The partnership, the first of its kind, will see Dance Clinic work closely with dance students providing professional screenings and injury preventive strategies to enhance performance, career development and help create the next generation of dancers.

Dance Clinic is an independent clinic based in the Jewellery Quarter run by Phil Birch, a soft tissue injury specialist and Darryl Canham, a martial arts practitioner, performer and physical conditioning coach.

Phil Birch has over 35 years experience in the field of dance and performing arts, including 24 years with Birmingham Royal Ballet where he treated some of the dance world’s most famous icons such as Rudolph Nureyev, Sylvie Guillem and Darcy Bussell.

Darryl Canham has enjoyed great success over the last 25 years improving clients performances, physical conditioning and moving them into resilient states of physical health and beyond the injuries that high performance athletes get from time to time.

Phil said; “DanceXchange are very forward thinking and innovative and we are delighted to be working with them on this fantastic scheme which provides talented dance students a chance to train with highly qualified professional dancers. Here at Dance Clinic we have already screened over 40 students on the scheme looking at posture, balance, identifying any existing injuries and helping to put together dance specific strength and conditioning strategies for each student.”

Darryl added, “Through our screenings we aim to encourage positive change, help each student to think differently about their body, be mindful of injury management, help them increase their confidence and wellbeing and achieve their absolute maximum potential as a professional dancer.”

The Centre of Advanced Training , led by DanceXchange and Sampad South Asian Arts and Heritage, is an elite training opportunity for young people aged 11-18, who show exceptional talent and potential in Bharatanatyam, Kathak and Contemporary styles.

The contemporary strand, Dance Generation, recruits young people from the West Midlands, and the South Asian strand, Yuva Gati, is a national programme, recruiting students from across the country. The opportunity to study Bharatanatyam and Kathak at this elite level is unique to this CAT scheme within the UK.

Alexandra Henwood, Head of Learning and Participation at DanceXchange added “We are very pleased to be working with Dance Clinic as this partnership will offer the dancers on our CAT scheme a valuable opportunity to gain a holistic understanding of their anatomy, empowering them to become exceptional professional dancers with the bespoke tools to achieve a self-sustaining career.”

As well as screenings for the CAT scheme Dance Clinic oversee 360 consultations per year working with over 100 professional and amateur dancers of all ages across the country from Ballroom, Irish Dancing and Hip-Hop to Contemporary Dance. The team have also worked with stars of Strictly Come Dancing and regularly carry their work over into dance schools and academies.