Tanzmedizin
medical and therapeutic information

Our goal is the improvement of medical information and support. The development during a dance education and thus the quality of the work of a dancer is only assured once it is not impeded by injuries and illness and within a strong collaboration with the dancers. Seven lecturers will provide medical and therapeutic knowledge in five practical modules. This workshop is an invitation for everyone interested in the well-being of dancers.

For everyone occupied with movement, be it in an orthopeadic, trauma surgical, or simply physiotherapeuthic or artistic way, dance holds a special fascination: leaving the bottom of reality, like it comes true in dance, on the tip of the toes, perfectioned by Mary Taglionis, and further described by Mircea Eliady in her the magic flight:
"...the desire to break the chains binding us to earth [...] the quest of human nature to go upwards [...]“ requires perfect balance.
Since Dominico da Piacenza formulated the early tracts in dance in Italy in the Renaissance, dance is the interplay of forces, primarily gravitation. This gravitation is, what has to be kept in muscular balance by the agonist and the antagonist, and overcome while jumping. But not only upward motion, as established by the 17th centuries “en dehors“, and demanded by A. Wolynski, the body is opened to the outside and thus all facettes of the body are presented outwards.

Modern and contemporary dance relieved and completed the classic tracts, but the interplay of forces stays important. To ensure balance on the one hand, and maintain the power to jump on the other hand, controlled movement of the joints is essential. Not only the extent of flexibility, but the endurance of muscular activity and stabilised flexibility are required.

From the medical point of view this depicts two essential aspects: the flexibility of the joints
and thus the required distension of the tendons' structure and the endurance of the muscular system, to ensure consistant stability in training or performance, without ignoring the quick reaction of musclular fibers.

In the Tanzmedizin modules the early recognition of the potential to dance, as well as the evaluation of over-exposure and consequential therapies are taken into account. The development of dance education and thereby the quality of the dancers‘ work are only guaranteed if the collective work of the dancers is not hindered by injuries or ailment.
Medical and therapeutical knowledge is taught to specialists in five modules during this workshop. This event is an invitation to all involved with education and training and concerned with the well being of dancers.

• July 19: 16:00 introduction in the frame of impressions
G. v. Skrbensky et al. Practical implemaentation of medicine for dancers in the workshop
• July 20 - 24, workshop 18:00-20:00
Monday: Skrbensky, Habsburg: sports surgery and orthopaedics: tendons & joints
Tuesday: Matzner: spine: dance and biomechnics
Wednesday: Schnell, Kiepe: Functional bandage with elastic and non-elastic tape
Thursday: Brezovsky: pain management
Friday: Schrefl, Wächter: Pilatestraining with the Triadball™
• July 25 + 26, Intensive1: 09:45-12:15 15:00-17:30
Kinematic Analysis of movement: Biofeedback through Visualisation

Modul 1 - Sportorthopädie - Univ. Prof. Dr. Gobert Skrbensky

Gobert v. Skrbensky is sports surgeon at the Medical University of Vienna, specialised in trauma surgery and orthopeadics.
In this profession his practice is at the National Ballet School of the Vennese States Opera together with physiotherapeutical acute therapy.
www.tanzmedizin.at

Prof. Skrbensky is head of the Sport Surgical Knee Clinic at Viennas General Hospital, as well as of the Adolf Lorenz Labaratory for Biomechanics, which offers studies themed on Kinematics of dance movement focused on medicine for dancers. Dr. Skrbensky also teaches at the Technical University of Vienna.
The focus of researching for dance surgery is on finding new, more conservative means of arthroscopy on the hips and the talocalcanean joints
www.sportchirurgie.org

Contemporary dance re-develops the laws of classic dance, but the principles stay the same: balance and rebound - proprioreception of the joints - Range of Motion (ROM) - active stabilisation. This is not only a question of flexibility, but also of endurance in the muscles‘ activity as well as stabilised flexibility.
The interplay of tendons, muscles and joints is taught in module 1 - sports orthopaedics. Learn how to self-diagnose for an early recognition and to develpo forms of self-therapy, enabling you to recognise symptoms of medical relevancy early on.
Modul 2 - Wirbelsäule Tanz und Biomechanik - Dr. Michael Matzner
Michael Matzner is chief resident at the University hospital for Orthopaedics in Vienna. Since many years he is a renowned specialist for vertebral therapeutics, with experience in the area of biomechanical principles, stability and instability of vertebral joints.

