Fatigue & overuse identified as injury risks for dancers

A new survey points to a rise in significant injuries, but also suggests that education, policies and interventions are helping shape safer dancing practices.

Image via Shutterstock.

A new survey of 195 Australian professional dancers has found that 97% of respondents experienced at least one significant injury in their dance career, compared with 89% in 1999.

The survey, conducted by The University of Sydney and Ausdance National, also found that 73% of dancers reported experiencing a dance-related injury in the past 12 months.

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Richard Watts is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM, and serves as the Chair of La Mama Theatre's volunteer Committee of Management. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, and was awarded the status of Melbourne Fringe Living Legend in 2017. In 2020 he was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize. Most recently, Richard was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Green Room Awards Association in June 2021. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts