Professional dance careers are both highly rewarding and exceptionally challenging, so success as a dancer requires robust preparation. Performance Psychology for Dancers is an accessible and practical guide to talent development, offering dancers and those around them support to navigate the challenges of training and the psychological strategies that underlie success. As coaches, parents and experienced practitioners themselves, the authors share their passion and expertise in talent development from experience working with in-training and professional dancers, athletes, and the military. Additionally, a variety of current industry experts provide key insights and reflections on talent development, mental health and psychological skills for performance.

Mental health for dancers is finally beginning to get the recognition it so desperately requires, with many professional dance companies now having a ‘team around the dancer’ multidisciplinary health care team, however early intervention for those aspiring dancers is key. Performance Psychology for Dancers will promote the self-regulation and wellbeing that dancers need from early on in their training, to carry them throughout their dance career. -- Gill Docherty, PhD student, University of Chichester * The Psychologist *

Erin Sanchez is an educator supporting dancers' health and has led more than 600 educational health workshops for dance professionals and students. Dave Collins is Professorial Fellow in Human Performance Science at the University of Edinburgh and Director of Grey Matters Performance Ltd. Aine MacNamara is an Associate Professor in Elite Performance at Dublin City University.