Health and Wellbeing

The Physical  Health and Wellbeing Team are on site every day to support students. The physical wellbeing team consists of physiotherapists, a recovery and injury prevention tutor, strength and conditioning coaches and a Pilates tutor. Pastoral care is overseen by our Head of Medical and Wellbeing and Student Support Lead.

Physiotherapy helps to restore pain-free range of movement and function if a student dancer is affected by injury. The physiotherapy team works closely with the artistic team and Central’s tutors, to treat and prevent injuries. This collaborative thinking allows a holistic approach to ensure our students feel supported at all stages of the rehabilitation process. All of our interventions are evidence-based and every step is sensitively planned taking into account the physical and emotional needs of the student.

Our goal is to allow our dancers to return to their training with an educated framework and with greater resilience than before their injury. Our physiotherapists lead on the injury rehabilitation process, with all members of the team surrounding the student, including Pilates, strength and conditioning and the Injury Prevention & Recovery tutor.

Students can contact the team for support with their physical needs. We are passionate about fulfilling students potential at all stages of the rehabilitation process. This support is provided by all members of the physical health team. The focus is on preventing and treating injuries while maximising strength, coordination, and control to ensure sound technique and performance. The physio team will liaise closely with consultants and doctors to request any x-rays, MRI’s or scans that are required along the rehabilitation journey.

We believe injury prevention is vital in maximising our students performance, training and their overall physical health. The team works with students and staff to prevent injury. This involves one to one appointments looking at technical corrections, class observations, and supplementary training. The strength and conditioning and Pilates team work closely with the physiotherapists to optimise all areas of the dancer’s presentation. Students are expected to take part in supplementary training to enhance the physical attributes required by their performance. The overall aim is to build physical resilience for our students to increase the longevity of their careers.

We supplement our student’s training with regular Pilates teaching. It combines core-strength, flexibility and alignment which facilitates the technique required in all aspects of dance. Using principles such as movement precision, balance and control, the Pilates tutors work to both treat and prevent injuries and enhance performance Incorporating Pilates into our ballet training brings functional benefits and artistic improvements, enhancing our dancer’s strength in specific areas that relate to ballet technique such as foot, ankle and core exercises to support with Pointe work and jumping.

Strength and Conditioning for ballet is an essential component of a dancer’s training programme. It enhances performance, prevents injuries, and helps dancers achieve the technical and artistic demands required for dance performance. The focus is on developing strength, endurance, power, flexibility and good body alignment. Our Strength and Conditioning team work with students in weekly classes and also on a one to one basis to provide physical coaching, feedback on form (proper technique), intensity of training and recovery practices. Our physical coaching may include key areas such as core strength, leg strength, power and plyometrics, upper body strength and more.

At Central, our students happiness and wellbeing is of upmost importance to us. We have a team of Mental Health First Aiders on-site that deal with day-to-day worries or concerns. Our dancers are able to access an on-site psychologist in the Wellbeing Clinic, who provides support and care for confidential matters that require expertise and time. We also work with external specialists to offer more comprehensive care to our students.

We provide a weekly Wellbeing Clinic which students can self-refer into if they require mental or emotional support. This is an opportunity for students to unpack their thoughts and feelings surrounding their training and/or personal life. Overall, wellbeing at Central is about creating a supportive, honest and nurturing environment for dancers to thrive in their training. We recognise the intensity that can be experienced by young people in a dance environment, and we therefore always prioritise our students wellbeing. The clinic is overseen by the Head of Medical, ensuring appropriate and confidential communication. Key elements of the support may include resilience and coping skills, positive self-talk, growth mindset, work/life balance, setting healthy boundaries and self-care routines.

Every year, our students will receive workshops to enhance their wellbeing, delivered by a psychologist. A syllabus is followed which spreads along Years 1, 2 and 3, appropriate to the age of the students and tailored to the stresses and circumstances relevant to the dancer at that time. The aim is to equip our students with knowledge and skill to be able to naviagte the challenges that they may experience. These may include; developing a healthy dancer identity, self-confidence and esteem, managing perfectionism, planning for your career, body-image and self-compassion. Our aim is to students to feel that they are working within an honest and transparent environment where issues are addressed in an honest and inclusive environment.

At the heart of our students’ success is their mental wellbeing, so we make this our priority. We partner with one of London’s leading psychology practices, Altum Health, a trusted team of licensed experts. They provide support if students are facing mental health challenges, including anxiety, stress, depression, body image struggles, and eating disorders.

Altum Health’s compassionate professionals are often on-site, offering guidance and support to help our students navigate any mental health issues and ensure they feel understood and supported every step of the way.