Performance Optimisation Package (POP)

The package has been designed to complement the existing specialist healthcare available at National Institute of Dance Medicine and Science (NIDMS) NHS clinics, and is invaluable for dance artists working independently or without comprehensive in-house health provision.   Any individual dancer, teacher or choreographer can take out the package; companies and schools may also wish to add it to their existing offering for dancers.  The services provided in the Performance Optimisation Package are offered through the National Institute of Dance Medicine and Science partners.  POP has been specifically designed to help dancers maintain health, fitness and optimum performance and is available as three different options.

If you are already signed up and have questions about your POP package click here for our welcome document.

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Interested in joining us for a taster session? Get in touch for more information about our upcoming POP Taster Screening events!

Performance Optimisation Package (POP) Taster Screening sessions are FREE, and a chance to get advice from dance-specialist physiotherapists and fitness specialists. To sign-up, email: [email protected]

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Click to see POP at the University Wolverhampton and Birmingham Royal Ballet

Click to see POP at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance

To read testimonials about POP from members and experts click here.

Which POP tier is best for me?

Trinity Laban Health Clinic screening – Theo from Boy Blue Entertainment. Photo Erin Sanchez

There are three different options to purchase depending on your current requirements and budget. All POP options include a health cash plan, allowing the individual to be reimbursed up to £700 for private healthcare treatment such as physiotherapy, without the need for GP referral. Individuals taking out the Intermediate or Elite POP will have a health and fitness screening session offered by NIDMS dance scientists and healthcare practitioners at Trinity Laban in London and Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Jerwood Centre and the Dance Science team at University of Wolverhampton, Walsall campus.  On the day you will be personally guided through your screening by a NIDMS dance scientist and dance physiotherapist. Prior to your screening date you will be asked to complete a health, injury and training questionnaire.

Standard – £80

The Standard package offers you a health cash plan through BHSF, giving you over £700 in benefits.  This health cash plan allows you to reclaim the cost of therapies including physiotherapy, osteopathy, chiropractic treatment, homeopathy, chiropody and reflexology. You will also be able to reclaim on private diagnostic consultation (the plan does not include imaging such as x-ray, MRI, etc).  The plan also gives you discounted gym membership and access to a 24 hour help line including counselling services, GP and legal advice. This package is ideal if you need quick, affordable access to treatment and also to maintain your health by seeking regular treatment, rather than waiting until an injury occurs.  A perfect way to begin taking responsibility for your health if your budget can’t quite stretch to the next option yet.

Intermediate – £285

The Intermediate package offers you the health cash plan as outlined above, as well as a one-to-one musculoskeletal and fitness screening and training advice based on your results. You will travel to one of our screening centres (London – Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance), or Birmingham (University of Wolverhampton, Walsall Campus), where a dance-specialist exercise physiologist and physiotherapist will take you through a one-to-one musculoskeletal and fitness screen.  Your screening results will be analysed by the team, and you will be provided with a report of your screening results and exercise programme. This package is ideal for those wishing to understand more about their own body including potential strengths, weaknesses and misalignment that may lead to injury, as well as areas that will help to optimise performance. Screening is especially helpful if repeated at regular intervals as you will be able to compare your results and see if your training/workload is resulting in any adaptations. 

Elite – £420

The Elite package is designed for those who are looking for a more in-depth screening in relation to your current dance practice. You will receive the health cash plan as outlined in the Standard package, as well as a bespoke needs-analysis one-to-one musculoskeletal and fitness screening. You will travel to one of our screening centres (London – Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance) or Birmingham (University of Wolverhampton, Walsall Campus), where a dance-specialist exercise physiologist and physiotherapist will take you through an enhanced musculoskeletal and fitness screen, including injury analysis and discussion of your current training needs. Your screening results will be analysed in relation to your current work whether in a dance company, as an independent artist, or a dancer in training. You will then return to the screening centre for a second one-to-one session, putting your bespoke exercise programme into practice with an opportunity to ask any questions. This will be accompanied with a printed report of your screening results and a bespoke exercise programme.

If you are still unsure which package to choose please email [email protected] or call 0207 713 0730 and we will be happy to assist.

Image The Jerwood Centre Clinic screening. Image One Dance UK Dani Bower

What to expect at the one-to-one musculoskeletal and fitness screening:

• Functional physiotherapy assessment: A dance-specialist physiotherapist will investigate previous injury history and evaluate potential risk for future injury. Assessments are designed to uncover weaknesses, tightness, range of motion restrictions and muscular imbalances that may impact your performance and potential for injury. The aim is to provide invaluable information about the body so that steps can be taken to reduce injury risks through specific training.

• Body composition and anthropometric measurements: This assessment helps performers maintain a healthy BMI and body fat percentage in order to optimise performance.

• Range of motion/ flexibility measurements: Range of motion and muscle flexibility are important aspects of dance performance. This series of tests focuses on hip range of motion and surrounding muscle flexibility in various planes of movement.

• Muscular strength, endurance and power measurements: These tests measure core muscular endurance, upper body strength and endurance, lower limb power and lower limb endurance. These elements are important in many dance movements, particularly performing lifts and weight-bearing actions and to be able to propel the body through space, such as in jumps or travel sequences.

• Aerobic capacity (VO2 Max): You will complete an incremental treadmill test (a standardised measure of aerobic fitness) whilst wearing a metamax gas analyser to measure your aerobic capacity, providing information on your ability to delay the onset of fatigue which has been linked to injury.

• Feedback: Once the screening has been completed, a 10 minute one-to-one feedback session will be provided.  This will allow time to discuss the screening results in the context of your work and give personalised recommendations for optimising training and performance.  Dependent on your chosen POP option you will either receive an independent exercise prescription shortly after your screening, or you will return to the screening centre to go through your bespoke exercise plan based on your current choreographic demands.

• Elite package extras: If you have opted for the Elite package the above screening will be carried out and analysed in relation to your current dance practice.  The screening team will watch videos of your current choreography to ascertain your current training requirements and put together a training programme to help you meet these demands. Those purchasing the elite package will also experience an enhanced version of the screening including 2D motion capture for flexibility which will be presented in a photograph with the angle of flexion shown in degrees.

Image Wolverhampton University screening. Prof Matthew Wyon. Image One Dance UK Dani Bower

Want to upgrade your health cash plan to have more beneifts?

The health cash plan included in each POP option is the Bronze level of cover, offering the individual up to £700 in benefits. The health cash plan is provided by BHSF and in addition to the Bronze level they also have a Silver (£1400 benefits), Gold (£2100 benefits), Diamond (£3375 benefits) and Platinum (£4000 benefits) level health cash plan options. When purchasing POP online you can upgrade to Silver level for an additional £87. The Gold, Diamond and Platinum levels are available over the phone and prices for each level are available on request, please call on 020 713 0730 or email [email protected] if you have any queries about upgrading your health cash plan level. A table detailing how the benefits are split across the different treatment and healthcare options can be viewed here.

For further information, call the team on 0207 940 9804, or email [email protected]

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If you’re ready to sign-up to POP click here.