I am currently Director of Teaching in the UNSW School of Health Sciences. My primary areas of teaching and research include dance for health, biomechanics, motor learning and skill acquisition. I have a strong interest in investigating the biomechanics of dance and other movement practices, and assessing the therapeutic effects of dance for people of all ages and abilities. I am an Registered Dance Teacher with over 15 years of experience as...view more
I am currently Director of Teaching in the UNSW School of Health Sciences. My primary areas of teaching and research include dance for health, biomechanics, motor learning and skill acquisition. I have a strong interest in investigating the biomechanics of dance and other movement practices, and assessing the therapeutic effects of dance for people of all ages and abilities. I am an Registered Dance Teacher with over 15 years of experience as a dance educator. The impact of my research in dance for health has been highlighted through media coverage on ABC TV, ABC Radio Sydney and ABC print media. Most notably, I recently appeared as Science Program Lead in the ABC TV series, “Keep on Dancing”, in which a group of over 65’s attempt to slow the effects of aging through dance.
I am currently a member of the IADMS Dance for Health Committee and Associate Editor of the Journal of Dance Medicine and Science. I am a Registered Teacher and Practical Teaching Supervisor of the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD), and a Licensed Teacher of the RAD’s Silver Swans ballet program. I am also an Accredited Exercise Scientist and Accredited Exercise Physiologist with Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA) and have strong a focus on dance-based exercise and physical activity.
My Grants
2022: Modenese L (CI), Alam M, Argha R, Bolsterlee B, Brodie M, Gustin S, Shariati NH, Kark L, McDonald K, Shivdasani M, Pelicioni PS, Stevens M, Stunieks D, Ward RE. Mobile motion capture suite. Research Infrastructure Scheme. AU$130,000.
2021; McDonald K (CI), Arnold R, Endre Z, Heroux M, Kark L, Letton M, Sturnieks D, Thom J, Van Schiiten K, Ward RE. A portable solution for metabolic measurements. Research Infrastructure Scheme. AU$83,045.
2019-20: Goldstein D, Park S, McCrary MJ, Simar D, Ward RE. The effect of exercise training on neurophysiologic, functional, and quality of life deficits in cancer survivors with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. World Cancer Research Fund International, AU$99,958.
2018: Thom J (CI), Arnold R, Booth J, Boutcher Y, Jones M, Kwai N, McAuley J, Parmenter B, Simar D, Ward RE, Housley G, Birznieks I, Potas J, Vickery R, Smith G, Herbert R, Bolsterlee B, Cederholm J, Khamis H. SoMS Human Participant Laboratories Level 1 Wallace Wurth. UNSW Research Infrastructure Scheme, AU$539,980.
2016: Lord S (CI). … (co-investigators listed alphabetically, incl. Ward RE). UNSW Major Research Equipment and Infrastructure Initiative Scheme (MREII), AU$218,097.
My Qualifications
Doctor of Philosophy, UNSW
Master of Clinical Exercise Physiology, CSU
Master of Biomedical Engineering, UNSW
Graduate Certificate in University Learning and Teaching, UNSW
Bachelor of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney
Graduate Certificate in the Pilates Method, UTS
Diploma of Exercise Studies, CSU
Diploma of Dance Teaching and Management, Australian Teachers of Dance (ATOD)
Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies, Royal Academy of Dance (RAD)
My Awards
2018 UNSW Medicine Faculty Teaching Award: Teaching Excellence
2018 UNSW School of Medical Sciences Award: Community Engagement
2016 UNSW Vice Chancellor’s Award: Teaching Excellence - Contributions to Student Learning
2016 UNSW School of Medical Sciences Award: Teacher of the Year
2015 UNSW School of Medical Sciences Award: Contribution to the Student Experience
My Research Activities
My research activity relates primarily to dance science and health. I am very interested in investigating the therapeutic effects of dance as an exercise modality for people of all ages and abilities, and in researching and promoting safe dance techniques for elite and recreational dancers.
My work involves the analysis of human movement, with an aim to contribute to the development of guidelines for therapeutic dance-based exercise prescription, injury prevention, and assessment of methods for effective motor skill acquisition. My scope of research ranges from assessment of motor skill development in paediatric populations through to detailed analysis of the highly skilled movement of dancers and athletes, and investigation of the effects of dance-based movement and exercise on all aspects of health.
Broad Research Areas:
Dance for Health, Biomechanics, Movement Analysis, Motor Learning, Motor Skill Acquisition,
Specific Research Keywords:
Dance for Health, Dance physiology, Dance science, Biomechanics, Human Movement Analysis, Motor Skill Acquisition
My Research Supervision
Supervision keywords
Areas of supervision
- Dance for health across the lifespan
- Safe dance technique
- Biomechanics of human movement
- Motor learning and skill acquisition
Currently supervising
- Key Nahan - PhD - "Exploring the relationship between fatigue, running and running footwear".
Completed Projects
- Meg Letton - MSc - "Classical ballet training for apparently healthy older adults: evaluation of biomechanical and functional outcomes"
- Eliza MacDonald - MSc - "Ballet After Breast Cancer" - Assessing the feasibility and acceptability of a 16-week classical ballet intervention for breast cancer survivors, with secondary aims to assess the quality of life, upper-body function, muscular strength, and cardiorespiratory fitness of breast cancer survivors.
My Engagement
In addition to my role as a tertiary educator and researcher, I am a former professional dancer, and currently a Registered Teacher and Practical Teaching Supervisor of the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD), and Certified Teacher of the Dance Health Alliance (DHA). I teach classical ballet and contemporary dance for children and adults at various locations across Sydney, and regularly deliver dance classes tailored specifically for older adults, including those with dementia and Parkinson's Disease.
I am currently an active member of the national and international dance medicine and dance science community. At the national level, I am Chair of Dance Research Collaborative (DaRC), a group of dance researchers, clinicians, educators and students from tertiary institutions across Australia, who focus on dance-related research in the areas of health, education, performance, injury and epidemiology. Internationally, I am a member of the Dance for Health Committee of the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS), and also contribute to IADMS through review of conference abstracts and adjudication of conference awards. I am also currently an Associate Editor of the Journal of Dance Medicine and Science.
My Teaching
Director of Teaching, School of Health Sciences (May 2023 - present)
Course Convenor and Lecturer for HESC2452 Movement Assessment and Instruction (2012 - present)
Lecturer for HESC3592 Neuromuscular Rehabilitation (2012 - present)
Lecturer for HESC1501 Introductory Exercise Science (2011 - present)
Program Authority for the UNSW Bachelor of Exercise Physiology (2014 - 2021)
Academic Advisor for the UNSW Bachelor of Exercise Physiology (2013 - 2021)
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5643-5650