Kristen Sousa, Author at Safe in Dance International

Cultivating self-care: Nurturing tips for dance teachers, and anyone in dance

FULL LENGTH VERSION Written by Elsa Urmston MSc PGCAP FHEA There is no doubt that the last year or so has been hugely challenging for us all, as we navigate our dancing lives amidst a global pandemic, in a context which has seen huge political, economic and social upheaval during an ever-more startling climate crisis. So many of us have adapted to new ways of working in this context, responding to the need to keep dancing by shifting our teaching online during periods of lockdown or isolation, dancing face-to-face when circumstances allow and continuing to find creative solutions to ensure that those who usually attend our classes can continue to do so safely, inclusively and socially. The dance teaching profession’s [...]

#TopTipTuesday

Rest... Are you over pressured by exams, rehearsals and performances? trying to get the best out of yourself or your dancers? Remember it is important to rest as well as work hard – There is often pressure to do as much as we can to become more proficient dancers but more is not always better. Are you aware of the difference between overload and overtraining or overwork? Overload is a positive training principle, which means gradually challenging the dancer so that they can develop the physical capacities to dance efficiently and effectively. Overwork or overtraining is a negative consequence of training schedules that are too full and demanding, coupled with lack of rest and recovery. It will actually result in [...]

Launching our new online course this week; Preparing for Safer Dance Practice

Launching this week: Keep an eye out for the launch of our new online course; Preparing for Safer Dance Practice, which has been developed by us and in partnership with People dancing. Whatever your genre or style, this programme will support your practice and offer CPD that you can do from home. This programme is relevant to all dance practitioners world-wide. If delivers all the content for the Preparation for Healthy Dance Certificate, which offers 6 hours of CPD. [...]

One Dance UK announces shortlisted nominees for its first-ever Dance Teaching Awards

One Dance UK today announced the names of 27 shortlisted nominees, across nine award categories, for its inaugural Dance Teaching Awards. One Dance UK received 886 nominations from pupils, parents, colleagues and friends of hundreds of teachers, practitioners and dance organisations across the UK, that provide opportunities for children and young people to dance. The shortlisted nominees were carefully chosen by a selection panel made up of industry professionals brought together to represent a broad range of education knowledge and expertise. The selection panel of Geoff Barton, Althea Efunshile (CBE), Linda Jasper (MBE), Carolyn Lappin and Piali Ray (OBE) said: We are very proud to have been asked to select the finalists in this ground-breaking first year of the One [...]

#TopTipTuesday

Keep your outlook up to date…… CPD is a great way to refresh your knowledge. Personal research, further education and sharing your practice with other professionals helps you to stay ahead of the game and maintain your currency, benefitting both yourself and your dancers. [...]

Charlotte Tomlinson, Fit 4 Dance, Registered Provider of Safe in Dance International SiDI giving an acceptance speech at One Dance UK Awards Ceremony

Congratulations to Charlotte

Many congratulations to our Associate, Charlotte Tomlinson for winning the’ Inspirational Community Dance Practitioner’ at the One Dance UK Dance Teaching Awards. On receiving the award Charlotte said: “I am speechless, those who know me know just how much this means” Charlotte is an independent dance teacher who embeds Healthy Dance Practice in everything she does. After achieving her MSc in Dance Science from TrinityLaban Charlotte lectured at Chichester College before combining her role as freelance dance practitioner with lecturing at Leicester College. She has been part of the SiDI team since the beginning, becoming our first registered provider and delivering one of our first courses. She also co-authored Safe Dance Practice, An applied dance science perspective with Edel Quin [...]

Supporting safer dance

Following the launch of People Dancing and Safe in Dance International (SiDI)’s new online learning course, SiDI’s Co-Founders, Maggie Morris and Sonia Rafferty, explain how safe dance practice is vital for optimising performance, minimising risk and supporting the wellbeing of every dancer Lots of people see ‘health and safety’ as a set of rules that are necessary to protect workers but nevertheless can be restrictive and stifling. Certainly, in terms of artistic and creative practice, there are worries that overtly focusing on safety may be detrimental to innovation and risk-taking. But healthy and safe dance practice is so much more than industry regulations; it is the best way to optimise performance and to reduce injury risk. In the 21st century, there is the research [...]

#TopTipTuesday

Planning a balanced dance session… Get the best results from your dance session by planning effectively and regularly evaluating your methods and strategies. Try to take into account your own and your dancers’ health and wellbeing as you plan – overfilling the session, repeating material too much or favouring specific movements or muscle actions in your choreographic choices can have a negative effect on bodies. Less can often be more, think quality over quantity. [...]

Should I Ice an Injury? The Debate Continues…

By Sonia Rafferty, Co- founder Safe in Dance International The debate on whether icing an injury is help or hindrance to the healing process continues. At the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS) Annual Meeting in Houston, Texas in October 2017, a “duel”, entitled “Cryotherapy: Help or harm” was organised to try to persuade or dissuade therapists and dancers regarding the use of icing as a technique to manage injury. Two physical therapists, Valerie Williams (PhD) and Rosie Canizares (DPT) were charged with putting forward evidence both for and against respectively. Arguments on both sides drew on research studies to support the different viewpoints. The case FOR icing from Valerie Williams: A decrease in pain, swelling and inflammation [...]

Building Healthy Boundaries in Creative Processes

This article by Stuart Waters, covers some important questions that are being posed about the safeguarding of the dance artist, most specifically within the pressures and demands of the creative process. The article was originally commissioned by Disability Arts Online, www.disabilityarts.online. Stuart Waters is a UK based performer, choreographer and teacher who recently presented at the Once Dance UK Healthier Dancer Conference held at TrinityLaban Conservatoire of Music and Dance (November 2017). His session “Mental Health and Issue-based Work” proposed the development of support mechanisms for dancers when using emotional triggers in the creative process. " Safeguarding the artist, the studio and the creative process" by Stuart Waters Photo: Joe Armitage My personal “rock bottom” was a near death experience, [...]

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