Read, here, my abstract:

This interactive workshop will explore how restoring functional glide in the hip joint through manual and verbal cueing as well as imagery will relieve pressure from the lumbar spine thereby enhancing both the aesthetics of the iconic arabesque as well as aid in the prevention of common injuries. Understanding the arthrokinematics involved in the arabesque can become a powerful teaching tool in restoring a more balanced load to joints and soft tissues. Strategies for increasing hip joint proprioception will be presented with a focus on restoring a balanced use of the deep gluteal muscles. The challenge in maintaining external rotation of the hip without sacrificing hip extension will be discussed. Verbal cues and imagery to assist dancers in feeling extension of their hip joint will be covered. Helping dancers to sense arabesque from the inside out can empower them by providing an energetic process rather than approaching the line as a static position.

Read, here, my abstract:

Purpose: The arthrokinematics of the lower leg indicate that during the up phase of plié, the lower leg spirals out. When a dancer pronates, this natural skeletal rhythm is compromised. The author of this abstract has observed that there is also a loss of deep external rotator engagement further up the kinetic chain. This session will explore integrating hip-initiated turnout with lower leg arthrokinematics during the up phase of plié as a way to correct pronation. Attendees will learn how to observe the relationship in the kinetic chain between pronation, lower leg rotation, and deep external rotator engagement. A wrapping system will be utilized to improve proprioception via the fascial system.

Literature Review: Research articles and literature reviews indicate both the complexity of foot and ankle biomechanics as well as lower leg involvement in turnout. Pronation has been found to be a strategy involved with forcing turnout, but the up phase of plié as a measurable component in the study of turnout related dance injuries appears to be unaddressed.

Methods: A movement educator/ballet teacher will guide participants through an analysis of the up phase of plié. A hip-to-foot wrapping system will be introduced and applied, allowing participants to both sense and cue the kinetic chain. The information will be presented through a combination of practitioner wisdom as well as a movement session.

Results and Discussion: Research has shown that pronation occurs when turnout is forced, but it also occurs as a result of faulty arthrokinematics of the lower leg during the up phase of plié. Correcting pronation is often difficult and is usually approached in a compartmentalized manner via foot intrinsic and extrinsic exercises executed outside of the ballet studio as well as corrective verbal cues by ballet teachers and movement educators. 

Conclusion:  A dancer’s foot needs to be both malleable and rigid depending on the movement task. By applying a coordinated effort of correct biomechanics at the foot and ankle with lower leg skeletal rhythm and deep external rotator engagement during the up phase of a plié, pronation can be controlled and the energy storing potential of the foot can be restored.

The up phase of plié is the initiation of dancing. It's used for propelling a dancer through space and into the air. If pliés are only evaluated in terms of the down phase, then they remain limited to shock absorption. By taking a fresh look at what happens on the way up from plié, clinicians, movement educators, and ballet teachers can discover all kinds of applications for injury prevention as well as technique enhancement.

I co-presented with dance PT Kendall Alway, of San Francisco Performing Arts Physical Therapy.

Read, here, the abstract:

Purpose:  Physical therapists, athletic trainers, and ballet teachers are the intended audience of this interactive session.  Ballet dancers’ habitual alignment and movement patterns have an effect on functional or maladaptive use of the kinetic chain. Techniques for treatment of the ballet dancer's pelvic alignment will be presented in a laboratory format with the aim of recognizing and retraining muscular overuse patterns at the hip and pelvis leading to injuries in this population. 

Literature review: We will be presenting research addressing the relationship of the dynamic use of the pelvis in dance. The authors have a combined experience of 47 years working in the field of dance medicine and treating ballet dancers from beginners to advanced professionals and have anecdotal evidence indicating a link between ballet dancers' faulty pelvic alignment and overuse injuries. 

Learning Outcomes:  In this interactive session attendees will gain understanding of muscular overuse patterns in the pelvic region of ballet dancers and learn techniques including manual and  verbal cueing for the treatment of this area. Participants will gain a better understanding of both the mechanics and aesthetics of ballet as they relate to pelvic alignment and hip engagement.

Conclusion: Physical therapists may not feel confident in addressing the technique errors of a dancer. Ballet teachers might use imagery without realizing a possible contribution to overuse injuries. Attendees will learn to notice and evaluate dynamic pelvic placement errors to enhance patient outcomes. Participants will leave the session with a more nuanced understanding of pelvic stabilization in ballet. Physical therapists and athletic trainers will gain tools to better treat dancers working in an aesthetic context.