Dance Artists in Wales: Healthcare Needs and Access to Dance-specific Healthcare / Siân Rowlands (2024)

This study investigates the healthcare needs and access to dance-specific healthcare of dance artists in Wales by addressing three key questions: What are the main pressures they face? How do they describe their access to dance-specific healthcare and support networks? Which healthcare professionals do they seek, and how do they describe these relationships? A mixed-methods survey of 39 Wales-based dance artists identified precarious employment and feeling undervalued as the main pressures, experienced by participants. access to dance-specific healthcare was found to be poor and there was limited awareness of and engagement with existing support networks. Most participants sought private physiotherapist treatment and valued trust, accurate diagnoses, and dance-specific knowledge. The main suggestion following this research is the formation of a dance-specific healthcare pathway in Wales, along with further research to address knowledge gaps.