Resources catalogue for professionals

This Dance and Health Guide is published with the support of the French Ministry of Culture

Why this guide?
To ensure that health issues are better taken into account in the world of dance
To enable everyone to grasp the basic concepts and develop good habits and practices
To raise awareness of the risks during training and throughout a dancer’s career

Fo who?
A toolkit for dancers, teachers, students, employers, choreographers, ballet masters…

How?
A concise format, with the following for each topic covered:
An informative text
Recommendations and advice

Dancers possess a certain amount of practical knowledge derived from their experience and years of physical training, which they share informally. This guide helps to organise this knowledge in a more formal way and, in some cases, to correct it, to suggest other tools or approaches derived from research, and to identify key elements in prevention. It thus facilitates the sharing of knowledge and expertise to collectively consider the role of health in dance, taking into account, as far as possible, the diversity of employment conditions, dance styles and contexts.
When it comes to health and care, everyone has a responsibility: dancers as well as employers, institutions as well as practitioners. It is indeed essential to be both supported and self-reliant in prevention. 
This guide therefore aims to help everyone find their way around by sharing general information, practical advice, resources and recommendations. It is intended to be a general guide and covers all forms of dance. The specialists who have contributed to this text are experts in their fields and come from a variety of disciplines (medicine, paramedicine, psychology, sports science, humanities and social sciences, and movement analysis), ensuring a multidisciplinary approach. This guide therefore brings together different practices and draws on a range of perspectives and knowledge, as only a cross-disciplinary approach can enable us to collectively consider and support the health of dancers.

Le forum international Danse et Santé a eu lieu les 27 & 28.11.2014, il a été organisé par le CN D grâce au mécénat de la société Harlequin. 

Pendant deux jours, cinquante intervenants de treize nationalités sont venus échanger, témoigner et apporter leur contribution sur les enjeux et pratiques en matière de santé. Tables rondes et ateliers ont permis d’aborder les questions d’éducation, de nutrition, d’entraînement, de récupération et de prévention des risques liés à la pratique professionnelle de la danse. Ce temps fort a permis de confronter les pratiques développées dans plusieurs pays afin de sensibiliser les professionnels de la danse et de contribuer à une médecine mieux adaptée aux spécificités de la danse.

The Dance Studios Guide is published with the support of the Ministry of Culture.

Why this guide?
To provide guidance on any project involving the design, construction, upgrading to current standards or renovation of a dance studio;
To ensure the safety and quality of dance practice, whilst taking into account issues of inclusion and accessibility, social and environmental responsibility, and energy efficiency;
To help identify the needs the studio must meet according to its intended uses.

Who is it for?
A resource for venue owners, operators, management teams at educational institutions and cultural organisations, local authorities, teaching and technical staff, artists, programme curators, architects and design consultancies…

How?
A method based on an analysis of usage patterns
Legal and technical information
Feedback and advice
Thematic focus sections on the challenges of energy and environmental transition, accessibility and health

The publication of this guide follows numerous meetings and discussions with dance artists, teachers, technical managers and healthcare professionals, who have highlighted the need for a framework for reflection and recommendations for dance studios. This guide therefore sets out the fundamental elements required to ensure the safety, comfort and quality of all dance activities, whether involving amateur or professional artists of all ages. It covers creative and rehearsal studios as well as teaching studios and even the stage itself. The sections cover the building as a whole, the floor, lighting, thermal and acoustic insulation, ancillary spaces and equipment, with particular attention paid to issues of accessibility, energy and environmental sustainability, and the protection of users’ health.

Whilst not claiming to be exhaustive, this guide sets out the knowledge, practices and regulations current at the time of writing, and we urge readers to remain vigilant regarding any subsequent developments – particularly regulatory changes – that may need to be taken into account.