I just returned from the Healthy Dancer Canada annual conference which was held in Montreal, QC this month. Attending conferences (and any professional development opportunities really) is high on my list of things that fill my bucket, and this conference is no exception. On this week's podcast episode, I discuss what makes this particular conference unique compared with other conferences I attend regularly, some of my highlights from the weekend, as well as some key takeaway messages.

Learn more about Healthy Dancer Canada

Learn more about Erika Mayall:

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Pelvic health for dancers is an area of clinical practice that is currently growing in research and awareness. This week on the podcast, I'm joined by Dr. Brooke Winder to discuss pelvic health issues that are common in dancers. In this episode, we cover common pelvic health symptoms that dancers (of all ages) may experience, why stubborn back, pelvic girdle or hip pain may actually be related to your pelvic floor, and how certain cueing or technique used in dance may be contributing to pelvic floor dysfunction.

About Dr. Brooke Winder:

Brooke Winder is a Southern California-based physical therapist who specializes in dance medicine and in addressing issues within and surrounding the pelvic floor for performing artists. She is an Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Dance Science degree program at California State University Long Beach, and also serves patients through her clinical practice, Renew Motion Physical Therapy Inc. She is adept at assisting performers in optimizing pelvic and orthopedic health while navigating common issues such as hypermobility. 

Dr. Winder has presented at several national and international conferences, and her research has been published in the Journal of Women’s & Pelvic Health Physical Therapy, Journal of Dance Medicine & Science, Clinical Biomechanics, Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, Journal of Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy, and Orthopedic Physical Therapy Practice. 

Dr. Winder teaches continuing education courses for rehabilitation professionals that focus on addressing pelvic health in artistic athletes, and has authored and co-authored pelvic floor-focused chapters in recent books including The ‘Female’ Dancer: A Soma-scientific Approach, Dance Injuries: Reducing Risk and Maximizing Performance, and Myths of Menopause: A Guide to Increasing Your Menopause Wisdom. She also regularly teaches workshops on injury risk-reduction as well as pelvic floor health for dancers and dance educators. She is a Board-Certified Specialist in Orthopedic physical therapy, a BASI-Certified Pilates Instructor, and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA. She has a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of Southern California, a BFA in Dance from Chapman University, and formerly danced professionally for the Southern-California based contemporary company Backhausdance.

Connect with Brooke:
Website: Renew Motion Physical Therapy
Instagram: @drbrookewinderpt

Learn more about Erika Mayall:

• Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerika
• Learn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.com
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Progressing to pointe work has long been considered a rite of passage for many aspiring ballet dancers. However, it does not come without risks. Dancing en pointe increases the forces placed on the foot by up to 12x bodyweight, and if progressed too soon can lead to an increased risk of pain and injury.

Historically, dancers were thought to be ready to start training en pointe at 12 years of age.  However, with advances in dance science, it is now known that there are many complex factors besides chronological age which can help to determine when it is safe for a dancer to progress en pointe.

In this week's podcast episode, I discuss the benefits of having a formal pre-pointe readiness screening assessment, including an update on current research. You'll learn which functional tasks have been validated in the research to have the highest correlation with readiness to progress to pointe work.

Pointe Assessment Resources:
Pre-Pointe Assessment Toolkit

Research articles mentioned in this episode:
Determining Pointe Readiness Readiness in Young Adolescent Female Dancers: A Systematic Review

Pointe Assessment Screen Shah Edison (PASSE) for Pointe Readiness: A Pilot Study

Functional Criteria for Assessing Pointe Readiness

Episodes mentioned in this podcast:
Episode 4: Pre-Pointe Assessments

Learn more about Erika Mayall:

• Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerika
• Learn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.com
• Sign up for my newsletter: Click here
• Send me an email: [email protected]

Did you know that despite ballet being predominantly populated by cis gender girls in training settings (92% in the UK), men take up the vast majority of leadership roles (artistic directors, choreographers etc). In this week's podcast episode, I sit down with Anna Morgan to chat about her master's research into gender equity in ballet leadership and training, and what she's learned over the past few years diving into this data. She shares some of the problems that arise when ballet is taught with a rigid, binary structure and ways we can make ballet a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all dancers, regardless of their gender identity.

About Anna Morgan 

Anna is an educator, choreographer, adjudicator and researcher, working mainly within ballet. Her choreography has been presented worldwide, with recent work in the USA, France, Puerto Rico and at Sadler’s Wells, London. She has taught for institutions including the Royal Ballet School, Bird College and Performers College, and adjudicates for All England Dance. She also sits on the Advisory Board for the TIRED Movement. 

Anna has recently completed the MA course at Rambert School, where her research focuses on gender equity in ballet leadership and training. She has shared this research widely through lectures, digital content and professional development seminars, including as a speaker at the 2025 IADMS Conference in Las Vegas.

Connect with Anna:
Website: www.annamorgandance.com
Instagram: @annamorgandance

Download your FREE guide - Gender in Ballet: best practice guide for teachers and leaders

Learn more about Erika Mayall:

• Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerika
• Learn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.com
• Sign up for my newsletter: Click here
• Send me an email: [email protected]

In this episode, I discuss hip dysplasia and why it matters for dancers. You'll learn exactly what hip dysplasia is, how it is diagnosed, and common complications that may arise for dancers with hip dysplasia. You'll also learn teaching and treatment techniques to help minimize the effects of hip dysplasia for dancers.

Learn more about Erika Mayall:

• Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerika
• Learn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.com
• Sign up for my newsletter: Click here
• Send me an email: [email protected]

In this podcast episode I recap my recent presentation at the IADMS Annual Conference in Las Vegas, a workshop with longtime friend, mentor and colleague Astrid Sherman.

Comprised of 26 bones, 33 joints and hundreds of muscles, the foot is a complex structure. It functions to support the body, absorb shock, and facilitate movement through locomotion. It can also give us information about how a dancer is moving and functioning. Clenching toes when “pointing the foot” in plantar flexion, gripping the floor in standing and/or knuckling ‘en-pointe’ are common patterns seen in dancer’s that may indicate weakness, muscle imbalances, or deficiencies in technique or training.

Other episodes mentioned in this podcast:

Episode 56: Dancer's Feet - Form vs Function

Learn more about Erika Mayall:

• Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerika
• Learn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.com
• Sign up for my newsletter: Click here
• Send me an email: [email protected]

In this episode I'm joined by Dr. Julieann Berg, physical therapist and Latin dancer extraordinaire. We chat about common injuries she sees in the Latin dance community, why strength training is so important for dancers, and how to determine if you're ready to dance in heels.

About Julieann 

Dr. Julieann Berg is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, Latin dancer, and the dance community’s go-to PT. With over 25 years of dance experience and 8 years in clinical practice, she specializes in helping dancers of all genres build strength, recover from injuries, and perform at their best. 

Based in San Diego, she continues to train in and teach salsa and bachata while running her signature Strong Dancer Coaching program—designed to help dancers stay powerful, resilient, and injury-free. 

Her mission is to see every dance studio equipped with a strength and conditioning program (and a rack of kettlebells) to support the long-term health and performance of dancers everywhere. 

Connect with Julieann:
Website: www.drjulieanndancept.com
Instagram: @julieanndancept

Download your free Heels Readiness Checklist here

Learn more about Erika Mayall:

• Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerika
• Learn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.com
• Sign up for my newsletter: Click here
• Send me an email: [email protected]

I'm freshly back from the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science Annual conference in Las Vegas and feeling refreshed and inspired. In this podcast episode, I recap my time at the conference and highlight my top 5 takeaways from the conference.

Learn more about Erika Mayall:

• Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerika
• Learn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.com
• Sign up for my newsletter: Click here
• Send me an email: [email protected]

In this special milestone podcast episode, I reflect back on the past 100 episodes of The Dance Physio Podcast, and celebrate the community that has been created through the podcast. Through generous support from some incredible sponsors, we also have some amazing giveaways, specially curated for you! 

Prize giveaway is open until end of day, September 30th, 2025. Listen to the episode to find out how to enter. Winners will be drawn at random from all entries received.

Sponsors:

The Dance Leadership Institute has donated a full scholarship to the Leadership in Dance Online Certification Course.

Pivot Dancer has donated 1 free month on the Pivot Dancer platform.

Allegro Performance + Wellness has donated a 60min online consult.

Rosina Andrews has donated an ebook copy of Pirouette Surgery® and its accompanying teacher kit.

The Library Aesthetic Dance Media has donated 2x individual annual subscriptions and 1x studio annual subscription.

Top 5 Downloaded Episodes:

Episode 11: Flexibility for Dancers - Part 1 Flexibility vs Mobility

Episode 1: My Journey as a Dance Physiotherapist

Episode 7: Dance Conditioning – Cross training vs supplemental training 

Episode 8: The Truth About Turnout

Episode 55: Strength Training for Dancers

Learn more about Erika Mayall:

• Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerika
• Learn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.com
• Sign up for my newsletter: Click here
• Send me an email: [email protected]

A question I often get from dance parents is 'how can I help my dancer advocate for themselves in the studio?'. Although I love the care and intention behind this question, I actually think we're approaching the whole situation wrong.

In this podcast episode, I discuss why I think that's the case and how we can flip our thinking to actually better support our dancers. In a culture where dancers are already vulnerable to power dynamics, asking them to advocate for themselves is just one more example of putting the burden on the person with the least amount of control over the situation.

Learn more about Erika Mayall:

• Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerika
• Learn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.com
• Sign up for my newsletter: Click here
• Send me an email: [email protected]