Golf requires lots of fine-tuning of repetitive movements, hip and back flexibility, stability, coordination, and body awareness—like ballet, Thomas says. He finds that both golf and ballet are highly mental activities, and one thing he carries from the sport into his dancing is his mindset.
“Golf requires a lot of focus—each shot is its own shot,” he says. “It’s similar to when dancers approach a step and say ‘I’m thinking about 10 things at once.’ One thing I’ve learned is that if I’m thinking about 10 different things, that’s just 10 different distractions.”
In golf and ballet, Thomas focuses on one thing at a time—either a step he wants to execute, a specific correction, or even one particular muscle engaging. “If one thought doesn’t work, I think about something different the next time. If it does, I keep focusing on that until I don’t have to think about it anymore.”
Another benefit, Thomas adds, is the social element of golf. “It takes a few hours to play a full round, so it gives you time to talk and get to know each other and just have a good time,” he says. At least a few times a season, Thomas hits the course with fellow Philadelphia Ballet dancers Nick Patterson and Cory Ogdahl.
Finding Balance
Although Thomas prefers maintaining a routine, even during the offseason, he allows himself some flexibility. “Sometimes I like to swim on my days off, but if I’m not in the right mental state, I’ll skip it. I just have to listen to my body,” he says.
As a principal dancer, Thomas demands a lot of himself and tries to proactively take care of his mental health. “For me, I have to address my self-talk. I can be my biggest bully because nobody puts more pressure on me than I do,” he says. If Thomas is feeling stressed, he takes a break by going for a long drive, enjoying date night with his partner (Philadelphia Ballet soloist Alexandra Heier), taking a walk, or watching a movie. “I put pressure on myself to be productive all the time,” he says, “but sometimes I have to allow myself to designate time for me.”
