110: Dancers are Athletes— Dr. Sheyi Ojofeitimi

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Dr. Sheyi Ojofeitimi — Interim Director of Therapy Services at</span> <a href= "https://www.alvinailey.org/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Alvin Ailey American Dance Foundation</span></a><span style= "font-weight: 400;">, CEO and Owner of</span> <a href= "http://synthesispt.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Synthesis Physical Therapy</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and Co-Founder of the</span> <a href= "https://www.danceready.org/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dance Ready Project</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dr. Sheyi is working on her third decade of licensed physical therapy and, in addition to her many job roles, has provided backstage coverage for several Broadway shows. She has also researched and authored or co-authored 18 journal articles and has served as a reviewer for the Journal of Dance Medicine and Science.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dr. Ojofeitimi was first introduced to professional dance at age 16, when she was awed by the “tricks” of the on-stage dancers. She truly could not understand how bodies could move as these dancers’ bodies moved. However, Dr. Ojofeitimi came to realize one important truth — dancers can move because they are athletes. And she has dedicated her life to reminding dancers that they are athletes. On the podcast, Dr. Ojofeitimi discusses how she found her passion in dance physical therapy and, along the way, shares some practical tips around stretching, warming up, and finding joy in mobility.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Moving Quotes:</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Dancers are passionate people. They are athletes. I help see themselves as athletes... They need to be taken as seriously as their sporting counterparts."</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"There's a criminal and a victim. It's not the criminal who is screaming. It's always the victim. The purpose of therapy