Stronger Feet Better Dancers, Why I am So Passionate About This Workshop.

There’s something magical about watching a young dancer move — that mix of power, artistry, and possibility. But there’s also something happening behind the scenes that most people don’t see: the toll that hours of repetitive movement take on a growing body.

To be fair, the dance world has started to wake up to this.

More studios are introducing strength and conditioning.

More teachers are recognising that dancers are athletes.

We’re seeing more core work, more hip stability drills, more glute activation… and honestly, it’s brilliant. This shift is long overdue.

But even with this progress, there’s still one area being consistently overlooked — the one area dancers use every single second they’re on stage, on the floor, or even just standing at the barre:

The feet.

The toes.

The foundation.

In every sport, when repetitive patterns meet high demand, injury follows — especially in young, still-developing bodies. The dance industry is starting to address that with whole-body S&C, but the feet remain the forgotten athletes.

And here’s what I know from two decades of coaching dancers:

Strong feet change absolutely everything.

Dancers who have stronger, more mobile, better functioning feet can:

• jump higher and land safer

• turn with more control

• absorb impact through the whole chain, not just their knees and hips

• reduce ankle sprains and overuse niggles

• build stability that actually lasts into adulthood

Dancers spend their entire lives balancing on, pushing through, landing on, and turning off this foundation… yet it’s the area most under-trained and most misunderstood.

And here’s the uncomfortable truth:

You can have the strongest glutes in the world, but if your feet collapse — if the toes don’t know how to stabilise, if the foot can’t load and push properly — the whole chain above it suffers.

That’s why we still see knee pain, hip tightness, rolled ankles, chronic niggles, and early burnout… even in studios that are doing their best with whole-body S&C.

This gap is exactly why Stronger Feet, Better Dancers was born.

Why Foot Strength Changes Everything

Feet are the base of force production, balance, shock absorption, and alignment. When they’re strong and functioning well, dancers can:

• jump higher with more power

• land safely with less impact

• turn with more control

• balance longer

• transfer force better through the legs and hips

• dramatically reduce ankle, knee, and hip injuries

When they’re weak or unstable, the body tries to pick up the slack — often with disastrous results.

This isn’t just theory for me.

This is personal.

My Story: Why I’m a Better Dancer at 35 Than I Was at 20

When I was in my late teens and early twenties, I was like most dancers — flexible, enthusiastic, hardworking and constantly injured. I rolled my ankles all the time. My landings were sloppy. My balance was inconsistent. My body was doing its best, but its foundation was weak.

Back then, the dance world just didn’t have the understanding we have now. Strength training wasn’t part of the conversation. Foot function wasn’t being discussed in studios. We weren’t talking about biomechanics, force absorption, or how much pressure a dancer’s feet take with every jump. None of us knew any better — not the teachers, not the dancers, not the industry as a whole.

Fast forward to now — I’m 35, and I’m a significantly stronger, more capable dancer than I ever was at 20.

Not because I dance more.

Not because I stretch more.

Not because I take more classes.

It’s because I strength train.

It’s because I developed foot and ankle strength.

It’s because I built a foundation that can actually handle the demands of dancing.

And the difference is enormous:

• My balance is better than it’s ever been.

• I jump higher and land softer.

• I can execute skills I never had the power for when I was younger.

• I haven’t rolled an ankle in years, despite it being my biggest issue growing up.

• I can perform consistently without niggles or fear of injury.

A lot of dancers my age aren’t dancing anymore — not because they lost the passion, but because their bodies couldn’t keep up. My ability to keep dancing isn’t luck or genetics. It’s the direct result of learning how to strengthen the body from the ground up, especially through the feet — something we simply didn’t understand in the dance world 15 years ago.

This is exactly why I’m passionate about passing this knowledge on to young dancers now, while it can make the biggest difference.

What Happens Inside the “Stronger Feet, Better Dancers” Workshop

This workshop isn’t about pretty lines or deeper stretches. It’s real biomechanics and real strength work delivered in a way that dancers actually understand and can use straight away.

Dancers learn:

• how the foot actually works

• the difference between pronation and collapse

• how to create strong, stable toes

• foot/ankle drills that build strength safely

• how to improve balance by retraining the foundation

• how foot strength impacts turnout, jumps, turns, and acro

• daily habits that prevent injuries before they happen

It’s practical.

It’s accessible.

And it fills a gap that has existed in the dance world for decades.

Dancers leave the workshop feeling instantly stronger, more stable, more aware of their feet — and excited to keep developing.

Why This Matters for Teachers, Parents, and Studios

The modern dance world is intense. More comps. More tricks. More acro. More pressure.

Kids are working harder than ever, but they’re also breaking down earlier than ever.

Teachers want their dancers to succeed. Parents want their kids to be safe. Studios want longevity, results, and strong technique.

This workshop supports all of that.

It helps dancers:

• reduce injury risk

• improve their technique

• feel more confident in class

• develop strength they can rely on

• build a body that lasts long-term

This isn’t about short-term wins — it’s about keeping dancers healthy, happy, and performing for decades.

Because Dancers Deserve Long Careers, Not Early Injuries

I don’t teach this workshop because it’s trendy.

I teach it because it’s necessary.

Young dancers deserve better than burnout at 17.

They deserve bodies that keep up with their passion.

They deserve the education and tools that will support them long into adulthood.

Stronger feet mean stronger dancers.

Stronger dancers mean longer careers.

And longer careers mean more joy, more expression, more art.

If your studio wants to invest in the next generation of dancers — not just for now, but for their future — this is where it starts.

From the ground up.