Dance Medicine & Science In the UK

August 8, 2017 by 4dancers

Aloha to all!

Erin Sanchez is our guest contributor for the article below, and we are so pleased to post the information she has to offer. Erin is one of the strong voices in the current younger generation of dance medicine and science (DM&S) leaders. A US dancer who received her undergraduate degree in dance at the University of New Mexico, she then went to London to pursue her MsC in Dance Science at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. She has remained in the UK, and currently is the Healthier Dancer Programme Manager at One Dance UK, and is also affiliated with the National Institute of Dance Medicine and Science (NIDMS). It has been my pleasure to get to know her, and her work, over the last five years.

The UK has become a leader in the dance medicine field internationally, and organizations such as One Dance UK and NIDMS have greatly advanced the efforts to bring DM&S information to the nationwide dance community. I know you will enjoy reading what they have accomplished in a relatively short amount of time…….Pass it on!!

(And a side note — you may see a few unfamiliar spellings of familiar words — that is British English, a slightly different version than what we use here in the US !)

Aloha -Jan

Jan Dunn, MS – Dance Wellness Editor

Healthier Dance Program Staff and NIDMS Staff — ***NIDMS/HDP Road Trip!***

by Erin Sanchez, MSc

One Dance UK’s Healthier Dancer Programme and the National Institute of Dance Medicine and Science

What is the Healthier Dancer Programme?

The Healthier Dancer Programme (HDP) was launched by One Dance UK in 1993 and is dedicated to improving the performance and physical and psychological health and wellbeing of dancers. We connect with dancers, teachers, choreographers, directors, administrators, healthcare practitioners (both medical and complimentary therapists), fitness professionals, researchers, academics, policy makers, (and anyone else who will listen!) in order to encourage open dialogue and collaborative working.

The National Institute of Dance Medicine and Science and a brief history of the HDP

The Healthier Dancer Programme is a part of the National Institute of Dance Medicine and Science (NIDMS). NIDMS was launched in 2012, and works to provide three key resources for the dance sector in the UK:

Affordable access for all dancers to high quality, evidence-based, dance-specific health care and dance science support services.
Research in dance to provide an evidence base for training, rehabilitation and healthcare in dance.
Education for dance, healthcare and research professionals.

NIDMS has successfully opened three free dance injury clinics within the UK’s National Health Service in London, Birmingham, and Bath. Research undertaken by NIDMS partners ranges across many subject areas including psychology, talent development, physiology, biomechanics, and strength and conditioning.

NIDMS Partners

NIDMS is a consortium of seven partners: The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, One Dance UK, the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, University of Birmingham, and University of Wolverhampton. It was conceived by Helen Laws, who began her work with One Dance UK’s HDP in 1997. Helen undertook the second national enquiry into dancers’ health and injury in the UK, and published the findings in Fit to Dance 2. Based on the findings regarding the rates and causes of injury and access to injury care, she then began a programme of educational ‘road shows,’ information sheets and books, all aimed at providing information for professional and student dancers and teachers which could hopefully reduce preventable injuries. Helen also initiated an online listing of qualified, dance-specific healthcare practitioners across the UK, our Healthcare Practitioners Directory.

Advisory groups of expert medical practitioners and physiotherapists working in dance companies and professional training programmes were assembled to inform the work of the HDP, and now form our Dance Medicine and Science Expert Panel. Partnerships were developed with dance teacher training organisations, medical and research institutions, and dance companies and schools, to help disseminate key research in dance medicine and science.

However, during this time the lack of affordable options for dance-specific health services became more and more obvious. Ms. Laws began fundraising for NIDMS in response to this need in 2007. Since 2012, NIDMS has successfully opened three free dance injury clinics within the UK’s National Health Service in London, Birmingham, and Bath. Research underpinning both training and healthcare undertaken by NIDMS partners ranges across many subject areas including psychology, talent development, physiology, biomechanics, and strength and conditioning.

Key moments in the development of the HDP

The HDP has become the education and dance sector advocacy arm of NIDMS’ work. Specifically, the HDP provides dissemination of advice and information, delivery of workshops, and talks and conferences aimed at those working in the training and professional dance sector. Our work exists solely to educate and empower dancers and those working with dancers at every level. Further education work is carried out in partnership with Trinity Laban Conservatoire for Music and Dance (London), and the Universities of Wolverhampton and Birmingham, who provide master’s and PhD level studies in dance science.

