Episodes
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In dance, there is a lot of emphasis placed on having 'perfect feet' and the highly sought after 'banana foot'. In this podcast episode, we'll explore the difference between the form and function of the foot and the importance of being able to distinguish between the two. You'll learn why the 'ideal dancer's foot' is maybe not so ideal, and what we should actually care about when it comes to working on our feet.
Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerikaLearn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.comSign up for my newsletter: Click hereSend me an email: [email protected]
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It's no secret that the physical demands of dance have increased exponentially in the recent years. However, the structure and training of dance classes has not kept pace to meet the current physical demands of performance. Dance class alone does not elicit sufficient physiological response to improve muscular strength.
Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerikaLearn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.comSign up for my newsletter: Click hereSend me an email: [email protected]
In this episode, I talk about some of the reasons the dance industry has been slow to embrace the need for strength training, and why some of our current conditioning practices may not actually be providing the strength gains we hope for.
Want to learn more about strength training for dancers? Check out the webinar below.
Register for the FREE Principles of Strength Training for Dancers Webinar November 17th at 10am PT.
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In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Danelle Dickson, a performing arts specialist physical therapist from Washington, DC. We talk about the importance of training and treating dancers like athletes, and how outcomes for dancers can change with this simple mindset shift. We also learn about her online hub, the Dance Ready Project and how it's changing the game with regards to dancer screening and conditioning for optimal performance.
About Dr. Danelle Dickson
Dr. Danelle Dickson is a licensed physical therapist, Performing Arts Specialist, Orthopedic clinical specialist and owner at Performance Plus Physical Therapy in Washington DC. She is also the host of the Dancing around Elephants Podcast, co-founder of a business mentorship for minority women: The Business Female Foundation, and co-founder of the Dance Ready Project, an online hub for tools and resources for dancers. She is also the covering PT at DC’s flagship theater location Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater .Dr. Danelle’s forty three years in the dance world fueled her passion to work with dancer’s injuries. She has combined her passion for dance with her skills in orthopedics to work with thousands of dancers and other athletes, at both the pre-professional and professional levels.
Dr. Dickson is a sought-after lecturer whose expert topics include dancer injuries, injury prevention, patient advocacy and business mentorship for minority women.
Dr. Dickson lives in Takoma Park, MD with her close friends and cats Ché and Fidel. When she is out of her Washington DC clinic, you can find her traveling the world looking for new adventures, and to spend with her family in Trinidad, England, and Australia. And of course, always finding time to dance.
Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerikaLearn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.comSign up for my newsletter: Click hereSend me an email: [email protected]
Connect with Danelle:
On Instagram: @3ptdc
On her website: Performance Plus Physical Therapy
Learn more about The Dance Ready Project:
On Instagram: Dance Ready Project
On the website: danceready.org
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Freshly back from the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science conference in Italy, this episode is directly inspired by conversations and presentations from the conference.
Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerikaLearn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.comSign up for my newsletter: Click hereSend me an email: [email protected]
There is so much fabulous work going on in the field of dance science, but disseminating this information to the people who need it most - the dancers - is often a challenge. In this episode, I discuss 4 actionable ways we can incorporate dance science information into the studio.
Online Dance Resources:
The Library Aesthetic
Dancer Strong
Pivot Dancer
Dance Ready Project
Minding The Gap
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The Dance Physio Podcast officially turns 1 year old 🎉 This week's episode is a little bit different, as I reflect on one year of podcasting, celebrate the community we've created and share some lessons learned along the way.
Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerikaLearn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.comSign up for my newsletter: Click hereSend me an email: [email protected]
To celebrate the 1 year anniversary of the pod, I would be so grateful if you'd take the time to like, subscribe and share the podcast with your community so we can continue to grow into year 2 💜
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Snapping Hip Syndrome is such a common presentation in dancers that it's often referred to as Dancer's Hip in the medical field. In this episode, you'll learn what exactly snapping hip is and some of the most common forms of it. I'll also discuss the most common causes of it in the dance population, and what the best treatment options are.
Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerikaLearn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.comSign up for my newsletter: Click hereSend me an email: [email protected]
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Tendonitis in one of the most commonly diagnosed injuries in athletes, and dancers are no exception. In this podcast episode, we dive into all the details about tendon injuries. You'll learn about the role tendons play in movement, why the term tendonitis isn't always correct, common tendon issues we see in dancers, and options for treatment.
Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerikaLearn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.comSign up for my newsletter: Click hereSend me an email: [email protected]
Episode 35: Sprains, Strains and itis's in Dance
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Early Sport Specialization (ESS) has increased in youth sports in recent years. In Part 1 of this series, we discussed exactly what early sport specialize is, some of the reasons why it's gained popularity in the past ~20 years, and what the top 3 concerns with it are.
Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerikaLearn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.comSign up for my newsletter: Click hereSend me an email: [email protected]
In this episode, we discuss the considerations of early sport specialization specifically in dancers, ways we can accommodate dancers training plans and ideas for mitigating some of the potential drawbacks of ESS.
Episode 10: Training Load Management for Dancers
Episode 7: Dance Conditioning - Cross Training vs Supplementary Training
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Early Sport Specialization (ESS) has increased in youth sports in recent years, but it's not without its drawbacks. In this episode, you'll learn what exactly early sport specialize is, some of the reasons why it's gained popularity in the past ~20 years, and what the top 3 concerns with it are. Stay tuned for Part 2 of the episode where we will explore the implications for ESS specifically in dancers, and how we can mitigate some of the potential concerns.
Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerikaLearn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.comSign up for my newsletter: Click hereSend me an email: [email protected]
Learn more about Erika Mayall: -
With the start of the new dance season in most parts of North America, this episode focuses on considerations that teachers and students should be aware of as they return to the studio. With the absence of a true 'pre-season' in most of the dance world, the start of a new season acts as pre-season and should be treated thus so. In this episode, I discuss what the purpose and goals of a pre-season on, and how teachers and studios can make sure their dancers are safely transitioning back into the dance season.
Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerikaLearn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.comSign up for my newsletter: Click hereSend me an email: [email protected]
Episode 6: Periodization in Dance
Episode 10: Training Load Management for Dancers
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If you've been following me for any length of time you know how obsessed I am with the Olympics. In this episode, I highlight 6 lessons that I think the dance world can learn from the Paris Olympics and the athletes who participated in these games. Have a listen to hear what my biggest takeaways were and how I think they can be applied to the dance industry.
Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerikaLearn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.comSign up for my newsletter: Click hereSend me an email: [email protected]
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One of the questions I commonly get asked from dance teachers and other physiotherapists is what options there are for continuing education when it comes to learning more about dance medicine and science.
Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerikaLearn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.comSign up for my newsletter: Click hereSend me an email: [email protected]
In this episode, I highlight some of my favourite resources for both paid and free courses, workshops, online resources and more. This list is not exhaustive, so if you have favourites I've missed, send me a message and let me know and I'll do an update episode in a few months time.
Resources discussed in this episode:
1. Allegro Performance Dance Teacher Resources
2. International Association for Dance Medicine and Science
3. Healthy Dancer Canada
4. Harkness Center for Dance Injuries
5. The Ballet Blog
6. Dance Medicine Education Initiative
Episode 30: Regulation in the Dance Industry
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In this episode, I'm joined by Ellen Waller from Target Training Dance. Ellen and I first met at an IADMS conference in 2019 and immediately hit it off. We have a similar interest and fascination with how the body works, and have applied this curiosity to careers in dance science. In this episode we discuss Ellen's journey in Irish Dance, how Target Training came to be and how strength and conditioning benefits Irish Dancers. We also dive into flexibility training, and how the Flexibility Foundations program has helped Ellen re-vamp her flexibility training program to get even better results for her Irish Dancers.
Ellen Waller
Ellen is a long time competitive and professional Irish dancer and instructor and has dedicated her life to Irish dance. Her talent as a dancer has lead her to perform for thousands across the world and her passion as an Irish dance instructor has influenced innumerable young dancers.As a young dancer, Ellen recognized the unique physical and mental challenges encountered by elite dancers and athletes. Determined to learn more about supporting young dancers and athletes, she returned to school to complete her Masters of Science in Exercise Science.
