Wellbeing

© Demian Bern


The Produktionszentrum Tanz + Performance e.V., as the central point of contact for the independent dance and performance scene in Stuttgart, sees it as its duty to support the health of performing artists.

Between project phases, changing requirements, and uncertain structures, there is often a lack of space for health and suitable prevention measures.

With the help of the City of Stuttgart's “Entwicklungstreiber Kultur” funding program, the initiative “Wellbeing in the Independent Dance and Performance Scene” was launched at Produktionszentrum in 2025. During the funding period, five workshops with experts from the fields of dance and health were held. The aim was to raise artists' health awareness, provide helpful tools for self-care, and build a network

→ "Leaflet" Workshops 2025


The project is considered the starting point for the long-term establishment of health promotion in the Produktionszentrum, which is supported, among other things, by the newly established cooperation with Ta.med e.V. - a non-profit association for dance medicine.

Workshops

The Produktionszentrum regularly offers workshops with experts from fields such as dance medicine, sports science, nutrition science, and psychology.

Upcoming workshops

→ Workshop with Dr. Cindy Keller planned for 2026


Past workshops 

Wednesday, 10.12.2025
Strong for the arts - multi-track career models in the artistic professions with Heike Scharpff and Alina Gause

Wednesday, 23.07.2025
Stressing out and burning on mit Luísa Saraiva

Thursday, 17.05.2025
Life in motion - balanced nutrition with Eva-Maria Kraft

Saturday, 07.06.2025
Mental health in dance with Anja Ofenstein

Saturday, 01.03.2025
FASCIAnating dance medicine with Dr. med. Cindy Keller (in cooperation with ta.med e.V.)

Consultation and Education

In order to promote the health of freelance dance and performance artists on an individual basis and to advance knowledge transfer in the field of dance medicine, the Produktionszentrum offers dance medicine consultations and the “Certificate in Dance Medicine” training course.


Dance Medicine Consultations 

with expert Dr. med. Cindy Keller.

Three to four individual consultations with expert Dr. med. Cindy Keller are available each quarter. The number of places is limited. Please send inquiries to info@produktionszentrum.de

Costs: 45,- € (45 minutes), 15,- € excess for PZ members


Certificate Dance Medicine 

Members of the Produktionszentrum can participate in the continuing education course "Certificate Dance Medicine" at a reduced price. This course is offered by the Minkov Dance Academy in cooperation with Ta.med e.V. and can be completed online or on-site (Winnenden).

The certificate consists of the modules Basic Knowledge of Dance Medicine and Intensive Knowledge of Dance Medicine and covers topics such as anatomy, injury prevention, rehabilitation, training methods, and health promotion.

Questions to info@produktionszentrum.de
Register by end of August at the latest at info@tanzakademie.tv

Infos about the programme

Network

In order to create a professional offering, the production center works together with experts from the fields of dance and health.

Dr. med. Cindy Keller
Specialist in general medicine, medical osteopath according to DAAO, certified manual therapist (MWE), fascia therapist according to Laban, certified biofeedback and neurofeedback trainer, and long-time lecturer for the subject “Applied Anatomy and Dance Medicine” as part of the Dance Medicine Certificate from ta.med e.V.

Contact: tanzmedizinstuttgart@gmail.com


Anja Ofenstein
Sports scientist (M.Sc. TUM) and sports psychology expert (asp), lecturer for the module “Additional Training for Dancers” as part of the Dance Medicine Certificate from ta.med e.V., coach for stage artists (Website)

Contact: info@anja-ofenstein.de or +49 177 7229767


Eva-Maria Kraft

Contemporary dancer and choreographer, dance teacher, nutrition coach specializing in dance, craniosacral practitioner, co-author of "Nutrition for Dancers" (Website

Contact: mail@evamaria-kraft.at or +43 650 4343773


Luísa Saraiva

Choreographer & performer, M.A. in Psychology (University of Porto) and B.A. in Dance (Folkwang University of the Arts Essen), workshops and panels on mental health in dance (Website

Contact: luisamsaraiva@hotmail.com


Heike Scharpff

Certified psychologist, director, project manager at the TANZ Foundation - Transition Center Germany until 2019, transition coach (Website

Contact: post@heikescharpff.de or +49 178 4554579


Alina Gause

Certified psychologist, actress and singer, author, artistic director of THEATER IM PALAIS BERLIN, artist consultant (Website

Contact: info@artists-way.de or +49 30 70764684

Contact Points

For a long and healthy career as a dance creator/movement artist, it is essential to be cared for by specialized doctors and therapists.

