Safe Dance

Safe Dance - Part 1 Choosing Your Dance Teacher/School
By Fiona Oliver & Tabetha Wright Western Australian Professional Advanced Method (WAPAM) Safe Dance, Exercise and Rehabilitation Safe Dance does not start in the dance class, but with the parent and student upon deciding to learn to dance. It may not be immediate, but long term damage is quite common with students that train for even short periods of time using unsafe dance practices. As time progresses and we learn more about our body’s functions and psyche, we know that avoiding such activities will increase quality of life and life expectancy. When we say SAFE DANCE we think of the tangible (physical)…..what about the emotional and mental safety of our children, family members, students and clients. These too should also be taken into consideration when selecting dance lessons of any kind. What is Safe Dance? Safe –meaning guarded, protected, secure, intact, undamaged, unharmed, dependable, reliable, trustworthy, non hazardous, the risks have been reduced to as low as possible, not involving loss or injury, also referring to safety of persons trust. Dance – a series of rhythmic concerted movements and steps timed to music Putting these two meanings together… SAFE DANCE – A series of rhythmic concerted movements and steps timed to music that are non hazardous and are not involving risk/loss/injury/harm also conferring safety of persons trust. There is so much controversy and confusion over which dance school to go to and whether to do R.A.D. or Cecchetti training etc. and this can be disconcerting to the parent and or student… educate yourself in this area and ask potential teachers questions.

	Fiona Oliver (left) & Tabetha Wright (right)

Here are a few easy but essential rules you can follow….

Does the dance studio/teacher conduct a health evaluation with a postural analysis?
(IMPERATIVE)
The evaluation and postural analysis will indicate problems that the teacher will need to address initially in class. It will also highlight things like exercises the student can or cannot do to ensure there is no further injury, and the injury/ies are rehabilitated/helped.
Will the evaluation identify postural problems i.e.: Genu Valgum (knock knees), Genu Varum (bow legs), leg length inequalities, lordosis, scoliosis etc. and recommend a medical check up with a doctor/physio if abnormalities are found? Some of these problems, if known, can be rehabilitated to an extent muscularly through correct class training and medical guidance from the appropriate practitioners. It is important that the teacher is aware of any problems, so as not to further aggravate them.

Does the teacher have an approved working with children check?
(MANDATORY).
Parents/children/students need to feel safe with their teachers...after all you wouldn't leave your most precious possession in the hands of just any one - I know we wouldn’t.

Does the teacher demonstrate all work?
(IMPERATIVE)
This is in order for the students to see how each exercise and movement is done correctly. The quality and skill level of the teacher is crucial as the students will mimic the teacher’s technique… good or bad.

What sort of floor is in the studio?
(IT IS HIGHLY DESIRABLE TO HAVE A SPRUNG WOODEN FLOOR OR SPECIALTY DANCE FLOOR)
This is the best floor to use in our opinion as the floor absorbs some of the impact whilst dancing. Be very wary of some Recreation or Community hall facilities as they may have parquet tiling or aerobic underlay - laid on top of a solid concrete pad. Concrete does not absorb impact with the dancer’s movements and can cause considerable injury to knees, ankles and the spine. Specialty dance flooring companies can provide a variety of safe dance floor surfaces with cushioning and skid resistance.

How many students are in the class – is there overcrowding?
(RECOMMENDED MAX CLASS SIZE IS 12-15 STUDENTS)
The number of students in a class is of great importance. The more crowded the class, the less time the teacher has with each student to correct bad technique, thus increasing the risk of major injuries.

Does the method of training create or aggravate injury, or does it help rehabilitate while training?
Few Dance Syllabi can help during the rehabilitation process whilst you are still training however WAPAM Safe Dance does exactly that.

It is important to thoroughly research all your options when considering a career in dance or to dance just for fun. Be safe for yourself and your child - DO NOT BE AFRAID TO ASK QUESTIONS.

Look for Part 2 of Safe Dance in your next edition which will further explore some of the key areas to look out for when training.

Creator and writer of WAPAM Fiona Oliver has over 40yrs experience in the dance/ballet industry – in conjunction with her daughter Tabetha Wright (an accomplished gym instructor and personal trainer of over 10 years) they have developed this SAFE DANCE SYLLABI to its final stages after 29yrs of research.

The development of WAPAM was catalysed as a result of Fiona’s 6 major car accidents and current fitness industry standards (Tabetha). Fiona has rehabilitated her self through this unique method of training and it has given her the ability to perform and teach for over 30years against medical beliefs at the time. Click Here to read more.

The entire WAPAM Syllabi is based on safe dance techniques.

WAPAM is based at Orphean’s Dance Studio’s, 1st Floor, 302 Great Eastern Highway in Midland WA.
For further information contact Fiona or Tabetha on (08) 92741111 or 0438172330 / 0406752743.