All events are FREE and presented by generous volunteers
The ODC Healthy Dancers' Clinic celebrates dancers' wellness through the Month for Dancers’ Health. Join Physicians, Nutritionists, Mental Health Specialists, Physical Therapists, and other health practitioners who specialize in dancers' health for an array of workshops, presentations, and individual sessions available throughout the month of February 2025.
The Healthy Dancers' Clinic at ODC, through the volunteer collaboration of academic healthcare professionals, strives to improve the well-being and healthcare of the dance community through education, musculoskeletal screening, integration of health services, enlightened treatment protocols and injury data analysis, hoping to culminate in prevention.
All of the HDC's services are offered at no cost and we rely on donations to support our ongoing programs.
Donate to ODC Healthy Dancers' Clinic
Complete Clinics
The Complete Healthy Dancers' Clinic is a free clinic that focuses on dancers' holistic well being. These appointments are one hour long with a team of our volunteer practitioners. Appointments may be curated to each individual dancers' needs ranging from acute injury, chronic injury, mental health, nutrition, etc.
Sunday, February 2, 2025, 9:00am - 12:00pm
Presentations
Behind the Curtain: Eating Disorders in Dance with Amy Kathleen Lee and Yoni Banayan
Thursday, February 6, 2025, 5:30 - 7:00pm
Online Lecture/Q&A
In this presentation, we will discuss eating disorders in dance and the reasons why many dancers struggle with food, body image, and identity. Participants will hear examples of the most common contributing factors behind the eating disorder diagnosis and what drives the behaviors. They will learn simple and effective healing-oriented movements to enhance well-being and ways to manage triggers on and off the dance floor. This presentation aims to give dancers a new perspective on eating disorders and a new narrative around recovery and what it means to heal and find balance once again.
Amy Kathleen Lee is the Founder of Dancing with ED, Inc. She is an award-winning eating disorder recovery advocate, speaker, counseling and intervention specialist, and suicide prevention trainer. She has worked in mental health education and suicide prevention for over ten years. Amy is also a former pre-professional classical ballet dancer who survived an 18-year battle with bulimia. In 2013, she founded the nonprofit organization Dancing with ED, Inc., to inspire all dance community members to love and care for their bodies through eating disorder awareness, outreach, and education. Dance is her passion. You can find her taking classes at Ballet Arizona on the weekends.
Yoni (or Yehonatan) Banayan, L.M.F.T and founder of Earth’s Edge Wellness is an eating disorder and trauma specialist whose background includes psychodrama, somatic experiencing, body oriented trauma healing and a combination of holistic yogic practices that are geared towards strengthening the nervous and endocrine systems. He is the founder of Earth’s Edge Wellness; a wellness center geared towards solution oriented practices for individuals interested in resolving their trauma, eating disorders or anxiety disorder for good. Yoni and his team use a combination of education, nutrition, conversation and healing oriented movements to take individuals from triggered states to sustainable and reliable results.
Concussion in Dance with Dr. Stephanie Greenspan, DPT
Saturday, February 8, 2025, 9:30 - 10:15am
Online Lecture/Q&A
Closed Captioning available
A concussion is an injury to the brain that can have negative consequences on physical and mental health, especially if not managed appropriately. Concussions in dance typically result from a fall or a sudden impact to a dancer’s head, neck, or body. In this session we will discuss what happens to the brain when a concussion occurs, how teachers or family members can recognize signs of a concussion, and best practices for concussion management. In addition, we will talk about how rehabilitation of dancers after concussion needs to account for the specific physical and environmental demands of dance.
Stephanie Greenspan is a Doctor of Physical Therapy with post-graduate residency/fellowship training and board specialties in orthopaedic and neurologic physical therapy. She founded her own company, Artletic Science in 2021, with the mission to enhance the health and performance of artist athletes through research, education, and physical therapy. As a clinician, she works with recreational to professional level circus artists and dancers with a focus on decreasing injury risk and optimizing performance. As an Adjunct Associate Professor at Samuel Merritt University, she studies injuries in circus artists and 3D motion analysis with electromyography in aerialists. She chairs the Surveillance of Injuries for Research on Circus (SIRC) working group that created a consensus statement for injury surveillance in circus and is co-editor of the Sciences section for the journal Circus Arts, Life and Sciences.
