Dancing is one of the few professions remaining where the individual has been practicing the art since childhood. This fact is why wellness and excellent healthcare should be a crucial factor in any overall risk management program. Many dancers come to companies with prior injuries and conditions and the failure to develop a full program not only inappropriately address the risk exposure but puts the health of the dancer and career of the dancer at risk.
Dance companies that do not offer healthcare are putting themselves at risk for extreme workers compensation losses. The fine line between a new injury that occurred at work and pre-exiting injury flare up is very fine. However, when your dancers are regularly treating and managing the pre-existing conditions, you will not only decrease the likelihood of an on the job aggravation but will also provide a document medical record that will allow and adjuster to appropriately differentiate how the treatments should be financially managed. Similarly, a wellness program is a great way of rewarding those dancers who take the time to put their health first and decrease the likelihood and/or severity of an on the job injury.
A proactive company, that cares about the well being of the dancers, will do their best to put together a comprehensive program that appropriately caters to the multi-faceted needs of a career dancer.