Taskforce on Dancer Health
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Members of the Taskforce on Dancer Health at the January 2006 meeting |
Click on the links below to download pdf documents:
Overview of Annual Post-Hire Health Screen for Professional Dancers
Health Screen Tool
Guidelines for Using the Health Screen Tool
Informed Consent Form
Nutrition Guidelines
The Mission of the Dance/USA Taskforce on Dancer Health is to maintain the health and safety of professional dancers. Meeting under the auspices of Dance/USA, the Taskforce on Dancer Health is composed of dance medicine practitioners who work directly with professional dancers and/or dance companies. Participants include therapists of all types, physicians, trainers, specialists in dance movement and injury, chiropractors, nutritional experts and specialists in mental health. The very great value of meeting as a part of Dance/USA is that the Taskforce communicates directly with the managers and executive directors of North America’s dance companies – ballet, modern and ethnic. It is the opportunity to devise strategies that improve dancer health and to see some of those strategies put into practice in the professional setting.
The Taskforce first met to explore the issues of nutrition and disordered eating. This led to the release of a document that was distributed to companies in the United States and Canada, Guidelines for Professional Dance Companies on Healthy Nutrition. The Guidelines is not a nuts and bolt manual on healthy weight control or the science of performance nutrition. Rather, it is a call to arms suggesting how, when and where professional companies might incorporate nutritional education into the lives and schedules of both dancers and staff. In addition, it recommends initial steps in managing nutritional problems once uncovered. This document is available on the Dance/USA website.
The Taskforce on Dancer Health next addressed the issue of smoking cessation among dancers. The resultant white paper focuses on reasons to quit that may personally appeal to dancers. It also addresses issues that may prevent some dancers from attempting to quit (weight gain, withdrawal symptoms). Once in final form, Dance/USA will distribute the paper to member companies across the country.
In the winter of 2005, the Dance/USA Managers Council requested that the Taskforce explore and make recommendations on preventing injury and illness in professional dance. Specifically, the Taskforce was asked to pursue the subject of screening. Over a series of meetings, the Taskforce unanimously concluded that the most important step that companies can take to improve dancer health is to screen dancers for risk factors that contribute to injury and illness, and to council each dancer and recommend interventions based on the screening information. In February 2006, the Taskforce presented An Annual Post-Hire Health Screen for Professional Dancers: Phase One of a Preventive Healthcare Program for Professional Dance Companies at the Dance/USA Winter Council. Notably, the program recommended by the Taskforce focuses on a preventive approach to general health, nutrition, and mental health in addition to injury prevention. It looks at the whole dancer.
Three eminent companies have employed the Taskforce Health Screen and the Associated Protocols as part of the 2006-2007 Pilot Program: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Boston Ballet and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. As of September, 2006, all three companies had completed screening their dancers and reported nearly 100% participation by the dancers. In the spring of 2007, the Taskforce will meet in NYC to discuss the Pilot Program with the goal of streamlining and improving the Screen. As many as six companies have expressed interest in employing the Taskforce Screen, in addition to the pilot companies, in the 2007-2008 season.
The goal of the Taskforce Screen is to make preventive health care and injury prevention a routine part of life in every dance company. The Taskforce views this work as an opportunity to make a lasting contribution to the welfare of dancers across the industry. In addition, the use of a standardized preventive health protocol can provide invaluable information that will only benefit all who work in the field of dance.
For more information or to become involved with the Pilot Program, contact 202-833-1717.
