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From the moment Jack H. took his first steps in dance class as a young kid, he was hooked.
He loved being in the dance studio. He loved participating in dance competitions. Though he played baseball and soccer and enjoyed performing in musical theater in high school, dance remained his true love.
As a self-proclaimed “jazz baby,” Jack studied jazz dance for four years in college, dancing more than he ever had before. Eight years ago, he moved to Chicago to pursue a career as a dancer and, since then, he has danced in several companies — expanding his skills beyond jazz to include modern dance, contemporary ballet and hip hop.
Now, at age 30, Jack is an experienced professional dancer, well-connected to others in Chicago’s thriving dance community and always bringing his passion to the studio and stage.
Under The Skin By Tsai Hsi Hung
Lighting Designer: Julie E Ballard Costume Designer: Trey Alexander
Unfortunately, out of nowhere, Jack started to experience pain in his hip and knee. Even more concerning, his left knee started to give out on him while rehearsing and while teaching fitness in his secondary role as a certified physical trainer.
“I wouldn’t be doing anything wild — just lunging backward or shifting weight onto my left leg — and my knee would buckle,” said Jack. “It was scary.”
Jack’s pain was worrisome on several levels. His livelihood as a professional dancer relied on performing and being able to meet the physically demanding nature of his job. At the same time, he was preparing for a springtime show in early 2025 and was worried about missing the performance. With a sense of urgency, Jack started to seek solutions.
Expert Care for the Performing Arts
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As Jack recognized that he needed medical attention, his dance company suggested that he contact the Chicago-based nonprofit organization, Chicago Dance Health Fund (CDHF), which provides financial relief for dancers’ preventative health care and critical medical needs.
Jack received a CDHF grant, which enabled him to receive medical care via Shirley Ryan 汤头条app’s performing arts medicine program. The program offers performance-oriented treatment of medical issues that occur in performers of all types, including dancers.
Importantly, the philosophy behind the performing arts medicine program is to keep performers participating in their art.
Jack met with Maria Reese, MD, medical director of the performing arts medicine program, and Kathleen Darley, DPT, a physical therapist with expertise treating performers. Because both Dr. Reese and Kathleen are former dancers themselves, Jack recalled that he felt “so seen right away.”
“They could ask me to stand in fifth position while they examined me, and I thought, ‘you know exactly what I do,’” said Jack. “That makes you feel taken care of.”
Tailored Physical Therapy for Strength & Stability
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After a medical examination by Dr. Reese and an X-ray analysis, the team created a plan of care that included a short course of outpatient physical therapy not only to address Jack’s pain, but also to strengthen his entire left leg. Specifically, Jack’s goals included stabilizing and strengthening his hip and addressing his overall motor control, alignment, and knee and ankle stability.
In physical therapy, Kathleen focused on neuromuscular reeducation, teaching Jack how to use the correct muscles and to adjust timing when he moved and fired his muscles. His physical therapy also included soft tissue mobilization, a manual physical therapy technique to help provide pain relief in soft tissue like muscles, ligaments and tendons and to restore joint mobility.
Kathleen gave Jack exercises and techniques to work on at home as well, including implementing dance modifications that he could incorporate into his daily dance warm-ups seamlessly; rolling out on a foam roller to reduce soreness and to promote flexibility and range of motion; and using toe spacers to help with proper foot mechanics.
The Show Must Go On
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Jack made amazing progress in only five physical therapy sessions. With his pain reduced, he performed in his show … and has continued to dance ever since.
By having physical therapy tailored to his needs as a dancer — as well as strong communication between patient, doctor and physical therapist — Jack did not need more invasive procedures to address his pain, such as injections or surgery.
“They told me not to stress, but to keep dancing and doing my exercises,” said Jack. “They assured me that structurally I was OK. I just needed to be aware of my body and keep working to get ready for my show. They gave me peace of mind and confidence, which helped me to trust that I could keep going.”
Now for summer 2025, Jack is preparing to perform in Dance for Life, Chicago Dance Health Fund’s summer showcase featuring several local dance companies, of which Shirley Ryan 汤头条app is a sponsor.
Jack credits Shirley Ryan 汤头条app with helping him make a positive mental shift and reach his peak as a performer.
“I just turned 30, which is a little older in the dance world but, in many ways, I feel like I’m stronger than I’ve ever been,” he said.
Photo by Michelle Reid courtesy of South Chicago Dance Theatre
It Begins by Donald Byrd
Lighting Designer: Julie E Ballard
Costume Designer: Trey Alexander