The Team

Dance Medicine Staff UK

The current team in the HDP is overseen by Helen Laws, the Head of Industry and Artist Support / NIDMS, and includes 3 team members: Claire Farmer and Stephanie De’ath, who are the Managers of NIDMS, and Erin Sanchez, the Manager of the Healthier Dancer Programme. There are also two emeritus team members, Dr Sarah Needham-Beck, who has just moved on to pursue a new position as a Research Fellow in the Occupational Performance Research Group at the University of Chichester, and Niamh Morrin, who is currently undertaking her PhD at Bucks New University.

Resources and information

NIDMS provides clinical care and strengthens the evidence base of dance medicine and science through research activities, as well as by taking a leadership role on postgraduate education in dance science. Dancers in the UK can access specialist dance injury clinics, which are entirely free, and provide for dancers’ medical needs throughout their injuries – this includes physiotherapy, MRI and bone scans and surgery, if necessary. NIDMS also provides preventative musculoskeletal and fitness screening and a health cash plan that provides up to £800 of injury care treatments, dental and optical cover, and GP, medical, counselling and legal helplines. Details on these services are available here.

One of the key activities of the HDP is Healthier Dancer Talks. These are educational workshops delivered to professional dancers, students, teachers and artistic and support professionals, and cover a broad range of topics – for example:

Nutrition and hydration
Rest
Overtraining
Psychology of injury
Dance specific conditioning
Interval and circuit training
Safe dance practice for teachers

In particular, the HDP has partnered with Safe in Dance International (SIDI) as a Registered Provider of courses leading to their Certificates for dancers and dance leaders. In addition, they have partnered with the University of Birmingham to provide training in developing healthy motivational climates, through the Empowering Dance training. To learn more about all our talks, visit this page.

Healthier Dancer Conferences

Another of our focused activities is an annual conference on a particular topic in dancers’ health. Our healthier dancer conferences are filmed and highlights, clips, interviews, and more are available via our YouTube channel. Our next conference in November 2017 will be a part of a conference season; 3 conferences, 2 days, 1 venue, and will feature specialist days for teachers, choreographers and health. The focus will be on mental health and the psychological and social aspects of injury.

Erin Sanchez is the Healthier Dancer Programme Manager at One Dance UK in London, and with her colleagues within the National Institute of Dance Medicine and Science, organises dance science and medicine focused conferences and workshops for dance professional and students, as well as researchers and healthcare practitioners; advocates to government, employers and stakeholders in the dance sector; and develops resources to support dancers’ knowledge of physical and psychological strategies for health, wellbeing and performance enhancement.

Erin’s main interests in dance medicine and science are psychology, talent development and mental health. She pursued a BA (Hons) in Dance and Sociology from the University of New Mexico while training as a dancer. She moved from the US to the UK in 2009 to pursue an MSc in Dance Science from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London.

She is a registered provider for Safe in Dance International (www.safeindance.com), a member of the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science (www.iadms.org), and holds the qualification in Safe and Effective Dance Practice. She also manages the Dance Psychology Network.

Curry: A Truly British Dish!

August 3, 2017 by 4dancers

English Curry Meal — Curry with spiralized zucchini noodles (bottom left), and curry with white rice (upper right)

by Jessika Anspach McEliece

It’s funny to look back and remember what you were up to a year ago…

This time last year my husband and I were in the chaotic process of preparing for a very big move. Having retired from a 12-year career with the Pacific Northwest Ballet, we were saying goodbye to Seattle and hello to Winchester, England for a study abroad. And as Seattleites, we thought we’d be saying goodbye to a lot more than just our careers, friends and families…

The home of not only Starbucks or fish-tossing in Pike’s Place Market, Seattle has become quite a culinary crib, with artisan coffee shops and foodie-approved restaurants filling every borough. It’s also a cultural melting pot with a vast array of peoples and ethnicities, all sharing their traditions through the foods they cook. Needless to say we’d become spoiled by farm-to-table meals at hipster haunts or the fast, delicious and accessible Thai take-out that had become a post-performance dinner staple. There’s nothing like a big bowl of spaghetti squash and Green Curry…

And with every conversation we had regarding our impending British transplant, hearing people sarcastically say, “England? I hear the food’s great there…” we prepared our taste-buds and tummies for a year of bland and blah. Thankfully we’ve discovered the stereotype’s all wrong. From the perfect pour-over to lovely latte-art; from buttery pork belly to fish and chips that are a revelation, we’ve struggled to have anything bad here. Seattle doesn’t feel so far away after all…

But there is one culinary custom that’s taken us quite by surprise… Curry.

As quintessentially English as a Sunday Roast, the Brits take their curry very seriously. And it’s seriously good, with so many different varieties I’d never even heard of, let alone tasted. But the most astonishing part is that many make this meal at home. And it actually tastes like a curry from a proper Indian restaurant—take-away not required!