Workshop: dance and vertebral biomechanics
In this workshop we try to understand the principles of the biomechanics of the human body, thus helping us to a better understanding of our strenghts and weaknesses. This knowledge helps us to balance strain and read signs of over exposure in time.
Modul 3 - Schmerztherapie - Dr. Reinald Brezovsky

After his special education at Vieannas University clinics with Prof. Wolfgang Koos, he founded the centre for pain management in Doebling, as well as the health care centre Doebling where he is head of the medical department.
Besides the emphasis on the treatment of patients suffering from chronical pain, he also treats patients with burn-out syndrome at the stress-centre Vienna with Dr. Brigitte Bösenkopf.

Dr. Brezovsky is drummer and percussionist (Conservatory of Vienna, Jazz department) and is engaged in the use of dance and music in the medical process. 2002 he initiated the internet portal www.tanzmedizin.at together with Renato Zanella and Peter Rille of the Viennese State opera. Currently the musical/medical portal www.musimed.org is in preperation.

Workshop pain management
What are the function, the cause and the meaning of pain?
Distinction of acute and chronical pain.
Methods of pain management:
Scientific and traditional mediceine versus complementary medicine.
Which experts engage in pain management?
Where do we find help as fast as possible?
Tips and tricks for avoiding pain and for self care and therapy like techniues of acupressure.

Dr. Reinald Brezovsky is specialised on neurosurgery and practitioner of manual medicine and acupressure.

Modul 4 - Physiotherapie - Daniela Schnell, Pt., M. Ed und Marie Sophie Kiepe

functional bandage with elastic and non-elastic tape

Bandaging with different materials and adhesive tapes can help stabilise unstable joints, without hampering the potential movability. Also the variety of bandaging and adhesion techniques can lead to reduced swelling, pain reduction, hightened sensoric capability and easing up the fasciae.
Functional bandages are to be used in a prophylactic way against over exposure and therapy against structural dysfunctions, directly before, during and after sportive activity, thus giving the dancer the means to deal directly with the strain on muscles and joints.

The many possible uses and their immediate effect help make the colored tapes the most popular adjuvants in sports physio therapy today.the practical part of the workshop will teach you basic techniques and bandages.

Daniela Schnell M. Ed., is physiotherapist, sports physiotherapist and tutor for kinematics, functional bandaging and sports physiotherapy at the Fachhochschule for Physio therapeutics. She recieved her education for sports physiotherapy at Hochschullehrgang in Innsbruck and continued her education as sports teacher and physio therapist in Germany. She is a founding member of ARGE Sportphysiotherapie TEAM Austria and head of research there. At the nordic ski world championship she took care of the athletes.
For 15 years now she is on stage as tap dancer, tought tap dance and irish dance at Move On, Tanzforum Wien, Art of Dance Wien, Margit-Manhardt-Studio-für-Bühnentanz in Vienna, as in in Rotterdamm, Nürnberg, Stuttgart and Graz.
Her own company SHADES OF GREEN shows productions at the Theater Center Forum and the Gloria theater. She also created productions together with Michael Seida and Christian Rovny for Theater Akzent and the Metropol.

Modul 5 - Pilatestraining mit dem Triadball™- Anna Schrefl und Rudolph Wächter

Pilatestraining mit dem Triadball™

The Triadball™ was developed by the two dancers and pilates trainers Ton Voogt (NL) and Michael Fritzke (USA) and is a unique tool to vary, modify and intesify Pilates exercises on the mat. Furthermore exercises with Pilates utensils can be added to training on the mat.

Working with the balls combines sensomotoric exercises with functional Pilates practices.
It enhances proprioreceptive feedback and by that stimulates the body to enhance the „powerhouse“. The spinal column is stabilised and sceletal muscles are strengthened.
It also helps mobilise single joints in a soft manner.

The first step is working on the „Placement“: mobilising of affixed structures, re-alignment and stabilising of the torso and the pelvis, the legs axis, shoulder area, and head posture.
The next step is the flow of motion. The exercises intertwine, muscles stop working in an isolated and mechanical manner, but in harmonic collaboration. The body will become balanced. Respiration and energy flow will be a pivotal part of the training.

