Pointe of no return: perspectives on dancer-clinician communication

Journal article

I explore the complex interplay between dancer identity and dancer-clinician communication in the context of illness or injury, drawing on qualitative interviews with former professional dancers whose careers were prematurely ended. I highlight how systemic power imbalances in the dance ethos foster habitual deference. Many dancers feel misunderstood and unheard by clinicians unfamiliar with their unique needs. The narrative approach reveals the profound biographical disruption caused by career loss, compounded by inadequacies in conventional approaches to medical consultation. The study underscores the importance of empathetic, bilateral communication, and advocates for reform in the dance profession and clinical education, proposing that dancers be empowered with better knowledge of their bodies and that clinicians cultivate greater understanding of dance-specific issues. Ultimately, the article calls for a reimagining of Dance Medicine as a collaborative, prestigious field capable of addressing the nuanced challenges faced by this specialised population.

Authors: Leslie-Spinks, J

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Edinburgh University Press
• Journal: Dance Research: The Journal of the Society for Dance Research
• Volume: 44
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 69-83
• Publication date: 2026-05-05
• Acceptance date: 2026-02-17
• DOI: 10.3366/drs.2026.0469
• EISSN: 1750-0095
• ISSN: 0264-2875
• Language: English
• Keywords: dance injury; dancer-clinician communication; dancer identity; dance training; dance medicine; clinician empathy; biographical narrative; biographical disruption; power imbalances in dance