Core Canister: Unlocking Spinal Decompression and Stability through Dynamic Neuromuscular Principles with Dr. Karah Charette, DPT
Sunday, February 9, 2025, 11:15am - 12:45pm
In-Person and online - Studio B
Workshop/Practicum
In this workshop, we will dive into the revolutionary concepts of Dynamic Neuromuscular Stability (DNS), exploring the core not just as a set of muscles, but as a sophisticated, pressure-regulated canister that plays a critical role in spinal health and overall functional stability. Understanding how to manage and control intra-abdominal pressure within this canister is key to not only preventing back pain but also enhancing core strength, improving posture, and optimizing movement patterns.
Whether you’re dealing with chronic back pain, a “weak core,” hypermobility, hip pain, or pelvic floor dysfunctions like prolapse or pain, this workshop offers practical insights and strategies to address these challenges. By learning how to activate and coordinate the core system effectively, we can reduce unnecessary strain on the spine and promote optimal spinal elongation, decompressing the vertebrae for lasting relief.
In this interactive session, we will:
- Break down the mechanics of the core as a pressure-regulated canister and its role in spinal health.
- Discuss the three core principles that ensure the system functions efficiently.
- Learn how to activate the core through developmental kinesiology and reflexive movement patterns to restore proper alignment and functional movement.
- Explore practical techniques to integrate these principles into everyday movement, helping you move with more stability, less pain, and greater freedom.
This workshop is ideal for any dancer or mover experiencing chronic pain, discomfort, or limitations in movement related to the core, pelvis, or spine.
Join Dr. Charette to explore how proper core activation, when understood through the lens of DNS, can restore your body’s natural ability to move efficiently, comfortably, and with less pain.
Presenter Bio: Dr. Karah Charette, PT, DPT, RYT (she/her/hers) is a doctor of physical therapy who specializes in pelvic health. She attended Hobart and William Smith Colleges, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Dance. She received her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Columbia University. A dancer for more than 20 years, Karah believes in the power of movement and its connection to expression and the human experience. Karah is also a 200 hour registered yoga teacher after doing a training in Thailand based in Ashtanga Vinyasa styled flow. She is certified in classical and contemporary Pilates mat and reformer techniques. Karah also frequently practices different somatic modalities including Body-Mind Centering and is Polyvagal informed in her teachings. Karah co-owns a pelvic health clinic in Oakland and brings her knowledge of clinical anatomy, nervous system informed care, and embodied movement practices to the classes she creates to provide an experience that is welcoming, safe, and healing for all bodies.
Embodying Organic Support to Balance the Spine through Movement: A Body-Mind Centering® Approach with Sonja Riket
Sunday, February 9, 2025, 1:15 - 2:45pm
In-person Argyle Studio
Workshop/Practicum
Sonja Riket, Body-Mind Centering® Teacher, will facilitate this workshop focusing on the process of perception and kinesthetic awareness and how this can be a gateway into the relationship between the body, movement, and consciousness. Explorations will take us from perception of Self and Other to awakening the felt consciousness of our tissues. When awareness of perception is embodied, it can reveal to us who is living in this body. We will explore and integrate through movement and sound by oneself and in partnerships with others.
Sonja Riket is a Teacher in Body-Mind Centering®, Master Somatic Movement Therapist and Educator® and Registered Somatic Dance Educator®, Feldenkrais® practitioner, Aquatic Therapist and lifelong dancer. After attending MUDRA, the multidisciplinary school of Maurice Bejart in Brussels, Belgium, she performed worldwide with modern dance companies such as Lar Lubovtich, NYC; Jose Limon, NYC; Peter Goss, Paris, France; Folkwang Tanz Studio, Essen, Germany; Extemporary Dance Cie., London, UK . She taught extensively in Europe and the USA. Besides studying and performing numerous dance forms, Sonja has studied Authentic Movement, Alexander Technique, Jahara Aquatic Therapy, Aikido, Zen meditation and Jungian Psychology. She teaches classes and workshops in Transformation Tango and IntimateEmbraceTango as well as BMC® and Somatic Movement Meditation. In private practice since 1995, Sonja works with BMC and Feldenkrais hands-on sessions for all ages, from infants to the elderly. She is Faculty at the SF Community Music Center and was a guest lecturer at the Institute for Holistic Health Studies at SF State University for 18 years. For more information, please visit: www.HeartofEmbodiment.com and www.IntimateEmbraceTango.com
Pilates and the Dancer with Miquel Banket
Thursday, February 13, 2025, 11:00am - 12:00pm
In-Person - Contrology Studio inside ODC Commons
Workshop/Practicum
Discover the power of a strong and stable core in this specialized Pilates workshop at Contrology Studio. Learn techniques to improve pelvic alignment and core stability, enhancing overall balance, posture, and movement efficiency. This session will incorporate a variety of classical Pilates equipment to deepen your understanding and engagement. Whether you’re an athlete, dancer, or fitness enthusiast, this workshop will help you unlock your potential for safe and effective movement in everyday life and beyond.
