Aspiring dancers risk injury copying advanced moves and participating in viral challenges on TikTok, leading dance organizations have warned.
The Royal Academy of Dance says that young people should be careful when trying to recreate movements of professional dancers or taking part in challenges on social media.
In an interview with The Stage, artistic director Gerard Charles says that while the platform can be a great inspiration for amateur dancers, supervision by a trained teacher is key to avoiding injury.
“Watching dance on TikTok can provide great inspiration, but without an experienced and qualified teacher who understands physical development and age-appropriate movement, it’s all too easy to copy what you see on social media to lead to injury,” he said.
Louise Molton, director of education for the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance, encouraged aspiring dancers to consider formal training.
“Repetition of routines without specific feedback does not support technical and artistic development and can lead to injury and malpractice,” he said.
“Learning without a teacher, who can provide correction in the early stages of any physical activity, could be dangerous and could lead to injury or permanent damage later in life.”
Last week, American actress Kyra Sedgwick was photographed with an ice pack on her wrist after attempting the “Footloose Drop”, a current dance trend on TikTok.
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Her husband, Kevin Bacon, who starred in the film, shared the photo of Sedgwick, 56, on Instagram, with the caption: “The aftermath of nailing a TikTok dance #Footloose,” after the couple successfully made the move.
In 2020, a number of TikTok users were reportedly injured after attempting a complicated series of moves to “WAP” by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion during the first Covid lockdown.
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According to the New York Post, at least one aspiring dancer was taken to the hospital after copying the viral dance that includes splits, twerking and a jumping high kick.
However, TikTok has also won praise for its inclusion and for encouraging young people to discover new interests.
Danielle Drayton, creative director of Blue Fish Entertainments, said breaking moves into short tutorials can be more engaging to social media users than a formal lesson.
“With inspiring companies like the Rockettes or the cast of Dance Moms breaking down a dance move into 15 to 30 seconds, sometimes dancing can seem less tedious online than in a class,” she said.
TikTok advises anyone starting a new fitness program or exercise routine to seek the advice or guidance of a qualified professional.
Source: www.theguardian.com