Contact Points in Stuttgart

Maybach Clinic - Center for Orthopedics (Maybachstraße 50, 70469 Stuttgart)
Emergency consultation hours, work-related accidents, experience with dancers
Tel.: 0711 - 896 550 0
www.maybachklinik.de

Athletic Solution Center Rehab at the Maybach Clinic
Physiotherapy, remedial gymnastics & osteopathy, treating many dancers
Tel.: 0711 - 230 530 70
www.maybachmedical.com

Haid Gesundheitswerkstatt (Marienplatz 1, 70178 Stuttgart)
Specializes in professional musicians and dancers
Tel.: 0711 - 16122095
www.haid-gesundheitswerkstatt.de

Physiotherapie und Gesundheit (Herdweg 24, 70174 Stuttgart) 
Physiotherapy, osteopathy, experience with dancers
Tel.: 0711 - 5853 726 
www.physiotherapie-und-gesundheit.de

More Therapy (Schloßstraße 59c, 70176 Stuttgart)

Physiotherapy, osteopathy, psychological counseling, connection to dancers
Tel.: 0711 - 21 952 336
www.more-therapy.de

ZAR Stuttgart (Wilhelmsplatz 11, 70182 Stuttgart)

Physiotherapy, outpatient rehabilitation
Tel.: 0711 - 239 43 17
www.zar.de

A.B.A.S Stuttgart (Lindenspürstraße 32, 70176 Stuttgart)

Contact point for eating disorders
Tel.: 0711 - 30 56 85 40
www.abas-stuttgart.de


Further Contact Points

Competence Center for Dance Medicine “medicos.AufSchalke” (Parkallee 1 and 5, 45891 Gelsenkirchen)
Medical, preventive, and rehabilitative care for professional dancers
Tel.: 0209 - 380 33 145
www.zar.de

ARCUS Clinics Pforzheim, Dr. med. Christian Sobau (Rastatter Straße 17-19, 75179)

Hip specialist, impingement (FAI)
Tel.: 07231 - 60556 0
www.sportklinik.de

ORTHO-ZENTRUM Karlsruhe, Prof. Dr. med. Benita Kuni, (Waldstraße 67, 76133 Karlsruhe)

Focus on dance medicine and foot orthopedics
Tel.: 0721 - 92 09 010
www.ortho-zentrum.de

Psychological support

Anja Ofenstein
Mental training in dance, music, and sports
Tel.: 0177 7229767
www.anja-ofenstein.de

TGR The Green Room gUG

Donation-based psychological counseling
www.thegreenroomforartists.de

116 117 - The number with the elves

Appointment service, doctor and psychotherapist search, health information Psychotherapy
Tel.: 116 117
www.116117.de

TelefonSeelsorge® Deutschland e.V. (Telephone Counseling Germany)

Support in difficult life situations
Tel.: 0800 1110111 / 0800 1110222 or 116 123
www.telefonseelsorge.de

It is also worth finding local social welfare organizations, Caritas and family counseling centers, and community psychiatric centers. These often offer free psychological support.

Further Links

Ta.med e.V. – Non-profit association for dance medicine (DE, AT, CH) 
Network, online lectures, directories, competence teams
www.tamed.eu

HE4DS - Health Education for Dancers by Urban Dance Health e.V.
Coaching, workshops, education program
www.he4ds.com

German Nutrition Society (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung e.V.)
Science, resources
www.dge.de

TANZ Foundation – Transition Center Germany
Career transition counseling, scholarships, workshops
www.stiftung-tanz.com

Bühnenmütter* e.V. 
Balancing stage and care, empowerment, awareness raising
www.buehnenmuetter.com

TGR The Green Room gUG
Donation-based psychological counseling, workshops, resources
www.thegreenroomforartists.de

EMERGING DANCE ARTIST
Knowledge platform, workbook
www.emergingdanceartists.de

EDN - European Dance Development Network
Digital library
www.ednetwork.eu

IADMS - International Association for Dance Medicine & Science
Resources, publications, network
www.iadms.org

Bibliography

  • Simmel, Liane: Dance Medicine in Practice: Anatomy, Injury Prevention, Training, Routledge, 2013
  • Simmel, Liane & Kraft, Eva-Maria: Nutrition for Dancers: Basics, Performance Enhancement, Practical Tips, Routledge, 2017
  • Gause, Alina: Kompass für Künstler: Ein persönlicher Wegbegleiter für Kreative, Springer Berlin, 2017
  • Gause, Alina: Anbieten ohne Anbiedern - Selbstmarketing für Kreative: Ein psychologischer Ratgeber, Springer Berlin, 2021
  • Gause, Alina: Warum Künstler die glücklicheren Menschen sein könnten: Der Künstlerberuf aus psychologischer Perspektive, BoD - Books on Demand, 2011
  • Schofield, Cathy & Start, Lucy: Psychology for Dancers: Theory and Practice to fulfill your potential, Routledge, 2019
  • Englert, Kai & Kossak, Tom: Mentales Training im Leistungssport - Teil 2, Neuer Sportverlag, 2021
  • Kaluza, Gert: Gelassen und sicher im Stress, 7th edition, Springer Verlag, 2018

Good to know

11+ Dance Training

StrengthMotionMind offers two free 25- to 30-minute training sessions on injury prevention developed by the Elmhurst Ballet School in collaboration with the University of Wolverhampton. The training focuses on ankle, knee, and hip stability, muscle endurance, and jump and landing control.


REDs / RED-D

REDs stands for Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport. RED-D is a dance-specific expression of REDs and describes a condition caused by not eating enough to meet the demands of dancing and life. Project RED-D is committed to ensuring that energy deficiency in dance is no longer normalized or aestheticized.

YouTube channel


Disclaimer: The information provided is intended to impart knowledge and cannot replace medical advice. The authors of the content accept no liability whatsoever.