
- Dance Medicine/Science only became a field of study in the late 1970s/early 1980s.
- The annual frequency of injury among dancers has been reported to range between 23-84% while as many as 95% of professional dancers have ongoing pain.(University Health Network, Toronto)
- Statistics show that 80% of dancers incur at least one injury a year that affects their ability to perform – compared to a 20% injury rate for rugby or football players. (University of Wolverhampton)
- 31% of ballet dancers have had, or will have, a stress fracture (Rudolf Nureyev Foundation Medical Website)
- 24 % of ballet dancers (mainly female dancers) have a scoliosis (Rudolf Nureyev Foundation Medical Website)
- Over 50% of dancers are uninsured and cannot afford medical treatment for injuries/illness.
- provide excellent musculoskeletal healthcare to the dance community at affordable rates through a team of specialized medical professionals.
- offer free, one-on-one prevention clinics for individual dancers
- make available free or subsidized preventative and educational outreach programs for dancers, teachers, choreographers and administrators about the occupational, behavioral and mechanical factors associated with dance injuries.
- assist the dance community with identification and reduction of injury risks
- conduct ongoing research which advances the quality of dance science and improves the delivery of dance medicine.
- establish standards of excellence for dance medicine practitioners.
- interact with the dance community to minimize medical insurance costs.
- provide continuing education opportunities for the medical community in the specialized area of dance medicine.
- enhance the visibility of the dance medicine specialist within the dance and medical communities and in the general public.
- serve on the boards and committees of national and international dance medicine associations and journals.
“The Harkness Center offers one-hour, free-of-charge injury prevention assessments for dancers. During the injury prevention assessment session each dancer is seen individually for an hour by a therapist who reviews the dancer’s complaints, medical and nutrition histories and performance during a battery of tests. The screening is designed to evaluate the risk the dancer is exposed to and to discuss the dancer’s concerns before an injury occurs. At the conclusion of the assessment the dancer is given an individually tailored injury prevention exercise regime with recommendations for modification of their technique, training strategies, footwear and/or dance environment. The aim of the screening is to maximize each dancer’s potential for wellness.”
- Dance Clinic: The Harkness Center for Dance Injuries holds weekly dance clinics by appointment. Dancers’ injuries are evaluated and treated by a specially trained team of orthopaedic surgeons, primary care sports medicine physicians, physical therapists and/or athletic trainers.
- Physical Therapy & Athletic Training Services: The Harkness Center has a staff of physical therapists and athletic trainers specially trained to care for the dance population. These clinicians have had a minimum of two years of orthopaedic, sports medicine and manual therapy training and have participated in in-service training dealing with the occupational and psychological stressors of the dance environment.
- Free Injury Prevention Assessments: The Harkness Center offers one-hour, free-of-charge injury prevention assessments for dancers. During the injury prevention assessment session each dancer is seen individually for an hour by a therapist who reviews the dancer’s complaints, medical and nutrition histories and performance during a battery of tests. The screening is designed to evaluate the risk the dancer is exposed to and to discuss the dancer’s concerns before an injury occurs. At the conclusion of the assessment the dancer is given an individually tailored injury prevention exercise regime with recommendations for modification of their technique, training strategies, footwear and/or dance environment. The aim of the screening is to maximize each dancer’s potential for wellness.
- Injury Prevention Workshops: The Harkness Center provides injury-prevention lectures to community groups upon request. These programs are intended for dancers, teachers, parents, and/or management, as requested by the individual organization. Topics can be chosen from a list of most-often requested, or custom-made to meet the specific needs of the school/company. Examples of popular topics include: injury prevention, cross training, nutrition & hydration, pointe readiness, anatomy, and environmental safety.
For a listing of possible careers please visit the HCDI website (http://hjd.med.nyu.edu/harkness/dance-medicine-resources/what-dance-medicine-and-science/career-overviews)