Attention to health and wellbeing is a crucial investment when it comes to enhancing the quality and extent of a dance career. The physical and mental pressures faced by dance students and professional dancers are considerable. It is therefore of primary importance that a student learns to work in a responsible manner. It also holds that the study programmes and future employers are co-responsible for a healthy work and study environment.
Since the 1990s, a unique and specially developed, dancer’s health programme caters to all Dance study programmes at the Academy for Theatre and Dance. The programme consists of three parts: education, advice & supervision and research.

Education: lesson cycle Health & Performance and transition lessons 

Advice and supervision
A student has a physical profile made before commencing the study. This is done so that from the very beginning we have insight in the individual physical possibilities and limitations that students must learn to deal with to the best of their capabilities during the study. The profile is drawn up during a screening that takes place for most students in combination with an audition for admission to the study programme.

The particulars of each dance student are systematically registered in a specially designed, secure computer programme. This allows insight in a student’s history of injury which can help (para)medics to give fitting advice. It can also promote greater understanding of the causes of specific injuries and excess strain in general.

Consulting hours    
During the (free) consulting hours, advice is given on individual physical or psychological complaints. When problems are signaled at an early stage, timely support can be offered. In the event of injury, a recovery programme will be compiled. 

Scientific research   
Growth measurements: as a result of research into the growth of dance students (since 2001) it has been decided to annually monitor all preliminary course students of the National Ballet Academy.
Hyper-mobility: In May 2011 at the request of the Hogeschool van Amsterdam, a research into Hyper-mobility was held among students of the Dance study programme at the Academy for Theatre and Dance.


Any questions? 
You are free to contact Erzi Hoogveld, coordinator Health & Performance at  erzi.hoogveld@ahk.nl 
Health & Performance is located on the 8th floor, room 8.47. Tel. (020) 527 7639

For more information about Health & Performance.

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