Pilates System Europe

Pilates System Europe is a renowned Pilates studio and educational centre in Vienna.
The studio's philosophy is to maintain the pristine power and clarity of the system devised by Joseph Pilates and to further develop it on basis of nowadays' pysiological insights (like spiral dynamics). Pilates System Europe also likes to function as an international platform for exchange and further education of Pilates professionals.

Anna Schrefl studied contemporary dance at the HKA Amsterdam and the Academy of Rotterdam. After that she was involved in several projects as choreographic assistant, as with Cristine Gaigg/2nd Nature (a.o. Sacre Material, Trike and Über Tiere).
In her own works "fakts“ and "bits and pieces“ she focused on crosslinking dance, video and sound. Amongst other places her "bits and pieces_2“ was shown at Image-Turbo/ Wien, at Basement Theatre in Tbilisi/ Georgia, and ati ProArt-Tanzfestival/ Prague.
She collaborated with the media artists Machfeld at crossbreeds at the WUK and
the Medienwerkstatt at OHO (Oberwart/Bgld). Also she worked for theatrical plays like
Körperzeit directed by Jan Langenheim at the Theater Neumarkt/Zürich and created choreographies for fashion performances.
In 2008 she founded the event label ZIMMERTEMPERATUR in cooperation with Dietmar Seiler and is engaged in the art of "extreme slowing down of time“ (extreme Zeitverlangsamung).
Her Pedagogical works:
After finishing her Pilates education 2001 in New York, she founded the Pilates System Europe – Certification Program in Vienna. She is leading comany training and seminars for classical and contemporary dancers (a.o. at the Staatsopernschule Wien, head coach for 2ndNature), actors (Theater am Neumarkt Zürich) and is working for tanzmedizin.at.

Rudolf Wächter
At the age of 18 Rudolf Wächter graduated from his education as classical dancer at the Wiener Staatsoper. 1992 he was engaged as dancer with the Corps de Ballett, followed by solo appearances in Austria as well as internationally. After 10 years with the Staatsopernballet in Vienna, Renato Zanella promoted him to the Semi Solist in 2002. Anna Schrefl‘s Pilates System Europe, founded in 2006, gave him the chance to start a Pilates education parallel to his dancing career that eventually ended in autumn 2008 for medical reasons, he luckily was able to finish his education as coach. 2009 he began to work as choreographer for the Vienna Ballet Company besides his engagement as a Pilates trainer.







Modul Intensiv: Tanzmedteam und Emir Benca

Kinematic Analysis of Movement, Visualisation, Biofeedback
Intensive Practice of sports medicine

Emir Benca sudies at the technical University Vienna and is specialised on biomedical technics. Since 2007 he is working at the Adolf Lorenz Labs for biomechanics as System engeneer for MUW (Medical University of Vienna). Focus of his research is on the analysis of motion, rehab techniques and sports surgery.

The audience might think the dancers are able to lift themselves above ground and contemplate movements that are not bound to phyical laws.
Biomechanics know, that every body is exposed to the basic principles of mechanics, thus they know about the calculability of the body depending on time and space.
Through "biofeedback by visualisation“ the course of movement is tracked with several sensors and decoded into translatoric and rotatoric movements, helping to a better understanding of the course of movement of dance. The measuring of muscle activity helps detect the optimal appliance of force in individual phases of the movement.




Tanzmed Team
The aim of „Tanzmedizin“ (Medicine for dancers) is the improvement of medical information and assistance during dance related processes. The ideal quality during dance education is reached only in case of development of a collaboration and the avoiding of injuries.

Tanzmedizin encompasses various fieds of application in theory and practice. In most cases dancers and physicians realise this only during diagnosis and therapy.
My proposal for this cooperation of the tanzmed.at and ImPulsTanz has been received very positively by Karl Regensburger and his team.
This year the Tanzmedizin-workshop takes place at ImPulsTanz for the second time, under the scientific direction of Prof. Dr. Gobert Skrbensky. "I am looking forward to a large participation and to the new impulses arising from the workshop", Peter Rille on the Tanzmedizin homepage: www.tanzmedizin.at

Dr. Gobert Skrbensky