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Venue: Royal Society of Medicine, LONDON, W1G 0AE

Key topics: Demands on dancers, healthy nutrition, and the prevention and treatment of disordered eating. 

This conference will aid the dancer and their multidisciplinary support team to identify and encourage healthy behaviours and deal effectively with disordered eating patterns when necessary. It advocates a multidisciplinary approach, with presentations from leading artistic directors, health professionals, and support staff in addition to personal insights from dancers. Speakers will include (full listing below): Dame Monica Mason DBE, Artistic Director Royal Ballet; Zenaida Yanowsky, Principal Dancer Royal Ballet; and Joan  L. Duda PhD Professor of Sport Psychology Deputy Head of School at The University of Birmingham.

Dancers are expected to train hard and perform excellently. This, in turn, puts particular nutritional demands on the body and psychological demands on the person. This conference will explore the technical, aesthetic, social, and personal demands on the dancer. It will ask how these demands can be managed to achieve optimal health and performance, rather than disordered eating.

Sessions include:

• The technical and aesthetic demands of dance and whether they are realistic and healthy for dancers; to be debated by a panel of artistic directors including David Nixon, Artistic Director Northern Ballet, and Richard Alston, Artistic Director The Place. 

• A panel of dancers and educational staff will explore experiences of disordered eating in educational and professional environments. 

• Recommendations for identifying and treating disordered eating.

• Recommendations for best nutritional practice, education, and the prevention of disordered eating.

• The day will finish with a discussion around the role of the multidisciplinary team working with dancers, including recognising and managing maladaptive strategies and supporting dancers’ ultimate goals of optimal health and performance. 

Speakers 

• Nick Allen Clinical Director, Birmingham Royal Ballet
• Richard Alston CBE Artistic Director of The Place
• David Bintley CBE Artistic Director Birmingham Royal Ballet
• Jacqueline Birtwisle Visiting Dietitian Royal Opera House and Central School of Ballet
• Teneisha Bonner Principle Dancer of ZooNation Dance Company
• Jasmine Challis Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist (SENR)
• Martin Collins Centre for Advanced Training, Programme Manager. Trinity Laban
• Lauren Cuthbertson Principal Dancer Royal Ballet
• Joan  L. Duda PhD Professor University of Birmingham
• Ben Duke Artistic Director of Lost Dog
• Louise Dunne Beat
• Huw Goodwin Research Associate Loughborough University Centre for Research into Eating Disorders
• Dr. Alison Joy Doctor to the Royal Ballet School, Founder of Cadogan Place Practice
• Mhairi Keil Performance Nutritionist Consultant and English Institute of Sport
• Matthew Lawrence Principal Dancer Birmingham Royal Ballet
• Tracey Lee Principal Performers College
• Dame Monica Mason DBE Director The Royal Ballet
• Elizabeth Nabarro School Counsellor London Contemporary Dance School
• David Nixon OBE Artistic Director Northern Ballet
• Gemma Nixon Dancer Rambert Dance Company
• Rachel Peppin Parker former Principal Dancer Birmingham Royal Ballet
• Ann Sholem Artistic Director National Dance Company Wales
• Alistair Spalding Chief Executive and Artistic Director, Sadler's Wells
• Nicola Stephens Clinical Lead & Owner of Performers Physiotherapy, Performers College
• Kenneth Tharp OBE Chief Executive of The Place
• Heather Walker Student Co-Ordinator London Studio Centre
• Zenaida Yanowsky Principal Dancer Royal Ballet