Safe In Dance International

Need A Dance Healthcare Specialist? There’s An App For That!

August 30, 2017 by 4dancers

Aloha! I hope everyone is getting back “intro the swing of things” as the new dance / academic year starts up!

Today we are pleased to offer you another piece of exciting information from the UK — we last posted Erin Sanchez’s article on One Dance UK / NIDMS (National Institute for Dance Medicine and Science), and all the good work going on in that country.

This post is from Claire Farmer, another one of the younger generation of dance medicine & science leaders in the UK. Claire is a dancer / Associate Lecturer at Roehampton University, and is also affiliated with One Dance UK. She initiated the website Dance Longer Dance Stronger, and in 2016 launched the Performers Health Hub mobile app, to allow those in the UK dance community to connect more easily with dance medicine healthcare and resources. She now working on eventually launching a USA version of the app.

Enjoy reading about all her good work, and pass it on!

Aloha,
Jan

Jan Dunn, MS, Dance Wellness Editor

by Claire Farmer, MSc

Have you ever felt a twinge, or something that didn’t feel quite right but you’ve also got a class in 10 minutes, followed by a rehearsal and then a million other things to do, so you’ll work out what to do later?

BUT WAIT – STOP!! Shouldn’t our body be our first priority, as our main tool for our work? We know that dancers are busy, but that they also need to be able to quickly access specialist healthcare and to find reliable information on how to care for their body. Luckily, there is a wealth of information available from experts in dancers’ health – but unfortunately this information often doesn’t always make its way to the dancer.

That’s where the Performers Health Hub App comes in. Launched in the UK in November 2016, the app is now expanding to the US. The aim of the app is to quickly connect dancers with reliable, evidence based information on a range of topics including warming up and cooling down, fitness, stretching, hypermobility and nutrition. The app has been developed in response to the high injury rate among dancers and the lack of time available due to the nature of their work, to conduct thorough research in locating top quality healthcare.

If you do experience an injury, the app will also help you to search for a dance medicine specialist near you – either private treatment, practitioners who accept your insurance, or one of the few specialized dance medicine centres scattered across the US – or if you’re in the UK, one of the few free ones. Making sure you receive the best care to ensure you reach your optimal potential as a dancer, and receive the best rehabilitation as a performer, is our top priority.

A study into injury rates in professional modern dancers concluded that a total of 82% of dancers experienced between 1 and 7 injuries within the previous 12 months(1). Of those that sought medical attention 47% were to physicians, 41% to physical therapists and 34% to chiropractors(1). Similar research in the UK reported that 80% of all dancers (professional and student) will suffer an injury each year through training, rehearsal of performance(2) or as a result of fatigue and overwork, insufficient warming-up or cooling-down, recurring injury or not being able to respond to the early warning signs of injury(3).

This highlights the need for dancers to quickly, and easily find the specialist care that will enable them to return to dance training and performance as soon as possible. Resources on the Performers Health Hub are drawn from a consortium of UK organisations at the forefront of dance medicine and science research and advocacy – including: National Institute of Dance Medicine and Science (NIDMS), One Dance UK, Safe in Dance International, British Association for Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM), and also the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS). It will now expand to include resources and clinics in the United States and Canada.

Experiencing an injury can be a very lonely and challenging time for a dancer, and it is hoped that the app will not only help the dancer seek specialist care and information, but to also reduce that feeling of isolation. There are many things we can do to support each other as a dance community internationally and the Performers Health Hub app aims to draw these connections closer, providing support for dancers wherever they are in the world and connecting them with others who have gone through similar experiences.

The app will continue to grow as resources expand and through feedback from dancers, with regular updates taking place to ensure the most up to date information is in the palm of your hand.

The Performers Health Hub is available to download for iOS and Android. For more information visit Dance Longer Dance Stronger, or download from the Google and Apple stores.

Dance Longer Dance Stronger

Dance Longer Dance Stronger was established in 2014, growing out of a need to encourage dancers to be more open about injuries and training, the struggles they face and the training methods they use. Dance Longer Dance Stronger aims to open communication between dancers, and between health professionals so there is a two-way dialogue and so that should a dancer face an injury, they don’t feel alone in dealing with it.

Dance Longer Dance Stronger aims to connect dancers with other dancers who have faced similar health related issues and help dancers find specialist healthcare and easy-to-digest, reliable resources as quickly and easily as possible.

(1)Shah, S,. Weiss, D,. & Burchette, R. (2012) Injuries in professional modern dancers: incidence, risk factors, and management

(2)Laws, H (2005) Fit to Dance 2, Dance UK, Newgate Press, UK: London

(3)Brinson, P & Dick, F (1996) Fit to Dance, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, UK: London

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.

Safe Dance Practice: What Is It And Why Do We Need It?

April 4, 2016 by Rachel Hellwig

Kai Downham photography: Instep Dance Company — Kai Downham Photography: Instep Dance Company

Aloha All 🙂

New dance medicine book to share! “Safe Dance Practice” is written by three British colleagues of mine in the dance medicine world, Edel Quin / Sonia Rafferty / Charlotte Tomlinson. All three are involved with IADMS (International Association for Dance Medicine and Science), Safe in Dance International (SIDI), and are all MSc graduates of the Dance Science program at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance (London UK). They have been long-involved in dance medicine and science, aka Dance Wellness, aka Safe Dance Practice (a British term), and have put together their invaluable knowledge and experience in writing this book – giving teachers and dancers a solid grounding for training healthy dancers who will be better equipped to dance many long years, in the best possible condition. The book is a great addition to your dance medicine and science library – Please pass it on!
Aloha
Jan

by Sonia Rafferty, Charlotte Tomlinson and Edel Quin

What It Isn’t!

The term “safe dance practice” often conjures up the vision of a checklist of boring, restrictive, and often unnecessary health and safety regulations. As dancers, choreographers, and teachers, we certainly don’t want to be held back in our artistic endeavours by recommendations that we think will limit our creative risk-taking capacity.

Fortunately, the upsurge of interest and increasing knowledge in safe dance practice will help us to do exactly the opposite. We can support artistic challenge by helping dancers to train and work at their best, but also heed the potential reasons for the high injury rate that has been observed in a wide variety of different dance styles.

Who Is It For?

Safe dance practice is important for dancers of any age and any ability. It is not simply for the elite “racehorse” of a dancer, at risk because of high-level demands, or the dancer who perhaps could be seen to be more prone to injury because of lack of technicality or physical ability.

Knowing how to work safely and effectively is relevant for everyone – for dancers themselves who can take responsibility for protecting and maintaining their readiness to dance, and for teachers who are trusted with instructing the dancing bodies. Add to that list the choreographers who use the expertise and abilities of dancers to create innovative and challenging works, and the artistic directors and managers who rehearse those dancers and organise their schedules.

[Read more…]