"Poignant and exquisite"--The Los Angeles Review of Books "An inspiring and powerful book"--Booklist "A genuinely absorbing read"--Kirkus "Revelatory, honest, and wondrous."--Chanel Miller, author of Know My Name A lyrical and meditative memoir on the damage we inflict in the pursuit of perfection, the pain of losing our dreams, and the power of letting go of both. With a promising career in classical ballet ahead of her, Ellen O'Connell Whittet was devastated when a misstep in rehearsal caused a career-ending injury. Ballet was the love of her life. She lived for her moments under the glare of the stage-lights--gliding through the air, pretending however fleetingly to effortlessly defy gravity. Yet with a debilitating injury forcing her to reconsider her future, she also began to reconsider what she had taken for granted in her past. Beneath every perfect arabesque was a foot, disfigured by pointe shoes, stuffed--taped and bleeding--into a pink, silk slipper. Behind her ballerina's body was a young girl starving herself into a fragile collection of limbs. Within her love of ballet was a hatred of herself for struggling to achieve the perfection it demanded of her. In this raw and redemptive debut memoir, Ellen O'Connell Whittet explores the silent suffering of the ballerina--and finds it emblematic of the violence that women quietly shoulder every day. For O'Connell Whittet, letting go of one meant confronting the other--only then was it possible to truly take flight.

Dance Medicine in Practice is the complete physical textbook for dance, written specifically to help dancers understand the anatomy, function and care of their bodies. Specific chapters are devoted to focusing on the spine, pelvis, hips, knees, feet, shoulders and arms. Each of these covers the following key aspects: Anatomy: bone structure, musculature, and function. How each part of the body moves and how it responds under pressure Pitfalls: Common examples of bad practice and the effect that these can have on the body Self Analysis: How to become aware of and muscle groups and the capacity of each joint. Injury Prevention: Tips and advice on how to best avoid and prevent injury both in training and everyday life Exercises: Simple and effective methods of strengthening, mobilising and relaxing joints and muscles Checklists: Dos and Don’ts for the best dance technique. The best dancers know that looking after their bodies is the key to their success, and Dance Medicine in Practice also covers how to ensure the best possible nutrition, plan and manage training schedules, and ensure that injuries are kept to a minimum both in frequency and impact. It is the best possible companion to a life in dance.

Dance Technique and Injury Prevention has established itself as the key reference for everyone involved in dance injury and treatment, physical therapy, and dance instruction.

Featuring a diverse range of authors from a wide variety of disciplines, this text presents a detailed and accurate reflection of the concerns of dance medicine and science as they have emerged over the last 30 years.

Dance Injuries presents a holistic wellness model and in-depth coverage of how to reduce the risk of injury in dance and how to care for injuries properly. Nearly 200 full-color illustrations and 150 photos enhance understanding to properly train dancers technically, physically, and mentally.

Dancers represent a unique athletic population. They can often be required to perform a variety of shows of differing intensity and styles: professional ballet dancers may perform up to 150 shows a year, across eighteen different productions. The dynamic and demanding nature of dance can however lead to injury, making injury prevention and management a vital part of dance training. Drawing on research and knowledge from both sports and dance medicine, this book will provide dance and healthcare professionals with a fundamental understanding of dance terminology, physiology and movement requirements, and how these relate to specific injuries commonly sustained in dance. Proposed models and structures of pathology-specific rehabilitation and usable examples are illustrated with step-by-step photographs and anatomical diagrams, as well as case studies for common injuries. Training programmes, conditioning exercises and advice are supported by findings from contemporary medical literature to ensure an informed, conclusive and evidence-based approach to the healthcare of dancers. Chapters will cover a range of issues including the unique challenges seen in dance and how they differ from other athletic populations; physical preparation and conditioning for dance; injury prevention, tracking and management models and an exploration of the regional anatomical injuries commonly seen in dance. Structured rehabilitation and detailed exercise programmes are covered and dance criteria for musculoskeletal injuries, concussion and post-surgery are discussed.

In Sharing the Dance, Cynthia Novack considers the development of contact improvisation within its web of historical, social, and cultural contexts. This book examines the ways contact improvisers (and their surrounding communities) encode sexuality, spontaneity, and gender roles, as well as concepts of the self and society in their dancing. While focusing on the changing practice of contact improvisation through two decades of social transformation, Novack’s work incorporates the history of rock dancing and disco, the modern and experimental dance movements of Merce Cunningham, Anna Halprin, and Judson Church, among others, and a variety of other physical activities, such as martial arts, aerobics, and wrestling.

This practical resource discusses the numerous physical, psychological, and medical issues pertaining to the young dancer as they relate to injury prevention. Chapters on injury are arranged anatomically and cover etiology, diagnosis, treatment strategies, and rehabilitation. Additional chapters cover screening, nutrition, training technique, and the role of the physical therapist. This comprehensive text addresses the unique needs of these athletes and stresses how their bodies differ in significant ways from those of adults, requiring that their training and clinical management be overseen by specialized personnel. The book opens with a discussion of the epidemiology of injury in the young dancer, followed by a description of screening procedures and a sample screening program. Physical therapy and resistance training are then covered, along with common conditions and injuries at the spine, hip, knee, and foot/ankle complex. There are chapters on the use of diagnostic and interventional ultrasound, nutrition and bone health, psychological matters such as anxiety, eating disorders, and peer relationships, and lastly the prevention of degenerative hip injuries. Prevention of Injuries in the Young Dancer is an essential resource with regard to the challenges facing aspiring young dancers. It is relevant reading for dance medicine, sports medicine, and orthopedic professionals, as well as dancers, their parents, and especially those persons who promote their careers.

Dance Anatomy is a visually stunning presentation of more than 100 of the most effective dance, movement, and performance exercises, each designed to promote correct alignment, improved placement, proper breathing, and prevention of common injuries.