Fatigue & overuse identified as injury risks for dancers

A new survey points to a rise in significant injuries, but also suggests that education, policies and interventions are helping shape safer dancing practices.

12 Dec 2017 12:00

Richard Watts

Performing Arts

Image via Shutterstock.

A new survey of 195 Australian professional dancers has found that 97% of respondents experienced at least one significant injury in their dance career, compared with 89% in 1999.

The survey, conducted by The University of Sydney and Ausdance National, also found that 73% of dancers reported experiencing a dance-related injury in the past 12 months.

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Richard Watts OAM is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, a Melbourne Fringe Festival Living Legend, and was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize in 2020. In 2021 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Green Room Awards Association. Most recently, Richard received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in June 2024. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts