Strength in Every Step: Innovative Partnership Keeps Houston Ballet Dancers in Top Form

A city that loves art as much as it loves sports, Houston is home to one of the most prestigious ballet companies in the world.

For over a decade, a unique partnership between Houston Methodist Hospital and the Houston Ballet has not only helped keep the city's top dancers on their toes. It's also served as a model for professional sports medicine programs nationwide.

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"The relationship between Houston Methodist and the Houston Ballet is very important," Dr. Kevin Varner, chair of Orthopedic Surgery at Houston Methodist and chief physician for the Houston Ballet, says in a new video about the program. "It's two iconic Houston institutions coming together to create a program that really meets the needs of the dancers and is really looked up to nationwide as a model of what a really well-integrated sports medicine program can achieve."

The collaboration goes well beyond traditional injury prevention and treatment, focusing on mental and physical wellbeing to preserve the careers of world-class performers who rely on their bodies as much as their creativity to stay at the top of an ultra-competitive field.

"The medical staff, the doctors, the athletic trainers really have this innate understanding of what dancers do and the challenges that they put on their bodies," says James Nelson, executive director of the Houston Ballet. "Having this relationship where the artists of the company have an enormous amount of confidence in the medical staff, knowing that they have somebody looking after them and looking out for their career, that means extra years, extra seasons, that they're going to be able to continue their craft and delight Houston audiences."

Dancers, who constantly push their bodies to the limit, benefit immensely from having direct access to Houston Methodist's medical staff. On-site medical support plays a crucial role in ensuring that minor aches don't become major issues.

"Our job depends on our full-body health," principal dancer Beckanne Sisk says in a video about the program. "Having trainers on site prevents small issues from growing into bigger problems."

Although the mental toll of injury is often overlooked, Houston Methodist's support extends far beyond physical healing. "They were with me every step of the way," says first soloist Harper Watters. "They helped me come back stronger."

Additionally, Houston Methodist's involvement has led to significant amount of medical research focused on whole-body health and injury prevention for dancers. The hospital has conducted groundbreaking studies on flexibility, injury management and psycho-social support, among others.