STEP BEHIND THE CURTAIN
Your Partners in Performance
founder & Titled Sports Physiotherapist
Sarah Kiely
Sarah is dedicated to empowering the next generation of dancers, performing artists and performance athletes to achieve long-term success by focusing on their physical wellbeing. Drawing on her competitive background in dance and sport, she offers a unique blend of personal insight and professional expertise. Holding an APA Title in Sports and Exercise Physiotherapy, Sarah’s experience spans a broad spectrum of sports and demographics. However, her primary focus lies in the care of artistic athletes, including those in commercial dance, full-time and pre-professional ballet, acrobatics, gymnastics, cheerleading, aerial and circus arts.
Her method combines evidence-based practices with a deep empathy for her clients, tailoring treatments to their individual needs, goals and art form. Continuously engaging with the latest research and innovation, Sarah’s infectious passion for her work and commitment to her clients shines through in every interaction. Whether working with young beginners or professional performers, Sarah’s approach is characterised by a relentless drive to support each client in achieving their best, both in their careers and in their personal health journeys.
Driven by her diverse personal experiences in the world of dance, competitive cheerleading, and as a World and Australian gold medallist in Surf Lifesaving, Sarah has a firsthand understanding of the physical and emotional demands associated with pursuing a career in the performing arts and succeeding in high-performance sport. Her own experiences, coupled with the insights gained from over 12 years of teaching dance have been her driving force in becoming a dance physiotherapist and have deeply influenced her approach and philosophy as a practitioner.
Determined to reshape the perceptions around dance, Sarah advocates for recognising dancers as performance athletes, meriting the same respect and meticulous attention as their counterparts in traditional sports. Her philosophy promotes the safe development of flexibility, strength and technique, aiming to guide dancers toward successful and sustainable careers in the performing arts. Sarah’s goal is to support dancers in becoming both informed and in form, capable of advocating for their needs and navigating the demands of their careers with confidence and resilience.
Sarah was nominated for the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS) Dance Educator Award in 2020 for merging physiotherapy with safe dance practice and high performance within local dance studios. This includes her work in teaching anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, pain science and dance technique in studios, implementing dancer load management and injury prevention programs during COVID-19, and working with teachers and students to improve their injury management knowledge.
Sarah has also taken her unique skill set and expertise and translated this into professional and elite sporting environments. She served as a Physiotherapist for the Gold Coast Suns AFLW Team during Seasons 6 and 7, supported the Queensland Academy of Sport and National Centre of Excellence Australian Sprint Kayak Program athletes and para-athletes as a Pathways Physiotherapist, contributed as the Physiotherapist for the Australian Jackaroos Opens and Para-Athlete Squads at the 2023 World Bowls Championships, and held a position as an Intern Physiotherapist for Surfing Australia in 2022.
Masters of Sport Physiotherapy
University of Queensland, 2021-23
Masters of Physiotherapy
Griffith University Gold Coast, 2015-16
Bachelor of Exercise Science
Griffith University Gold Coast and University of Leeds, UK, 2012-14.
Sir Samuel Griffith Academic Scholarship and Griffith Honours College Scholar
Level 1 Strength & Conditioning Coach
Australian Strength and Conditioning Association (ASCA)
Western Acupuncture + Dry Needling
Combined Health
Clinical Pilates Equipment and Matwork
Pilates Institute of Queensland
Level 1 Sports Trainer & Advanced Spinal Care
Athletic and Sports Trainers Association
First Aid and CPR
First Aid A&E
Enhancing Skills in Paediatric Physiotherapy (Monash University)
The Difficult Foot and Ankle (SPORTSMAP)
QLD Symposium- Paediatric Athletes: Illness, Injury and Training Load (Sports Medicine Australia)
Anterior Hip and Groin Pain: Contemporary Diagnostic and Management Strategies (Dr Alison Grimaldi)
Mastering Movement of the Hip and Pelvis (Dr Alison Grimaldi)
Hypermobility for Physiotherapists: Its Types and Its Management (Sharon Hennessy, Not Just Bendy)
Physiotherapy Management of Hypermobility Disorders and Gait Abnormalities in Children (Natalie Bennett-Bremner, Kidz Clinic Physiotherapy)
ACL Injuries in AFLW (AFL Healthcare Team)
Dance Practitioner and Teacher Training Level 1 and 2 (Lisa Howell, Perfect Form Physiotherapy)
Hip Joint In Dance (Sue Mayes, APA)
Integrated Solutions for Head and Neck Pain (Shaun O’Leary, APA)
Certificate in Spinal Manual Therapy (Manual Concepts)
Titled Member of the Australian College of Physiotherapists (ACP)
Member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) and the Sports and Exercise National Group
Registered Practitioner under Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)
Member of the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS)
Member of Australian Society of Performing Arts Healthcare (ASPAH)
Member of the Australian Strength and Conditioning Association (ASCA)
Inspired by her clients and her love for the performing arts, Sarah dedicates herself to not just providing compassionate, empathetic and comprehensive care in the clinic but also to supporting the broader dance community. She collaborates closely with dance studios, leading workshops for both adults and young dancers, as well as working with local pointe shoe fitters to enhance their understanding of pre-pointe preparation. Beyond the studio, Sarah shares her knowledge as a podcast guest and connects with studio owners and industry professionals, aiming to create a network of support that elevates and champions the standards of wellbeing in the performing arts.
