DANCE AND HEALTH 

Training in Dance and Health with a focus on « Prevention, Performance Enhancement and Recovery. »

This training is aimed at dance teachers, professional dancers, healthcare practitioners, and students in the fields of dance, health, and adapted physical activity. It focuses on developing specific skills for supporting dancers' health throughout their careers.

Target audience and prerequisites:

- Artists : State-certified dance teachers, professional dancers, circus professionals, somatic techniques teachers (Pilates, Yoga, PBT, Feldenkrais, Gyrotonic), AFCMD teachers, D.E. dance teacher students, etc.

- Practitioners: health professionals, care professionals, health and care students, adapted physical activity professionals, STAPS students, etc.

Some of the training modules are common to both groups of trainees, while others offer a specific approach.

General training objectives :

- To develop dance teachers' skills in observing pupils and adapting and individualising their teaching.
- To give dance teachers the first keys to taking charge of dancers' health in their teaching, from childhood to adulthood
- Provide professional dancers with the tools to take independent responsibility for health issues
- To develop the health practitioner's tools for effective care of dancers, from students to professional dancers

Educational objectives :

- Improve dancer performance through a clear understanding of the concepts of dancer health, appropriate physical preparation and the role of recovery in progress.
- Integrate the benefits of appropriate physical preparation or dance-related practices (Pilates, physical preparation) to improve performance
- Understand how better health management can improve dancer performance and become aware of the role of the dance teacher/ballet master within a professional network (medical, paramedical, administrative, etc.).

Teaching methods :

- Observation of a ballet class
- Workshops, lectures, exchanges of experience

Programme :

DAY 1: OBSERVATION, PAIN MANAGEMENT, AND EMERGENCY CARE
Objective: Develop skills in biomechanical observation and pain management for dance students, with strategies for immediate care in case of injury.

• - Observation and analysis tools:
  Focus on advanced-level dance class observation with anatomical coaching to identify and anticipate dancers' specific needs.
• - Lecture-discussion: Health and Performance
  The role of the dance teacher in supporting dancers' health, led by Peter Lewton-Brain and another speaker.
• - Workshop: Specific care for dancers
  Exploring the necessary precautions and adaptations for optimal health care for dancers.

DAY 2: HEALTH AND PREVENTION IN PEDAGOGICAL AND PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
Objective: Raise awareness of best prevention practices in dance and the importance of an active role in dancers' health.

- Prevention and recovery principles:
Introduction to injury prevention methods and recovery techniques suitable for dancers.
- Group workshops:
Dance teachers will focus on exercises linking health prevention with teaching goals.
Healthcare practitioners will discuss psychosocial health issues in dance.
- Lecture-discussion:
Cognitive biases in care and teaching, analyzing how they can impact dance practices.

DAY 3: MANAGING INJURIES AND PAIN IN THE PROFESSIONAL DANCE SETTING
Objective: Equip participants with practical tools for responding to injuries and addressing pain, ensuring safe and appropriate care in a professional environment.

- Group workshops:
Dance teachers will focus on injury response in the studio, prioritizing student safety and well-being.
Healthcare practitioners will address injury management during performances.
- Joint workshop: "The dancer's pain: how to address it?"
Discussion on proactive, respectful approaches to managing pain.
- Training review:
Reflection on developed skills and their application in professional practice.

Trainers

Peter Lewton-Brain, former professional dancer, osteopath, PhD City University London, Past President of the International Association of Dance Medicine & Science, Head of the Health and Performance team of the Ballets de Monte-Carlo, of the Association Danse Médecine Recherche (ADMRdance).

Chloé Saumade, dancer, osteopath, coordinator of the Health Centre Association at PNSD Rosella Hightower, and board member of the Dance Medicine research Association (AMDRdance).

Idir Chatar, professional dancer, former student of the school and doctoral student on placement at the PNSD "Neuropsychiatric determinants of the risk of injury in dancers: from theory to practice".

Diane Nadol-Laget, a qualified physiotherapist, specialized in manual therapy, fascia therapy, and Pilates. Trained in dancer pathologies, she has been working with dancers for 5 years as part of the Health Department of the PNSD Rosella Hightower and also runs a dance workshop for seniors.

Marie-Laure Vermersch Fauduet, dancer and educator, holder of the Certificate of Aptitude in Contemporary Dance, teaches at the CRR of Nice and as a guest professor at other institutions. Certified in Functional Analysis of the Body in Dance Movement, she teaches anatomy in motion courses at the Nice Conservatory and also works at the University of Nice Côte d'Azur, teaching movement analysis in the Bachelor’s program in Performing Arts.

Technical and teaching resources

Each PNSD training space is adapted to technical and teaching needs: dance studios, classrooms, changing rooms and toilets. The PNSD guarantees access to the teaching materials needed for each training session: skeletons, balls, mats, elastics, yoga bricks, audio and video equipment, flipchart paper. This course is only offered face-to-face. Dance resources are also available to trainees via a shared online folder.

Evaluation 

The acquisition of the skills targeted by the training is assessed by the trainers in the form of practical exercises and/or simulations. A formal training certificate is sent to each participant after the course. As part of our ongoing efforts to improve the range of courses we offer, each trainee fills in a positioning questionnaire prior to the course, followed by a satisfaction questionnaire which also asks about future training needs.

Further studies

Complete your training : Diplôme Universitaire Danse Santé et Vieillissement.

The PNSD Rosella Hightower is open to all specific requests in the event of a disability, in order to make it easier for you to take part in our training courses. Contact the Disability Officer.

Rates

3 days: €590
1 day: €265
Compulsory annual membership fee: €34

The cost of the course may be covered as part of continuing professional training.

This program aims to promote a holistic approach to health within the context of dance by integrating prevention, injury management, and physical preparation.

MORE INFO - CONTACT: nathalie.bauchez@pnsd.fr / 04 93 94 79 80.

What trainees have to say

Trainee satisfaction rate for the 2024 session

- Course content: 95.45%
- Training reception: 93.18%
- Overall satisfaction: 87.34%

Rate of achievement of objectives for beneficiaries : 89.93%

Rate of questionnaire participants: 84.62%

Trainee satisfaction rate for the 2023 session

- Course content: 95.33%
- Training reception: 93.33%
- Overall satisfaction: 86.66%

Rate of achievement of objectives for beneficiaries : 87.5%

Rate of questionnaire participants: 45.5%

Trainee satisfaction rate for the 2022 session

- Course content: 100%
- Welcome to the course: 100%
- Overall satisfaction: 100%

Rate of achievement of objectives for beneficiaries : 100%

Rate of questionnaire participants: 70%

Trainee satisfaction rate for the 2020 session

- Course content: 98.61%
- Welcome to the course: 100%
- Overall satisfaction: 95%

Rate of achievement of objectives for beneficiaries : 93%

Rate of questionnaire participants: 100%

What was most appreciated

"The experience, the knowledge, the themes and the good complementarity between teachers and osteopaths.

"The focus on teaching".

"The quality of the speakers".

"The development of new skills...".