Coupling her in-depth experience as an Irish dancer/instructor with her expansive knowledge of kinesiology, Ellen developed the innovative Target Training program; a series of courses and training methods that condition the specific muscles Irish dancers need to:
optimize performanceimprove techniquereduce the risk of injuriesovercome physical and mental challengesperform and compete at an elite level
Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerikaLearn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.comSign up for my newsletter: Click hereSend me an email: [email protected]
You can connect with Ellen:
On Instagram @targettrainingdance
On her website targettrainingdance.com
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Nerve gliding, also known as nerve flossing, is a common treatment technique used in physiotherapy. Recently, it has become more main stream and used not just for injury recovery, but also general performance enhancement and optimal health.
Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerikaLearn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.comSign up for my newsletter: Click hereSend me an email: [email protected]
In this episode, I break down the differences between nerves and other soft tissues, the mechanics involved in nerve gliding techniques, and when nerve glides might be an appropriate modality to use for dancers.
Episode 13: Flexibility for Dancers - The Nervous Systems Role in Mobility
Episode 15: Adolescent Growth Spurt in Dancers
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In this episode, I'm joined by Maria Haralambis - aka The Dance Scientist. We discuss Maria's journey in the dance world, and how she discovered the field of dance science. You discuss the benefits to both dancers and teachers when teachers incorporate dance science into the studio, and how teachers can learn how to do this.
Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerikaLearn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.comSign up for my newsletter: Click hereSend me an email: [email protected]
Maria Haralambis
Maria Haralambis, M.Ed., NASM CES, FMT is a current Ph.D. student, Adjunct Faculty, Social Media Manager, Pre-Pro Ballet Teacher, & CEO of The Dance Scientist, L.L.C. You can see her featured in the November 2024 Dance Magazine issue in the section titled “What Dancers Can Learn from Sports Performance Training.”
She serves 8 roles in boards and committees across organizations including Healthy Dancer Canada, IADMS, and NDEO. As a Pre-Pro Ballet Teacher, her students have attended the following: YAGP, Cecchetti Intensive at Hope College, ABT Summer Intensive, Grand Rapids Ballet Intensive and have won several awards and scholarships; and some now dance professionally.
She holds certifications in Stott Pilates (including ISP) Acrobatic Arts, Cecchetti, Rock Tape, NASM Corrective Exercise, and First Aid. For her Masters Thesis, she conducted her own research study in a Motor Learning lab that analyzed dancers’ balance skills using a computerized forceplate known as the Balance Master.
She teaches at a dance studio, an online Dance Kinesiology course to MFA students at Reinhardt University (Georgia), is a Social Media Manager for several dance organizations, and is a professor for a continuing development course on NDEO’s OPDI platform. Outside of that, her business offers products for Dance Educators, such as Anatomy Posters, E-Book Teaching Resources, Online Courses, her own Dance Science merch, her own blog, and her own Podcast.
You can connect with Maria:
On Instagram @the.dancescientist
On her website www.thedancescientist.com
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Just like many people in helping professions, dance teachers put everything into their students and studios, often at the expense of their own health and wellness. In this podcast episode I discuss 5 things for dance teachers to prioritize when it comes to taking care of their own bodies, so they can continue to teach for years to come.
Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerikaLearn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.comSign up for my newsletter: Click hereSend me an email: [email protected]
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In this episode, I'm joined by Tamara Thompson Levi - the founder, director and CEO of Shine Dance Festival and The Dance Leadership Institute. We discuss Tamara's journey in the dance world: from growing up in Edmonton, AB her professional career that brought her out to Vancouver, BC and her vision to create the competition she felt was missing in the dance world at the time. Tamara is a passionate educator, presenter and event director who's success is grounded in vision, leadership and a values centred business approach.
Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerikaLearn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.comSign up for my newsletter: Click hereSend me an email: [email protected]
Tamara Thompson Levi
A passionate educator, presenter, and event director, Tamara is the founder, director, and CEO of Shine Dance Festival and The Dance Leadership Institute.