get to know sarah
This or that
coffee
tea
savoury
sweet
jazz
ballet
contemporary
tap
jumps
turns
lefty
righty
physiotherapist
Amy Donnelly
With a dynamic fusion of professional dance experience and a Bachelor of Physiotherapy degree with First Class Honours from Griffith University, Amy seamlessly blends the artistry of dance with evidence-based therapeutic practices. Her work spans both clinical settings and the studio, catering to various needs, from injury rehabilitation to performance enhancement.
Whether dancers are recovering from injuries or aiming to elevate their performance, Amy takes pride in empowering them to comprehend their bodies in ways applicable to studio practice, stage performance and regular everyday life. Amy’s expertise is rooted in evidence-based practices and is passionate about translating scientific knowledge into accessible language for today’s generation of performers.
Amy’s dance journey began with a typical Gold Coast childhood, starting ballet at the age of three and exploring various dance genres along the way. She completed ballet exams predominantly in the Vaganova style (Australian Conservatoire of Ballet) and participated in national and international eisteddfod solos and groups. After completing full-time tertiary contemporary training overseas, she had the privilege of performing in short professional contracts, including with Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers.
During performing and training, she taught dance classes to all ages (tiny tots to adults) and transitioned into a role as a personal trainer. This experience reignited her passion for enhancing physical performance through diverse methods beyond the dance studio. As she delved into the possibilities of strength training for dance, the desire to expand her knowledge and contribute more to the world of dance led her naturally to become a dance physiotherapist.
During her dance career, Amy’s passion gravitated towards technique, agility, and physical performance. One of her favourite aspects about her role as a dance physiotherapist, is returning a dancer back from injury with improved performance compared to pre-injury. Dancers don’t have to be injured to see her however, as enhancing performance is a form of minimising injury risk.
Bachelor of Physiotherapy (First Class Honours)
Griffith University Gold Coast, 2018-21
Honours Research: Does Exercising in Virtual Reality Reduce Pain Sensitivity in People with Achilles Tendinopathy
Symposium speaker Sports Medicine Australia Conference 2022
Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Dance
University of Winnipeg, 2011-15
Western Acupuncture + Dry Needling
Combined Health
Clinical Pilates Equipment and Matwork
Pilates Institute of Queensland
Personal Trainer
Canadian Fitness Professionals
First Aid and CPR
First Aid A&E
Member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA)
Registered Practitioner under Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)
Member of the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS)
Member of Sports Medicine Australia (SMA)
Recent endeavours have seen Amy expanding her reach in the dance community. She’s crafted study guides for the Australian Teachers of Dance certificate and diploma courses, fostering educational growth within the dance teaching domain. She has also created her own Dance Journal (available in clinic or on Amazon), which serves as a valuable resource for dancers to deepen their body awareness and monitor performance through feedback.
Her commitment to knowledge dissemination extends beyond the studio, with presentations at Sports Medicine Australia showcasing the findings of her honours research. Additionally, she often hosts holiday workshops for dancers, providing education and practical teachings to expand their intellectual toolbox. Previous workshop topics have included ‘Strengthen your flexibility’, ‘Recover + Reset’, ‘Understanding Dance Injuries’ and ‘Dancers Anatomy’.
get to know amy