Creating a dance wellness program with limited resources

Daniels, Kathryn MA, Cornish College of the Arts, Seattle, WA, United States

Most American college dance departments are housed in large state universities and therefore have access to institutional medical and athletic services. Lacking such access, a dance BFA degree program housed in a small private college with limited resources has developed an extensive Dance Wellness program. Initially created in response to faculty concern for injured students, over the course of 14 years it has evolved into a comprehensive, multi-faceted program with the goals of: enabling students to participate productively in an intensive college dance program; reducing the student injury rate; enhancing performance; and providing students with tools for self-care and professional longevity. Program elements include a conditioning program integrated into technique courses, class modifications to accommodate student conditioning levels following semester breaks, a sequential curriculum in dance science and somatics, on-site physical therapy triage and treatment, physical screenings, and a semester break conditioning guide. All of this is accomplished without additional funding for staff, equipment, or facilities, and without institutional medical services. As a result of the program, department graduates have deepened their understanding of the anatomical foundation of sound dance technique, while learning  to care for their bodies and understand the individual basis of technical achievement. This Dance Wellness Program provides a model for small schools with limited resources to address student wellness needs, in addition to illustrating a multi-factorial approach to developing dancer anatomical knowledge and tools for self-care.