"The synergy of dance medicine, dance science and dance pedagogy always comes as an 'economy pack': installing evidence-based ways of performance enhancement also prevents dancers' (and teachers'!) injuries, and vice versa!"
Dance & Science
About
Judith-Elisa Kaufmann’s overall goal is to make science and medicine accessible for dance practice. She teaches dancers, ballet masters, teachers, choreographers, companies, schools, physicians, and therapists all over the world how to implement dance medicine and dance science into daily dance practice to optimize performance and wellbeing while preventing injuries and ill health.
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Being famous for her ways of inspiring people through her own intrinsic motivation and love for dance as well as science, one of the secrets behind her success is that she is familiar with “all worlds involved”: her own background as a former professional dancer and pedagogue as well as her roots in (dance) medicine and science support her unique way to bridge science into dance practice. She empowers people by kindling and feeding their joy of learning and knowing.
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In over 25 years she has worked with dancers, teachers, ballet masters and choreographers from companies such as NYC Ballet, Royal Ballet Covent Garden, Semperoper Dresden, Stuttgarter Ballett, Leipziger Ballett, Vienna State Opera Ballet, Juilliard School, Palucca School for Dance, Vienna State Opera Ballet Academy, Ballet School Paris Opera, and many others, helping them to experience first hand how wellbeing and performance flourish, if implemented science becomes the backbone of the art of dance.
Currently
Contact Judith-Elisa Kaufmann for
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dance technique screenings, training, or rehearsals
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planning of training / scheduling, periodization
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pre-season training (getting endurance, strength and coping skills etc. ready before the season or school year starts)
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transition training ("back-to-dance"-training to return safely after injury and rehabilitation)
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neuromuscular warm-up in dance
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pelvic floor in dance
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breathing in dance
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workshops, seminars, lectures for companies, private groups, schools, conferences etc.
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consultations regarding dance, dance medicine, dance science, and dance pedagogy...
Research & Implementation
About
Focus of her research are aspects of performance enhancement and injury prevention in dance. Especially topics which have not been researched before or have not yet received enough attention she aimed to put into the spotlight.
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As such, Judith-Elisa Kaufmann, together with her teams of esteemed colleagues, investigated the associations between motivational climate or neuromuscular warm-up and injuries in dancers. She also took a closer look at the so important role of the ballet teacher or ballet master when it comes to injury prevention in dancers, or tried to shine a light on the importance of acknowledging a dancer's individuality with regard to planning of training, prevention of fatigue, or dance technique. Further focus is on stress, stressmanagement, and coping skills as well as injuries as stressors in dancers. For details, please see "Publications" below.
Vision
"I love to empower teachers, ballet masters or medical personnel so that they can empower their dancers."
Currently
... Judith-Elisa Kaufmann is researching neuromuscular warm-up, turnout and communication in dance - and is always open for new co-operations, ideas, and networking.
Teaching & Practice
About
In 2002, Judith-Elisa Kaufmann founded the Academy for Dance Pedagogy & Dance Medicine. The academy trains teachers of all dance styles through a unique curriculum in which the practical implementation of dance medicine and dance science is the foundation of all pedagogical aspects. This allows teachers to put the focus on the dancers' individuality, thus maximizing their performance while identifing and eliminating risk factors for injuries in order to protect dancers from injuries and ill health.
Vision
"When I am teaching dancers or working with dancers, I focus on their very individuality. Dance technique analyses, screenings, planning of training, transition training and other do not make sense when they don't put the dancer's individuality (individual goals, needs, strengths, weaknesses...) first.
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My overall goal is to optimize their performance and maximize their wellbeing, first and foremost by listening, by taking time to explain, by actively involving them in the problem solving, and creating a climate which allows them to be themselves, focus on their needs, wishes, goals - and then empower them to achieve those goals (and, last but no least, take further time to celebrate that achievement!)"