Tamara found her second home in the dance studio where she started training in tap and jazz at age 3 in Edmonton, Alberta. By 15 she was performing in industrials, on camera, and on stage and, fresh out of high school, at 17, she took the leap and moved to Vancouver to launch her dance career. She has danced on stages around the world for companies including Alberta Ballet, Calvin Klein, MAC Cosmetics, New Balance, and Festival Cruise Line. She has appeared on screen in an assortment of TV movies, commercials, music videos, and the award-winning dance film Black Angels.
In the early 2000’s she began teaching dance on a regular basis and found a true sense of purpose as an educator teaching dance in studios, schools, and at events across Canada leading master classes, preparing students for exams and competitions, and teaching at the post-secondary level on faculty at Capilano University and TDI Professional Dance Training Program in Vancouver. She completed the Youth Protection Advocates in Dance certification in 2019 and is deeply committed to promoting a wellness-centered approach to dance culture.
In 2005, seeking to create a more holistic environment for the next generation of dancers, Tamara started Shine Dance Festival, a series of annual dance events for youth. Through her unique vantage point as a competition director, she has become a mentor and leader in Canada's dance community, especially notable during the pandemic where she facilitated virtual sessions for teachers and studio owners to navigate the continuous changes together in a supportive space. Also an active mentor with WeBC for women entrepreneurs, Tamara has been leading live and online programs and events that bridge communities and empower dancers, educators, and business owners across Canada and beyond.
You can connect with Tamara at:
Shine Dance Festival
The Dance Leadership Institute
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No one wants to get injured while away at a summer intensive, but the reality is injuries are an unfortunate part of dance. Some dancers will come into an intensive already dealing with an injury, while others may suffer an injury while away at the intensive. In this podcast episode I'll go over things to consider and ways to manage injuries while at a summer intensive.
Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerikaLearn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.comSign up for my newsletter: Click hereSend me an email: [email protected]
Other episodes to check out:
Episode 16 - Dancer First Aid PEACE & LOVE
Episode 21 - Considerations for Summer Intensives
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In this episode, I'm joined by Lindsay Daniels from The Movement Project. We discuss her journey in the dance world, the injury that led her to a career in teaching, and how she ended up in a public high school setting. Lindsay is a strong advocate for the benefits of dance education as skills for life, and provides opportunities for dancers in both her high school program and community based dance program in the Durham, Ontario region.
Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerikaLearn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.comSign up for my newsletter: Click hereSend me an email: [email protected]
Lindsay Daniels is an educator, adjudicator, curriculum writer, and speaker with over 25 years of experience in the dance education industry. She is currently on faculty with the Durham District School Board as a Dance Education Specialist in Oshawa, Ontario and is the founder of The Movement Project, an organization committed to best practices in Dance training, and pedagogy. Lindsay has a Bachelor of Kinesiology from McMaster University, is certified with the Ontario College of Teachers, she is a faculty member of the ADAPT Teacher Training School and a guest speaker at the Toronto Dance Teacher Conference. Lindsay is always eager to connect with other dance professionals, to create a safer and more inclusive dance community.
You can connect with Lindsay Daniels at:
The Movement Project Website
The Movement Project IG Account
Maxwell Heights SS Dance IG Account
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Hyperextension at the knee is an aesthetic that is often valued and sought after in the dance world. Those that don't have it want it, but those who have it know it be can a challenge to manage and isn't always a blessing.
Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerikaLearn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.comSign up for my newsletter: Click hereSend me an email: [email protected]
There is ongoing debate about how to manage knee hyperextension in dancers - do we let dancers use this range in order to achieve the desired lines that it provides, or do we limit their range for the sake of joint health and longevity?
In this episode of the podcast, I break down what exactly knee hyperextension is, when we might allow a dancer to utilize this hyperextension and ways we can help dancers learn to control this mobility and keep their knees happy and healthy.
Episode 12: Flexibility for Dancers Part 2 - The Truth About Overstretching
TEACHERS! Check out the new FREE 3 Cues for Teachers to Ditch in Dance guide.
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