Based in Sydney’s inner west, we offer both Pilates and physiotherapy sessions run by fully trained and experienced staff. Our friendly and supportive environment encourages healing as you evolve to a better level of physical health.

Our services include Physiotherapy for dancers and performance artists, pre Pointe assessments, pre-Pilates assessments, physiotherapy for rehabilitation and studio Pilates to suit a wide range of ages and abilities. Studio Pilates refers to sessions in our fully equipped Pilates studio. This involves equipment such as the reformer and trap-bed, as well as some mat work.

When you come to Activate Physio. Pilates, you can expect expert care and a creative, interesting and challenging workout – developed specifically to suit your individual physical needs and goals.

Susie Bond from Activate Physio. Pilates
What are the benefits for a student dancer to continue with a physiotherapist Pilates program during times when the dancer is not injured?
Our Safe Dance research has shown that many dancers go into professional careers with injuries sustained in the junior years of their dance training, especially teenage years when dance training hours and intensity increase. Debilitating flare up of these weakened areas, such as foot and ankle, knee and low back, can cause time off from full-time training. Prevention of injury is better! It is good to iron out the physical problems before they become an injury.
When we are young and flexible it is easy to flop into excessive joint range in stretches, however where is the muscle control to support the dancer’s joints and connective tissues? Repeated injury can occur to unprotected joints.

Uneven pressure through joints due to poor alignment and muscle control can lead to excessive strain on bone growth plates and joints, leading to uneven bone growth, deformity and cartilage damage, especially in the toes, under the knee cap and spine.
Pilates instructors focus specific exercises from a detailed individual assessment of each dancer’s physique. These exercises strengthen control and awareness of foot and ankle, knee, hip alignment, especially in parallel and turned out positions. Lower abdominal muscle and other deep trunk muscle control helps protect your developing spine.

Pilates has long been used by dancers to augment and support their dance careers, not just rehab injury. Pilates helps dancers to:
> Find deep ‘core’ trunk muscles. This means you learn to correctly draw up in the pelvic ‘pull up’ muscles dancers use for central balance and trunk control.
> Lengthen spinal and limb alignment, rather than build brute strength that bulks muscles up.
> Find postural awareness: research shows Pilates based exercises can help dancer’s awareness of ideal pelvic alignment and centre.
> Practice ideal lower limb alignment. Have you tried the ‘jump board’ on the reformer? FUN.
> Learn relaxed breath control through movement.
> Balance strength and weaknesses in muscles.
> Improve connective tissue flexibility and joint mobility.

Dancers in professional companies prepare for new choreography with their exercise trainers, like Paula Baird Colt at The Australian Ballet. Each time you start a new technique or dance routine you want your body to be ready with a background of strength, flexibility and muscle endurance to take the new loads. Let your Pilates instructor know about your specific aims when you go in to your session and they will focus your hour workout to achieve these goals, and maybe give your homework exercises to do too!

Susie Bond: Director Activate Physio. Pilates, Physiotherapist, Pilates Instructor, Dancer – Physiotherapist since 1987, Pilates Instructor since 1996 and dancer since 5 years (Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Contemporary).