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Currently (short list, focus Europe)
...teaching at Academy for Dance Pedagogy & Dance Medicine, Austria
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"Me&My Best - Dance Medicine & Science for Professional Dancers" International Programme
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"Us&OurBest - Dance Medicine & Science for Teachers and Ballet Masters" International Programme
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Special Lectures from the fields of
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Neuromuscular Warm-up
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Biomechanics & Dance Technique
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Fitness in Dance
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Psychology in Dance
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...teaching dance medicine in the MA Dance Teacher at Palucca University for Dance, Dresden
...teaching dance science at Staatstheater Braunschweig
...teaching Ballet Masters at Ballettdirektorenkonferenz (Kassel, Wiesbaden)
...teaching Dance Science at Ballett Am Rhein
...teaching for ta.med Organization for Dance Medicine
...teaching Dance Medicine and Dance Science for Deutscher Berufsverband für Tanzpädagogik
...and many more in Europe, USA, Canada, Africa and Palestine
Publications (excerpt)
Research
Kaufmann, J. E., Stubbe, J. H., van Rijn, R. M., Nelissen, R. G. H. H., & Gademan, M. G. J. (2023). Injury as a stressor in 67 first year contemporary dance students: A longitudinal cohort study. Coming soon.
Kaufmann, J. E., Stubbe, J. H., Nelissen, R. G. H. H., & Gademan, M. G. J. (2023). The perspective of ballet dancers on causes of their injuries and implementation of injury preventive measures y their ballet teachers and masters. in press.
Kaufmann, J. E. (2023). Tanzsport im Kindes- und Jugendalter. Muskuloskelettale Probleme - Prävalenz, Inzidenz & Lokalisation von Verletzungen. Review. Orthopädie & Unfallchirurgie.
Books (novels & screenplays not included)
Kaufmann, Judith-Elisa. (2020-2023). Dancing & Teaching Dance based on Dance Medicine and Science, 4 Volumes, published or in press. Remscheid, Rediroma.
Other (short list, interviews not included)
Kaufmann, J.-E. (2021). Dance, Children & Adolescents in the Pandemic.
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Kaufmann, J.-E. (2014). A dysfunctional pelvic floor limits a dancer’s performance. How to face the problem through dance medicine and enhance a dancer’s technique. IADMS 24th annual conference. Basel.
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Kaufmann, JE. (2014). Der Beckenboden im Tanz – ein wichtiger Partner. ta.med Infoblatt Nr.11.
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Kaufmann, JE. (2014). Tanzmedizin – 10 Gedanken zur Schulauswahl für Kinder. Tanzschritt Magazin. 14(4). 42-44.
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Kaufmann, JE. (2014). Warm up and Cool down – essential means of injury prevention for dancers. Academy for teacher’s training and dance medicine. Vienna, Austria. 2006. Congress for dance and music medicine. Arnhem, Holland.
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Kaufmann, JE. & Kiselka, A. (2013). Der Beckenboden im Tanz – ein zuverlässiger Partner? Physioaustria. inform. 13(5).
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Kaufmann, JE. (2013). Tanzmedizin – Zwischen Tanz und Tanzpädagogik. Dancer’s Magazine. 13(2).
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Kiselka, A. & Kaufmann, JE. (2012). Mit Stabilität im Becken zu tänzerischen Höchstleistungen. Physioaustria. inform. 12(2). 20-21.
Vitae
International teacher, university lecturer and dance scientist (A, D, E, USA, GB, CH, PSE, ISR, AFR) for dance medicine, dance science and dance pedagogy
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Certified ballet- and dance pedagogue
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Board of directors “ta.med” Dance Medicine
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Former Ballet & Flamenco Dancer (stage, film), actress, choreographer
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2002 Founder and 2005 Principal of the Academy for Dance Pedagogy & Dance Medicine, Austria (www.tanzpaedagogik.eu)
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1998 Founder and Head (1998-2023) of Body, Art & Expression - School for Ballet & Performing Arts (www.bodyartandexpression.com)
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Author of books on dance medicine and dance pedagogy; medical publications on dance medicine and dance science; novelist and writer of stage- and screen plays
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“Only a maximum of health allows for a maximum of performance” (Judith-Elisa Kaufmann, 2008)