Safe Dance Practice

Thank you to all those who attended the 2017 Safe Dance Practice course!!!

I am currently teaching the Safe Dance Practice course to students enrolled in the BFA program at York University. Please stay tuned for the next offering of this course.

If you are interested in attending future workshops and would like to be notified about the next time I will be running this course contact safedancepractice@gmail.com.

More and more, dancers and dance educators are recognizing safe dance practice as an essential element of ensuring optimal performance, longevity and injury prevention.

This four part workshop series will introduce participants to the most effective ways of incorporating safe dance practice principles into teaching.

Participants will be introduced to the most current dance science research and learn how to apply it to a teaching environment. Upon completion of the course, participants may apply for a Healthy Dance Practice Certificate by Safe in Dance International and provide international recognition of your understanding and practical application of Safe Dance Practice.

Upon completion of the course, participants can apply to receive a certification in Healthy Dance Practice.

Evidence your awareness and understanding of the principles that uphold safe and healthy dance practice. Assure employers, parents and your students that you know how to put your dancers’ wellbeing first.

For more information or to Register email: safedancepractice@gmail.com

Hannah Etlin-Stein is a Registered Provider with Safe in Dance International for the Healthy Dance Practice Certificate. For full information about Registered Provider status please go to www.safeindance.com

What participants are saying:

'I'm a former dancer and now a yoga teacher. The concepts and information in Hannah's course are certainly transferable to safety in yoga teaching. Hannah is amazingly clear, articulate and engaging in her approach to sharing information. There was a great balance between theory and practice and she had a real life example to help explain any theoretical question that a participant posed. I definitely plan To take the other modules as well’

- Shari Stein

'Hannah's bubbly personality, passion for educating others and pure love for anything movement related is the best combination and a huge reason way dance instructors should experience this course. Safe Dance Practice will push you to think in a different way. It explains the why's behind your cueing, in depth anatomy, partner work, alignment assessments and will leave you feeling refreshed and inspired'

- Brittany Brie- Domico

Safe Dance Practice Course:

Module 1

Introduction to Anatomy
Anatomical and Biomechanical principles of alignment
Individual Anomalies and Adaptations

Overview of the muscular and skeletal systems
The mobility - stability continuum
What is 'ideal' posture and alignment - why is it important?
Static vs. Dynamic Alignment
Common alignment deviations among dancers
Technical cues effective in addressing postural deviations
Assessing posture and alignment

Module 2

Supplementary and Integrated Fitness Training
Nutrition and Hydration

Dancers' fitness levels
Components to physical fitness
Training principles to support the dancer
How to incorporate supplementary fitness training into a dancers schedule
How to create your very own supplementary training class based on the needs of the dancers
Understanding the nutrition and hydration needs of dancers
Disordered eating and the female athlete triad
How to give nutrition advice to dance participants

Module 3

Injury Awareness, Prevention and Management
Warm up and Cool down for Dancers
The Dance Environment

Injury patterns among dancers: common injuries and what to do
Recognizing physical, psychological and environmental risk factors in dance
Creating strategies to minimize risk
Emergency response to injury during the dance session
Returning safely to participation following injury
Components of a safe and effective warm up and cool down
The dance space: Assessing space availability and assessing risk
Ensuring moral safety in the studio and safeguarding

Module 4

Psychological Aspects of Dance Practice
Safe progression, Sequencing and Structure of Dance Activities

Constructing a dance session: attention to safe progressions and training principles
Understanding appropriate preparation for stretching, jumping and lifting activities
Transfer of learning: bridging the gap from class to performance
Dancers' psychological needs: what they are and how to ensure they are being met
Creating and maintaining an effective psychological environment
How to best give feedback and corrections
Creating a psychological toolbox for your dancers: goal setting, self-talk and imagery

What is the Healthy Dance Practice Certificate?

The Healthy Dance Practice Certificate is designed for those teaching or leading dancers in any setting and in any style. This certification, rapidly growing in interest in Canada can provide parents, teachers and studio owners with the knowledge that you are providing your students with the most up to date information on injury prevention, performance optimization and health and wellbeing.

Successful certification requires you to provide evidence of your understanding of safe dance practice by submitting a variety of materials for review.

Section 1: Dance Health and Safety. 10 short answer questions.

Section 2: Theoretical Knowledge. Three questions chosen from a selection, related to safe dance practice. 500 words.

Section 3: Application. 45 minute video recording of the candidate teaching a dance class in the genre of their choice.

Further detail guidance on how to complete the HDPC is available in the Candidate pack provided on registration.

Working towards this Certificate will improve your understanding of the inter-related factors that contribute to and enhance healthy dance practice and support the physical and mental wellbeing of participants.

The cost of the HDPC is $240.

For more information on the HDPC visit Safe in Dance International