Miquel danced with The Lula Washington Dance Theater, Jazz Antigua, The Philadelphia Dance Company (Philadanco), the Metropolitan Opera, the Los Angeles Opera, & Arizona Opera. He made his Broadway debut in the musical Amazing Grace and toured France, Belgium, & Russia with pop artist Mylene Farmer.
Miquel received his Pilates Certification in New York through Romanas Pilates. He has worked with all-body types, injuries, and conditions, from young dancers at the School of American Ballet to clients in every age group. He brings his years of experience from the stage and knowledge gained from his injuries or those of past/current clients to his sessions.
Low Impact Movement for Improved Balance, Coordination and Strength with Cathleen McCarthy
Tuesday, February 18, 2025, 12:00pm - 1:00pm
In Person and Online - Fisher Studio
Workshop/Practicum
This class is designed for new exercisers, those returning to exercise, and those who want to ease into movement thoughtfully to re-educate the body. Exercises will include joint mobilization, off balance exercises and fall recovery to improve balance, strengthening exercises for improved posture and respiration. Vision, vestibular, and proprioception exercises will also be included.
Cathleen McCarthy is faculty emeritus at San Francisco State University where she taught for 23 years. She danced professionally in NYC and the Bay Area after receiving a BFA in Dance from Purchase Conservatory of Dance in New York.
In 2011, she received an “Izzie” (Isadora Dance Award) for “Sustained Achievement”.
She is certified in Pilates, Gyrotonic and is a Z Health Master Trainer with a private practice.
Body Mind Method with Dr. Yana Nakhimova
Wednesday, February 19, 2025, 8:00 - 9:15pm
In Person - Feintech Studio
Workshop/Practicum
This introductory session offers a glimpse into the Body Mind Method, a unique, science-based approach that integrates movement and neuroplasticity to foster overall well-being. Participants will explore how movement can improve focus, memory, creativity, leadership, communication skills, and emotional balance. The class will include a combination of playful and mindful physical exercises, brain-body coordination activities, and reflective practices designed to enhance the connection between mind and body. By the end of the session, participants will have an understanding of how movement can be a powerful tool for mental, emotional, social, and physical health.
Dr. Yana Nakhimova is the founder of the Body Mind Method, a unique, science-based approach that integrates movement and neuroplasticity to enhance cognitive, emotional, social, and physical well-being. With a PhD in Social Sciences and extensive experience in behavioral health, Yana has successfully applied her method in diverse settings, including educational institutions and corporate wellness programs. Her holistic approach helps individuals improve focus, productivity, creativity, leadership, and emotional resilience through tailored movement practices.
Fueling the Theatre Athlete with Libby Parker, MS, RD, CDN, CEDS
Thursday, February 20, 2025, 5:00 - 6:00pm
Online Lecture/Q&A
This engaging talk is designed for dancers/performers who face the challenges of long rehearsal days and performance schedules. Participants will learn how to effectively fuel their bodies to maintain optimal health, energy levels, and digestive comfort. The session will focus on practical nutrition strategies, addressing common concerns within the performing arts community from a weight-inclusive, evidence-based perspective.
Libby Parker, MS, RD, CDN, CED-C (she/her) is an international best-selling author, speaker, and Certified Eating Disorders Specialist. Libby is "The Broadway DietitianⓇ" and provides weight-inclusive sports nutrition and eating disorder counseling for theatre athletes. This passion comes from her background performing in musical theatre. Libby recently founded a non-profit providing low-cost health services for theatre workers, and regularly speaks to performing arts organizations on health and nutrition for theatre athletes. She lives in NYC with her dog, Shira. You can find her on Instagram @TheBroadwayDietitian
TheBroadwayDietitian.com
HealthForTheArts.org
Debut book: Permission To Eat
Resilience in Motion: Strengthening the Mind, Body, and Spirit of Performing Artists with Kirsten Olshan
Saturday, February 22, 2025, 10:00am - 12:00pm
In person - Annex Studio
Workshop/Practicum
Performing artists face unique challenges that require resilience to maintain well-being and sustain a successful career. This workshop aims to provide performers with practical tools to build resilience, manage stress, and cultivate a healthy mindset. Through interactive exercises, discussions, and reflective practices, participants will explore strategies to enhance mental, physical, and emotional resilience. The workshop will use a mix of presentations, group discussions, guided exercises, and reflective journaling. Emphasis will be placed on experiential learning and peer support, ensuring that participants leave with practical tools that fit their unique needs as performing artists. This workshop is aimed at performing artists, including dancers, actors, musicians, and other creatives who want to develop skills for maintaining well-being and enhancing performance under pressure. Participants will leave the workshop with a clear understanding of resilience strategies tailored to the performing arts, equipped with tools to reduce stress, enhance mental focus, and sustain their passion for performing. Please bring a journal/notepad and pen/pencil to take notes.
