New research is tackling the health literacy of Australian dancers in a bid to lessen the soaring rates of career-altering injury. While dance remains one of the most popular recreational sports for young people in Australia, participation declines steadily with age, and dance injury is often to blame.
Injury and health are key concerns for the dance sector, especially as many dancers stretch themselves across various styles that challenge their original training. Professor Emma Redding, Director of the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), has called for dancers to be seen more as artist-athletes.