Is starting dance class with jumping jacks, high knees, and other impact-heavy movement actually the best way to warm up? After noticing this in class after class, I decided to dig into the research on dance injury prevention.

Along the way, I surveyed my audience, explored recommendations from dance medicine specialists, and looked at what sports science actually says about preparing the body for impact and avoiding joint pain.

In this episode, I share all of that! Plus, my own experience returning to dance after three decades away, why this dance warm-up question kept following me for years, and what finally sent me down the research rabbit hole.

Whether you're a dancer, dance teacher, studio owner, or simply someone who wants to keep dancing for as long as possible, I trust you'll find this conversation fascinating and important.

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Studies mentioned in the episode (in the order they were mentioned):

1. IADMS Resource Paper ⁠https://iadms.org/media/5788/iadms-resource-paper-the-importance-of-a-good-warm-up.pdf⁠

2. Shellock & Prentice 1985 — Sports Medicine ⁠https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3849057/⁠

3. ⁠https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/how-to-do-jumping-jacks⁠

4. Kaufmann et al. 2022 — Journal of Dance Medicine and Science ⁠https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36096663/⁠

5. Dr. Carrie Skony 2024 — Perform Active Wellness ⁠https://www.academydancearts.com/post/ready-set-dance-understanding-the-importance-of-warming-up-for-dancers⁠