The Only Known Ballet Academy in the U.S. with On-Site Athletic Trainers

When Florencia Sabra arrived at the Janet Quinney Lawson Ballet West Academy as a Professional Training Division student, she noticed a previous injury acting up, so she turned to the school’s on-site athletic trainer, Mary Bastian, with the Intermountain Health Wellness Support team.

“Because I had not taken care of it properly from the start, it started getting worse,” Sebra said. “My first months at BWA would have looked very different without Mary. From the very first day she has been incredibly supportive and understanding, while always remaining positive and reminding me that everything was going to be okay.”

Providing wellness support for Professional Training Division and Trainee students is a high priority at the Frederick Quinney Lawson Ballet West Academy, as the only known ballet school in the country with an athletic trainer onsite. It all began when the onsite trainers and physical therapists for Ballet West’s main Company of dancers were seeing BWA students on the side. For the last three years, the BWA has been able to provide their own onsite wellness support, thanks to Ballet West’s partnership with Intermountain Health.

While ballet is known for being a high-impact sport, dancers are skilled athletes with extensive training to avoid injuries. However, the sport is not without its risks. “We are the first ones that will see any type of acute injury,” said Bastian. “While it is a case-by-case per injury, if we can get their plan of care started as soon as possible post injury, then they are going to have a better outcome. Being onsite allows us to use our dynamic team of health care professionals to do that.”

"The most challenging aspect of our work arises when individuals delay seeking our help for an injury. Despite our efforts, this often requires them to pull back from dancing,” she continues. "We want to see our dancers as soon as they first feel something, enabling us to help them maintain their dancing with minimal restrictions. Prevention plays a critical role for dancers, with education being a key element. This involves helping them understand that our role is to support their ability to continue dancing, not to prevent them from doing so." 

Taking an educational approach to prevent injuries is an essential aspect of the onsite wellness support system, which also includes access to sport psychologists, dietitians, and primary care physicians experienced in dance.

Bastian works regularly with students, teaching them how to prep their bodies for class, how to recover after a high-impact rehearsal, proper hydration levels during performance weeks, and how to nutritionally prep their bodies each week.

“Educating dancers is crucial in empowering them to confidently discuss injuries with their teachers, fostering a culture of open communication,” said Bastian. “This skill becomes even more significant at the professional level, when the demands and intensity of performances increase. By taking this proactive approach into their professional careers, dancers can better manage their health, prevent more severe injuries, and ensure longevity in their careers. This empowerment and communication can lead to more personalized training and recovery plans, enhancing their overall performance and resilience."

Many of the advanced students move to Salt Lake City specifically to train at BWA. For Sabra, working with the onsite wellness team meant getting back to a full recovery as quickly as possible. “To have an athletic trainer onsite is something that I am extremely thankful for,” she said. “The Ballet West Academy faculty is really supportive of taking care of injuries in a smart way, and their team is outstanding.”