Tulsa World: Muscling in on 'Dracula'

MAKE US YOUR HOMEPAGE | Wednesday, February 10, 2010 | WIRELESS

Home > News > Article

Newspaper View Print this story

Comment

RSS

Bookmark

Muscling in on 'Dracula'
Physical therapy students train on dancers

Tulsa Ballet dancer Nathan McGinnis winces as Ken Randall, associate professor of physical therapy at the University of Oklahoma-Tulsa, works on his ankle muscles while graduate students Becky Wilcox (left center) and Kacy Ward watch before Thursday night's production of "Dracula." SHERRY BROWN/Tulsa World

By SARA PLUMMER World Staff Writer
Published: 10/30/2009 2:21 AM
Last Modified: 10/30/2009 4:31 AM

The physical therapy table backstage at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center shares a room with three washers and dryers, but laundry isn't what people were in line for Thursday night.

Ken Randall, associate professor of physical therapy at the University of Oklahoma-Tulsa, and two of his students treated Tulsa Ballet dancers before opening night of "Dracula."

As his students massaged, pushed and pulled at muscles, Randall asked questions as he would in a classroom, but he was not the only instructor in the room.

"These guys (the dancers) are the best teachers," he said. "They give students feedback, and they know their bodies so well; they know when something's not right."

In the last 10 years, Randall and about 250 of his students have volunteered at the ballet.

"These guys are excellent examples of human anatomy," but they're not the typical patient the students learn about, he said. "They really have to stretch themselves — take what they know about typical human beings and take it to the extremes."

Kacy Ward, a third-year physical therapy student at OU-Tulsa, worked with the dancers last fall and was backstage Thursday.

"We get to put our skills to practice," Ward said. The dancers "have very defined muscles. Some of the moves they do are extraordinary — their strength and flexibility. People think ballet dancers are just ballerinas jumping around, (but) they are athletes. They are strong and very in tune with their bodies."

Becky Wilcox, also a third-year physical therapy student also volunteering at the ballet, said her classmate is ahead of the game with the experience she has.

"When we're practicing in class, we practice on each other, and most of us don't have real problems," Wilcox said. "She (Ward) has gotten to do this every week and work on people with real problems."

Serena Chu, a Tulsa Ballet dancer, said what Randall and his students do for the dancers is vital.

"We do so much exercise and abuse to ourselves; we need someone to fix it afterward," Chu said.

It's a win-win for everyone, Randall said, because his students get practical experience and the dancers get free physical therapy.

The company doesn't have enough funding to have a physical therapist on staff, so what Randall and other volunteers do is invaluable, said Daiva Preston, Tulsa Ballet's company manager.

When Randall comes to rehearsals, he's only supposed to be there for an hour, Preston said, but he usually stays for three hours to treat everyone.

"When he brings students, he can show them what needs to be done," she said. "The students don't really know how difficult dancing is. It's not all sparkles and tutus. They see the sweat and blood of the ballet."

Randall has learned about dancing, too. Fifteen years ago he had no idea what a pas duet was. Now he uses ballet terms such as grand plié and tendu with ease. He has even gone on tour with the ballet and traveled to New York City with the company in August.

"Having done this for so long, I feel like a part of the family," Randall said, but the partnership wouldn't exist without support from OU-Tulsa administrators. "They see the educational value as well as we're providing a community service."

‘Dracula’

When: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday

Tickets: PAC ticket office, 596- 7109, or tulsaworld.com/pac

Sara Plummer 581-8465
sara.plummer@tulsaworld.com By SARA PLUMMER World Staff Writer

Newspaper View Print this story

Comment

RSS

Bookmark

Reader Comments

Show: Most Recent Comment First

Add your comment

4 comments have been made on this story so far. Tell us what you think below!

Reporting Comments

If you see a comment that violates our terms and conditions, please help us by clicking the "Report this Comment" link next to a comment. That will alert the web staff to review the comment. Thank you. -- Web Editor Jason Collington

Some reader comments for this story were copied from "Hands-on anatomy lessons benefit the ballet, too," which was published on 10/29/2009.

	Report Comment IrishQuaker, Tulsa (10/29/2009 11:51:39 PM) The Dracula ballet is FANTASTIC! Go see it.
	Report Comment Alan Shore, (10/30/2009 6:07:10 AM) My guess is that Mr. McGinnis will have that look on his face again...
	Report Comment B., (10/30/2009 8:31:21 AM) Pas duet? You mean "pas de deux"? Interesting article, otherwise.
	Report Comment Slatz, Tulsa (10/30/2009 9:09:15 AM) After seeing it last night I can see why they needed this... It was a great show and the sets and costuming were amazing. The orchestra was simply outstanding.

Add Your Comment
In order to post a comment on this article, you must sign in to Tulsaworld.com. If you do not have a site account, you can create an account for free.