Kirsten’s background is in the performing arts, exercise science and health promotion with a focus on sports psychology and nutrition. Her focus is on the psychology of human performance and to enhance the health and wellbeing of performing artists, athletes and high performers through health and wellness coaching, research, education. Kirsten works in partnership with her clients in a creative process that supports and inspires them to maximize their full potential. She uses a comprehensive, science-based, and tailored approach to creating sustainable behavior change related to healthy lifestyles. Kirsten has worked with athletes, professional athletes, coaches, executives, business professionals, clinicians and high-profile performing artists. She is a keynote speaker, wellness consultant and executive, health coach with AAE speakers, and leads mindfulness events as part of team retreats and events. She has led workshops on health and wellbeing globally and is a cancer advocate. Kirsten believes that mastering your energy is the most vital element to living a life of fulfillment and achievement.
Dancing Upside Down: Considerations for warm-up and progressions with ground-based inversions with Dr. Stephanie Greenspan, DPT and Dr. Alyssa Herrera-Set, DPT
Saturday, February 22, 2025, 3:00 - 4:00pm
In Person - Skirball Studio
Workshop/Practicum
ASL Interpretation available
This workshop provides dancers, dance educators, and healthcare professionals with strategies to enhance safety while teaching and practicing ground-based inversions and acrobatics in dance. We’ll begin with a brief discussion of injuries related to inversions and ground acrobatics and important safety considerations for teaching them. This will be followed by a movement session starting with warm-up exercises to prepare dancers for dancing on their hands with attention to the spine and upper extremities. The presenters will share their expertise from gymnastics, circus arts, dance, and rehabilitation by demonstrating skill progressions for introducing handstand-based inversions and basic tumbling with an opportunity for participants to experience the movements. The exercises and skill progressions will be targeted to dancers, dance educators and choreographers integrating inversions or acrobatics into class or choreography and healthcare providers working to return a dancer to full performance after injury.
Stephanie Greenspan is a Doctor of Physical Therapy with post-graduate residency/fellowship training and board specialties in orthopaedic and neurologic physical therapy. She founded her own company, Artletic Science in 2021, with the mission to enhance the health and performance of artist athletes through research, education, and physical therapy. As a clinician, she works with recreational to professional level circus artists and dancers with a focus on decreasing injury risk and optimizing performance. As an Adjunct Associate Professor at Samuel Merritt University, she studies injuries in circus artists and 3D motion analysis with electromyography in aerialists. She chairs the Surveillance of Injuries for Research on Circus (SIRC) working group that created a consensus statement for injury surveillance in circus and is co-editor of the Sciences section for the journal Circus Arts, Life and Sciences.
Alyssa Herrera-Set is the owner of On the Move Physical Therapy, a lecturer at University of California, San Francisco, the co-founder of an online women’s health company called Papaya Health, and the co-founder of gymSAFE, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health of gymnasts. She is passionate about detecting movement patterns that lead to injury. She enjoys building programs that help dancers and athletes develop good movement habits. Dr. Herrera-Set focused her undergraduate studies at UC Berkeley on education and ethnic studies. She received her master’s and doctorate degrees in physical therapy through UCSF/SFSU. She earned a Sports Physiotherapy diploma from the International Olympic Committee. Her movement philosophy is influenced by her lifelong participation in dance and gymnastics, her experience as a dance and gymnastics teacher, and her pilates education through Polestar Pilates.
