Health Team

The Palucca University of Dance Dresden Health Team was established in 2013. Its purpose is to provide support and advice on issues regarding health to every pupil and student at the University throughout their entire studies. To this end, the health team works very closely with the artistic staff. This ensures the optimal promotion of heath and artistic excellence.

For their work, the health team has its own physiotherapy area, a fully equipped fitness room, and a relaxation room at their disposal. When necessary, a large network of external physicians and therapists are available for consultation.

The Health Team operates on the basis of the newest dance medicine principles and teachings on sport psychology and physiotherapy as well as those of Pilates training. A specialised nutritional counsellor completes the health team and watches over the maintenance of physical health through modern and prevention-oriented nutritional counselling. This involves not only the physical body but also the students’ body awareness, psychological health, and emotional well-being. Using a variety of methods, the health team works together to raise knowledgeable dancers who are emotionally, mentally, and physically capable of optimising their dance training and reach their maximum artistic potential.

From the aptitude test to the final examination, the body awareness coach is responsible for the well-being of the pupils and students at the Palucca University of Dance Dresden. In addition to the many services offered by the Health Team (e. g., physiotherapy and nutritional counselling), the body awareness coach offers the following services:

  • Screening: The body awareness coach individually examines every student on an annual basis. This screening provides important information to the students, to their teachers, and to the health-team concerning their development and physical condition. Based upon this material, individualised daily work programmes are developed between the body awareness coach and the student to maximise development and minimise the risk of injuries.
  • Rehabilitation: The body awareness coach trains all injured students, either singly or in small groups, in order to improve strength and condition during periods when an injury requires a break from the dance courses. Without hurting the injured body part, all other areas of the body that are important for the physical well-being are trained and cared for. Close cooperation with the physiotherapist and confidential communication with medical specialists from an extended network ensures an optimal rehabilitation and regeneration. This is important for a safe and complete return to dance trainings.
  • Coaching: Similar to the rehabilitation measures, the students have the possibility to work with the body awareness coach on specific areas which are in need of improvement (e. g., bodily awareness, strength, stability, muscle-building or muscle coordination). Here, elements from Pilates and Yoga are combined with classical sport physiotherapy methods. Appointments are arranged individually according to the class schedule. 
  • Education: The body awareness coach instructs all BA Progamme students in the anatomy and dance medicine courses which lead to a more in-depth understanding of the body and its functions. The other classes also receive regular lessons about body awareness themes relating to their dance classes. A close cooperation with the dance staff ensures that relevant topics are covered for an optimal development. The intended goal is anatomical knowledge closely linked to a highly developed awareness for physical movement.
  • Injury statistics: In order to be able to give students and staff regular feedback on the current injury situations, it is essential to keep accurate injury statistics. The physiotherapist collects anonymized data from her treatments, which are then statistically analysed by the body awareness coach.
  • Mental Training: The mental health of all of our students is, next to their physical performance, the focal point of the job and is actively supported by the body awareness coach through targeted measures. For this purpose, entire classes and also individual students are coached and accompanied professionally in the field of dance psychology.
  • Preparation for Auditions (if necessary)

Contact:

Matthew Squire 

Telephone: +49 (0)351 25906-65

Email: m.squire(at)palucca.eu

In the University’s physiotherapy centre, every student, during their entire dance education programme, receives dance-medical care and support or, if there is a specific health issue, advice at no costs. The physical therapist commands specific dance-related knowledge which enables her to find the optimal treatment for those physical demands which are particular for dancers. Fact is, dancers are not just artists, rather they are also high-performance athletes. 

Whether for an acute injury or for a chronic overuse, pupils and students in all class levels receive the appropriate therapeutic treatment and care. A therapeutic strategy is determined in close consultation with external physicians/therapists and the body awareness coach. After injury, there is a gradual build-up of physical mobility and strength until the reintegration into the daily courses is possible. A diagnostic analysis of dance movements is conducted in close cooperation with the body awareness coach. An assessment and diagnosis of an individual’s dance technique and possible weaknesses are decisive in the determination of therapy and subsequent rehabilitation.

Physiotherapeutic services/treatments:

  • Manual therapy
  • Manual lymphatic drainage
  • Soft tissue therapy
  • Taping
  • Fascia distortion model
  • Cupping
  • Massage techniques
  • Respiratory therapy
  • Vojta technique
  • Electrotherapy
  • Cryotherapy and thermotherapy
  • PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation)
  • Sport physiotherapy
  • Nerve mobilisation
  • Craniosacral therapy

Opening Hours:

The physiotherapy centre is open every day. Every pupil and student can arrange for their own appointments themselves. Additional appointments can be arranged with the physiotherapist and the body awareness coach as needed.

Contact:

Danila Reitz

Telephone: +49 (0)351 25906-38

Email: d.reitz(at)palucca.eu

A healthy and balanced diet is of the highest priority in order to ensure optimal physical performance, physical development and health of all pupils and students. Appropriate nutrition plays a very important role during the entire education at the Palucca University of Dance Dresden and it is an integral part of our curriculum.

Our health team monitors the developing dancers and advises them regarding any nutritional questions that might arise. The University also offers courses, lectures and workshops concerning nutritional balance. Foods are analysed, various forms of nutrition are discussed and specific nutritional plans are drawn up. Furthermore, the students can take advantage of individual nutritional counselling - based upon an analysis of their current diet. The concept of nutritional counselling was developed within the scope of a research project. It is based upon the most recent scientific findings regarding dance nutrition and follows the recommendations made by the German Nutrition Society (DGE) for the appropriate nutrition relative to age and performance.

Further information about nutritional counselling:

Contact:

Young Mi Lee

Telephone: +49 (0)351 25906-65

Email: ernaehrungsberatung(at)palucca.eu or ym.lee(at)palucca.eu

The Palucca University of Dance Dresden provides a relaxation room which pupils and students can access at any time and use to reflect and relax or simply to just get away.

In addition, the University has an excellently equipped fitness room allowing for various types of training. Pupils, students, and university personnel as well may train there after a short orientation session with the body awareness coach. Various types of machines ensure the improvement of the intermuscular and intramuscular coordination, flexibility and stretching abilities as well as opportunities to relieve stress.

The fitness room is equipped among others with:

  • Pilates equipment: Reformers, Pilates Boxes, Ladder Barrel, Pilates Wunda Chair, Magic Circle, Pilates Rollers
  • Endurance and conditioning training: ergometer, elliptical trainer, jump ropes
  • Free weights: barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, medicine balls
  • Proprioceptive training: balance pads and cushions, balance boards, balance mats, and tactile training pads.
  • Classical training: mats, wall bars, soft balls, gymnastic balls, trampoline, pully system, TheraBand and TheraBand loops, fascia rollers
  • Coordination training: hurdles, speed ladders

Contact:

Matthew Squire

Telephone: +49 (0)351 25906-65

Email: m.squire(at)palucca.eu