Irish dance, with its intricate footwork, vibrant music, and rich cultural heritage, is not just a performance art; it’s also a powerful workout regimen. While many may associate Irish dance primarily with its grace and beauty, few realize the intense physical demands it places on the body. Read on to explore the myriad workout benefits…
Success as a running back in the NFL requires strength, stamina, speed, and fancy footwork. Players spend countless hours strengthening their legs and improving their footwork, but few of them do it the same way NFL running back Alex Collins does. He swears by traditional Irish dancing as part of his workout regimen to strengthen…
In this episode, we are joined by Dustin Jesberger, PT, DPT from RUSH Physical Therapy who shares insight into common injuries in the performing arts industry. Dustin explains the types of injuries seen in the performing arts space and his role in helping keep these performers as healthy as possible. [spreaker type=player resource=”episode_id=46038223″ width=”100%” height=”200px”…
Dancers leaps, turns, and lifts can seemingly defy laws of physics. In order to jump higher and turn faster, dancers must implement cross-training for strength and endurance. Dancers from around the world have faced new challenges practicing at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, more than ever, it is important for dancers to pursue…
More than two decades ago, Ginna Kopecky, 63, of Wheaton, fell in love with Jazzercise as an exciting way to stay in shape. She loved the dance moves and all-over body workout it gave her. Performing Jazzercise also seemed to relieve the chronic back discomfort she experienced since she was in a car accident as…
The majority of the country has adopted shelter in place policies, which means many of our daily routines have been disrupted. For Joffrey Ballet dancer Derrick Agnoletti, this means being unable to attend daily ballet class and rehearsals with his colleagues. As a physical therapist, I am adjusting treatment sessions in order to continue to…
Cirque du Soleil athlete Madeline Stammen returns to figure skating after ACL reconstruction: I was thrilled that Dr. Cole was able to do my second ACL reconstruction. It is always scary putting your body, which is your career, at the hands of another. I had heard about Dr. Cole’s expertise and knew he had done…
Rachel Wise, Physical Therapist with Athletico and the Joffrey Ballet joins Dr. Brian Cole and Steve Kashul to discuss physical therapy for dancers. They discuss how physical therapy for dance differs from other sports, the most common dance injuries, and the everyday schedule of a physical therapist traveling with a dance company. Rachel Wise, PT,…
Megan Chiu, now 19, was a stand-out at the Chicago Multi-Cultural Dance Center and impressed at the Chicago High School for the Arts. When she left for Point Park University in Pittsburgh to pursue a ballet dance major, she was determined to excel. Yet, an ambiguous injury during her junior year of high school left…
By: Erica Hornthal, LCPC, BC-DMT,”CEO, Chicago Dance Therapy The mind-body connection is a hot topic and it is more than mindfulness and meditation. Embodiment is the ability to connect to your feelings, senses, thoughts, sensations and existence, not just in your mind, but in your physical being as well. When we disconnect from our bodies,…
Clinical counselor and dance movement therapist Erica Hornthal gives us tips on how to get your mind to a new place this summer.
Sports medicine and foot and ankle specialists from Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush (MOR), who are also on staff at Rush University Medical Center?(RUMC), have been selected to serve as preferred medical providers for The Joffrey Ballet, the world-class dance company located in Chicago. The Joffrey Ballet is the newest professional athletic organization for which this…