Unlocking the Myofacial System for Dancers with Dr. Lea Torelli, DC
Sunday, February 23, 2025, 11:15am - 12:15pm
In Person, Studio B
Workshop/Practicum
Presentation Description: Learn how to unlock the secrets of your myofascial system to improve flexibility, strength, and overall performance on stage. This in-person workshop will be led by Lea Torelli, a former professional dancer turned clinician who focuses on the connection between tension, compression, Chiropractic and dance. You will be guided through techniques and exercises to enhance your dancing abilities.
You will learn:
- How to tell if your fascial network is working in it's ideal tension/compression state
- How to identify and unwind old fascial patterns
- How chiropractic care can support you through a long and healthy career
Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to take your skills to the next level! Bring clothes you can move in and a yoga mat.
Presenter Bio: Lea Torelli is a former professional dancer who spent several years performing in New York City before transitioning into Chiropractic Care. While attending Life Chiropractic College West in Hayward, CA, Lea has had the opportunity to work with performers and artists of all kinds, from professional dancers to circus artists to theater technicians and beyond. She currently works at Golden Gate Chiropractic in San Francisco. With a unique understanding of both the physical demands of dance and the healing potential of chiropractic care, Lea is committed to sharing her knowledge with the dance and performance communities. Her passion lies in helping dancers unlock their full potential through personalized care that optimizes flexibility, strength, and long-term performance.
Sweet Dreams for Dancers: How Better Sleep Boosts Energy, Balance, and Joy with Rachel Fleischman, LCSW, REAT
Sunday, February 23, 2025, 1:15pm - 2:15pm
In Person and online Fisher Studio
Workshop/Practicum
Sleep is more than just rest—it’s the secret ingredient to feeling your best, on and off the dance floor. In this workshop, we’ll dive into the fascinating science of sleep and discover how it supports energy, focus, and emotional balance. You’ll learn simple, enjoyable ways to create a sleep routine that leaves you feeling refreshed and ready for whatever the day (or dance class) brings. Whether you’re a beginner or just curious about sleep’s impact on your wellbeing, this session will provide fun, practical tips to help you relax, recharge, and find your flow.
Rachel Fleischman is a trailblazer in the fields of psychotherapy, expressive arts, and somatic healing. With over two decades of experience, she has empowered thousands of individuals to unlock their creativity, embrace self-compassion, and live more fulfilling lives.
As the founder of Bliss Counseling and the visionary behind Dance Your Bliss, a transformative movement system, Rachel works with individuals and couples navigating challenges like anxiety, depression, body image, intimacy, and life transitions. Her holistic approach integrates traditional therapy with innovative methods, including body-centered psychotherapy and mindfulness practices.
Currently, Rachel is developing a series of e-books and courses focusing on sleep health, body-centered psychotherapy, and mindfulness techniques. She also created the Relaxed and Real model, a groundbreaking framework for psychotherapists seeking to foster genuine client connections.
Rachel’s expertise and dynamic presence have made her a sought-after speaker and workshop leader. She has facilitated programs and retreats at renowned institutions like the Esalen Institute, Omega Institute, UCSF Women’s Health, Rancho La Puerta, and international conferences including the Hakomi and International Dance Therapy Conferences.
Her insights on mental health, creativity, and wellness have been featured in top publications like Psychology Today, Verywell Mind, Best Life, Martha Stewart, and Parade, and she’s a guest expert on numerous podcasts.
Whether in her private practice, on stage, or through her written work, Rachel’s mission is clear: to help people feel deeply understood, tap into their innate creativity, and love themselves fiercely.
Pointe Readiness for Adults with Dr. Kendall Alway, DPT and Christopher Lam
Sunday, March 2, 2025, 1:30 - 3:00pm
In Person, Argyle Studio
Workshop/Practicum
Join renowned Dance Physical Therapist Kendall Alway and ODC's Ballet Director Christopher Lam as they guide you through the process of safer pointe work practices. Drawing on Dr Kendall's highly successful PointeSafe program dancers will be taken through assessment and given practical tools and advice on how to best prepare for this exciting new step in your dance training.
Kendall Alway PT, DPT is a physical therapist with over 20 years of experience working with dancers at every level, from elite professionals to students and recreational dancers. Kendall is a former professional dancer herself and has devoted her professional career to improving dancer health. She is the founder of the continuing education course for ballet teachers, Pointe Safe.
Christopher Lam trained at the Australian Ballet School gaining honours in his Advanced RAD exam. He danced internationally in acclaimed companies before embarking on an extensive teaching career in Australia, Europe, Cuba and the US. Having danced on pointe for over 4 years professionally he has a unique understanding of classical pointe work.