Our neighbor Bill shared with us the secret: Camelia Panjabi’s 50 great curries of India. And from the grease and dried food splatters on nearly every page of his well-loved copy it’s clear that there’s not a bad recipe in this book. A truth we ourselves can attest to.

Another reason to love curry, aside from it being incredibly delicious, is that it’s loaded with powerhouse ingredients, from healthy fats found in coconut oil and ghee, to Ayurvedic and anti-inflammatory herbs and spices that are the flavorful backbone of nearly every recipe. Perfect food for those tired legs and swollen feet.

And you’d be surprised how accessible and easy the recipes are… Practically all of the ingredients and spices I already had in my pantry (and use regularly) or can be found at the grocery store, ethnic market, or on Amazon.

So without further adieu here’s our slightly adapted version (it’s milder – my husband Ryan can’t tolerate heat) of Camelia’s recipe for a basic, no-frills, ALL FLAVOR, curry.

Simple Homestyle Curry

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Recipe: Brie, By Sam

July 21, 2017 by Rachel Hellwig

By Samantha Hope Galler

Several dancers here at Miami City Ballet know that this is one of my favorite dishes to make at a get together. It is easy to make and provides a nice source of protein!

Ingredients:

Brie (I like a creamy Brie)

Honey (preferably light)

Blackberries (you can also use raspberries)

Shredded almonds (or walnuts)

Dipping items: (these can be anything you like!)

Apple slices

Pretzels

Celery

Cauliflower

Carrots

Baking: Place Brie in a baking dish. Add toppings as desired. I like to add the honey after baking. Place dish in the oven at 350 degrees for 7 minutes. You can cover the dish if you want. Remove dish once cheese is slightly melted.

Serve warm with dipping items of your choice!

Ballerina — Miami City Ballet’s Samantha Hope Galler

Contributor Samantha Hope Galler, a Bedford, Mass. native, spent 13 years training with The Ballet Academy, Inc., under the direction of Frances Kotelly in the Cecchetti Method. She performed six seasons with The Northeast Youth Ballet under the direction of Denise Cecere. She continued training, on scholarship, with Boston Ballet School and received the PAO Merit Trainee Scholarship. She received the NFAA Honorable Mention Award in Ballet. Galler spent summers training at Boston Ballet, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and Boston Conservatory. She danced with Cincinnati Ballet in their 2008-2009 season under the direction of Victoria Morgan.

Samantha spent five seasons with Alabama Ballet under the direction of Tracey Alvey and Roger Van Fleteren. During her tenure there, she was promoted to principal dancer. She had the honor of performing some of her dream roles including Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, The Lilac Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty, The Sylph and Effie in La Sylphide, Myrtha and Moyna in Giselle, Dryad Queen and Mercedes in Don Quixote, the Rancher’s Daughter in Agnes De Mille’s Rodeo. Her Balanchine roles included Dark Angel in Serenade; The Sugarplum Fairy, Arabian and Lead Marzipan in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™; and the principal roles in Allegro Brillante and Tarantella. She has also performed in Jiří Kylian’s Sechs Tanze, and Van Fleteren’s Shostakovich and Romancing Rachmaninov, both world premieres.

Samantha joined Miami City Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet in 2014. Since joining Miami City Ballet,Samantha has performed in various roles including as the Sugar Plum Fairy in Balanchine’s The Nutcracker and as the Harp Soloist in Balanchine’s Raymonda Variations.

Follow Samantha on her website and blog.

Emma’s “Summer Bowl” Recipe – Peach & Beet Salad

July 12, 2017 by 4dancers

by Emma Love Suddarth

Summer… a break… rest. For almost every professional dancer in the United States, summertime means layoff—a time to trade in the pointe shoes for flip-flops (or sneakers, if you’re smart) and let the body rest, recuperate, and repair. How dancers choose to fill this time varies greatly. For some, it is an opportunity to travel the world—hike the trails, bike the cities, or seek out the foreign places that the scattered weeks here or there throughout the season wouldn’t allow for. For others, it’s a special time to visit family—having missed so many holidays (must The Nutcracker fall on Christmas every year?), the annual summertime family vacation may be the one tradition a dancer is able to attend consistently. Or, maybe it is the rare chance to sit on the couch, lay back with feet up, and set Netflix on play. Regardless of how, it’s an opportunity to indulge where one can and enjoy what one might.

For Price and me, family and food are two things we feel strongly about. Our kitchen is the most frequented space in the house, and the refrigerator is covered entirely by pictures of Suddarths and Loves. Put the two together, and you’ll find us trying to decide what to cook or where to eat when visiting those we love. Last summer, while in Indiana with our Suddarth side, we discovered a fresh spot to test out—a new pizza place, Napolese Pizzeria, marked by local ingredients and seasonal varieties. The menu was distinctive and delectable—one pizza contained squash, feta, brussels sprouts, and a balsamic drizzle, and another with kale, pineapple, roasted peppers, and provolone. As avid cooks ourselves, we often love to recreate our favorite meals that we happen upon when dining out, occasionally adding little tidbits of our own “flavor.” That evening, leaving Napolese both satiated and satisfied, we had a handful of new projects for our kitchen. There was one course in particular that topped the list—a salad that seemed to capture summer in a bowl. Sweet, slightly charred yellow corn. Vibrant, impeccably roasted purple beets. Juicy, perfectly ripened fuzzy peaches. Can’t you just feel the warmth of the summer sunshine already?

This recipe has traveled the country. It’s been family-and-friend-tested, and earned a spot on our regular rotation whenever peach season strikes. And, lucky for us, it seems it’s just about that time.

Prepping the peaches. Photo by Emma Love Suddarth

Beet, Peach, and Corn Salad with a Smoky Tomato Vinaigrette

(serves approximately 2)

Ingredients

Smoky tomato vinaigrette (makes enough for multiple salads):

10 oz cherry/grape tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 tbs water
salt and pepper

5 oz greens (such as butter, boston, or bibb lettuce) or shredded cabbage

2 peaches, sliced

2 beets, sliced

1 ear sweet corn

feta, crumbled

Instructions

To make the vinaigrette:

Preheat a large pan or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once heated through, drizzle a little olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add tomatoes. Cover and let cook for 10 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Leaving the pan covered, remove from heat and let sit for 30 minutes.
Into a large food processor, add tomatoes, garlic, Dijon, Worcestershire, olive oil, vinegar, and water. Blend to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Can be refrigerated. Set out and let it come to room temperature to serve.

For the salad:

Preheat oven to 400° Cut any top off beets and scrub thoroughly. Wrap beets loosely in tin foil and roast in the oven for 50-60 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork or skewer. Remove from the oven, let cool, and remove skin (should be easily rubbed off using a paper towel).
Preheat grill or grill pan on medium-high heat. Remove corn from husk and place directly onto grill. Rotate ear of corn every 2-3 minutes, until each side is slightly charred and evenly grilled. Remove corn from cob.
To assemble, toss greens/cabbage with smoky tomato vinaigrette until evenly distributed. Then add peaches, beets, corn, and feta. Add additional dressing as needed. Serve.

You can bet we’ll be back to Napolese again this year, doubtless departing with both stomachs and minds filled with scrumptious new ideas…

Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Emma Love Suddarth

Contributor Emma Love Suddarth is from Wichita, Kansas. She studied with Sharon Rogers and on scholarship at Pacific Northwest Ballet School, and attended summer courses at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Ballet Academy East, and Pacific Northwest Ballet School. She was first recipient of the Flemming Halby Exchange with the Royal Danish Ballet School and was also a 2004 and 2005 recipient of a Kansas Cultural Trust Grant. She joined Pacific Northwest Ballet as an apprentice in 2008 and was promoted to corps de ballet in 2009.

While at PNB, she has performed featured roles in works by George Balanchine, Peter Boal, David Dawson, Ulysses Dove, William Forsythe, Jiri Kylian, Mark Morris, Margaret Mullin, Crystal Pite, Alexei Ratmansky, Kent Stowell, Susan Stroman, and Price Suddarth. Some of her favorites include the Siren in Balanchine’s The Prodigal Son, Jiri Kylian’s Petit Mort, David Dawson’s A Million Kisses to My Skin, William Forsythe’s New Suite, and Price Suddarth’s Signature.

She is a contributor to Pacific Northwest Ballet’s blog. She is married to fellow PNB dancer Price Suddarth.

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Product Review: The Royal Ballet “Ballet Magic” Tote Bag

June 26, 2017 by Rachel Hellwig

by Rachel Hellwig

No matter which side of the pond you’re on, just about anything associated with the Royal Ballet just has a certain magic to it…

Cocorose London has created a series of leather and canvas tote bags featuring digitally-printed photos of the company. Here are my thoughts on the “Ballet Magic” model:

- Beautiful design – black-and-white image of dancers in the wings of the Royal Opera House during La Sylphide

- Durable, well made

- Not for sweaty pointe shoes! Or depositing on a rosin-dusted corner of a dance studio…

- Good for just about anything else (I’m actually using it as a purse now!)

- Downside: cost. The price tag of £50 translates to about $64 plus taxes.