When does dance stop being good for us? What elite dance teaches us about health-promoting environments. Dance is widely recognised as a powerful contributor to health and wellbeing. Yet the picture becomes more complicated when we turn our attention to pre-professional and professional dancers. This post explores five ways high-performance environments can undermine health and outlines the SHAPE framework for creating mentally healthier dance cultures.

In the pursuit of peak performance, athletes push their bodies to the limit. But when energy intake consistently falls short of training demands, the consequences can be devastating. Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) is a serious condition that disrupts nearly every physiological system, impairing performance, increasing injury risk, and jeopardising long-term health. For coaches, recognizing the warning signs and addressing RED-S proactively is essential.