Home Podcasts The Dance Physio Podcast
The Dance Physio Podcast

The Dance Physio Podcast

Erika Mayall 138 Episodes Aug 18, 2026

A podcast designed to explore ideas and foster discussion around dancer health and wellness. It aims to challenge the status quo, bridge the gap between dance science and the studio, and help change the landscape of the dance industry for the better.

Episodes

Episode 145: Reflections from the Calgary Dance Teacher Expo
Episode 145: Reflections from the Calgary Dance Teacher Expo Aug 18, 2026 1749 A bit of a different podcast episode this week as I've recently returned from the Calgary Dance Teacher Expo and I wanted to share some of the my experience and reflections on the event. Have a listen to hear about the expo, what I thought about both exhibiting and presenting, as well as my key take-aways from the event.Learn more about Erika Mayall:Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerikaLe
Episode 144: Thinking Beyond RED-S for Dancer Health with Dr Stephanie Potreck
Episode 144: Thinking Beyond RED-S for Dancer Health with Dr Stephanie Potreck Aug 11, 2026 3455 In this week's podcast episode, I am fortunate to sit down with Dr Stephanie Potreck from AusDancersOverseas. Dr. Potreck is a sports nutritionist and expert in the field of low energy availability and especially how it affects dancers health and performance. In this conversation, we discuss her journey in the dance world and transition into medicine, how the field is rapidly changing, and wh
Episode 143: Balance Training for Dancers
Episode 143: Balance Training for Dancers Aug 4, 2026 2067 Balance is a complex task that requires skilled practice, especially at the level required by dancers. Simply standing on one leg in a static passé or relevé position is often not enough to see the improvements most dancers are looking for. In this episode, I break down the 3 major components of balance, and why understanding what is affecting our balance is the key to training it effectively.Lear
Episode 142: 5 Things That Could Be Limiting Your Dancer's Flexibility
Episode 142: 5 Things That Could Be Limiting Your Dancer's Flexibility Jul 28, 2026 1200 It’s no secret that the demands for flexibility have increased in the dance world in recent years. But what about those students who seem to hit a flexibility plateau so matter how much stretching they do? In this episode, I discuss 5 things that could be limiting your dancer's flexibility progress, despite them working hard and stretching regularly.Additional podcast episodes mentioned in th
Episode 141: Can You Change Your Pointe Range?
Episode 141: Can You Change Your Pointe Range? Jul 21, 2026 1633 A common goal amongst dancers is wanting to improve their pointe range or their arch. But is this actually possible? In this episode, we dive into the factors that are involved in pointe range, figuring out where the limitations might be coming from, and whether we can change them through exercise and training.Additional podcast episodes mentioned in this episode:Episode 57: The Truth About Foot S
Episode 140: Gripping in Your Quads - What It Actually Means
Episode 140: Gripping in Your Quads - What It Actually Means Jul 14, 2026 1288 This past week there was a major dance media outlet that published an article and social media post with some problematic language around 'gripping in the quads'. In this week's podcast episode, I unpack what was so problematic and why it matters to dancers, as well as what gripping in the quads actually means and how we can address it in a productive way.Learn more about Erika Maya
Episode 139: The Future of Ballet Education with Austin Crumley
Episode 139: The Future of Ballet Education with Austin Crumley Jul 7, 2026 3196 On this week's episode, I'm joined by ballet educator, mentor and founder of Ballet Reeducation - Austin Crumley. We discuss his journey from professional dancer to professional educator, his unique approach to teaching ballet for the 21st century, and how we can use what research and dance science tells us to inform and progress ballet education.About Austin:Austin Crumley is a ballet e
Episode 138: Red Light Therapy for Healing and Recovery
Episode 138: Red Light Therapy for Healing and Recovery Jun 30, 2026 1885 The concept of light as a healing element has been around for thousands of years, but it's only been recently that Red Light Therapy has become a popular modality for healing and wellness.In this week's podcast, I break down what Red Light Therapy is, how different types of wavelengths within the electromagnetic spectrum affect cellular function, the specific benefits of different types
Episode 137: The #1 Functional Task Most Dancers Struggle With
Episode 137: The #1 Functional Task Most Dancers Struggle With Jun 23, 2026 2496 Functional tasks, or fundamental movement patterns, are movements that lay the foundation for more complicated movement patterns. They are often considered essential movements for activities of daily living, and are some of the first movement patterns we develop as babies and toddlers when we're learning gross motor skills.Dancers spend endless hours training complex and highly skilled moveme
Episode 136: Sever's Disease in Dancers
Episode 136: Sever's Disease in Dancers Jun 16, 2026 1694 Sever's Disease is a common cause of heel pain in growing adolescent dancers. Probably more aptly named a condition rather than a disease, Sever's is inflammation of the calcaneal growth plate (officially termed calcaneal apophysitis).In this episode, you'll learn what causes Sever's Disease, common symptoms associated with it, why an accurate diagnosis is important, as well as
Episode 135: When Overtraining Isn't The Issue
Episode 135: When Overtraining Isn't The Issue Jun 9, 2026 1559 Training loads and overtraining are often cited as one of the top reasons dancers get injured. And they are certainly a large contributor to dance injuries, especially overuse injuries. But what about the dancers who we know are not overtraining but still getting injured? In this episode, we explore some of the factors that could be contributing when overtraining is not the issue.Additional podcas
Episode 134: The Best Cross-Training for Dancers
Episode 134: The Best Cross-Training for Dancers Jun 2, 2026 1382 It's that time of year when dancers are starting to think about summer training plans, and I'm getting a lot of questions about what the 'best' cross-training for dancers is. In this episode, we break down the difference between cross-training and supplemental training, the key goals of cross-training and how to select the best cross-training activities for dancers.Additional p

Recommended