IADMS New York 2002   [back to the Category]

The Dancer as World Class Athlete   [read the french version]

Author :   Tony Lycholat, MSc

The Dancer as World Class Athlete

Tony Lycholat, MSc
The Centre for Sport and Exercise Sciences
Sheffield, England


The demands faced by the professional dancer aiming for performance excellence are arguably no different from those faced by the world class sportsman or woman. However, the dance profession often does not realize that the world-class athlete is likely to have a dedicated, individually tailored support program behind them. This support program, usually under the supervision of a performance director with experience and qualifications in sports science and/or sports medicine is detailed and all-encompassing. It will have taken into account the specific demands of the sport, the strengths and weaknesses of the athlete and will offer an evidence-based approach to year-round preparation and sporting excellence, with clearly identified objectives, where nothing is left to chance.

This presentation, delivered by a performance director (and dance scientist) working with world-class athletes in an extremely competitive and demanding environment, will describe a ‘route map’ to performance excellence and injury prevention, indicating the practical steps that can be taken to put in place a coherent strategy to become truly World Class.