Project RED-D: The story so far and where we’re going
Project RED-D didn’t begin with a grand plan, it began with a phone call. An unexpected invitation from a funder who had seen the impact of REDs beyond dance and recognised the same risks in the dance world.
They believed dancers needed dedicated protection and support and quietly asked if I would be willing to lead something that didn’t yet exist. Even in anonymity, their conviction, and their complete trust in me became the catalyst for everything that followed.
This first year has been one of building; building awareness, building credibility, building the foundations for something that has the potential to shift the culture of dance on a global scale.
We’ve said yes to everything: conferences, panels, assemblies, workshops, conversations. Sometimes because the door opened, but more often because dancers needed someone willing to walk through it.
REDs continues to exist because dancers are still navigating unhealthy cultural norms woven into the system.
Through our interviews, I’ve heard comments like: “More is better” “Thinner is better” “45kg is a good weight for a dancer” “You’re the only one who looks good in that costume”
None of these statements are usually delivered with harmful intent, yet the consequences can be life-altering. And too many dancers are carrying those consequences in silence.
The driving force
People often ask why I stepped away from full-time clinical practice. The honest answer is that I’m driven by influencing health at scale.
When I built the health and wellbeing programme at The Royal Ballet School, I knew its legacy would outlast me. Those dancers would never enter the profession again without understanding what true elite-level support looks like: strength training, psychological support, nutrition, medical guidance - resources many generations before them simply didn’t have. I hope that legacy continues for decades.
Project RED-D allows me to take that same impact globally, but my deepest motivation is, without question, the dancer stories.
The dancers who lost their periods at 14. The dancers who were told they couldn’t wear tutus in school because they were “too big”. The dancers who endured loneliness far from home with limited support structures. The dancers praised for being thin whilst personally suffering. The dancers who suffered catastrophic bone stress fractures. The dancers surrounded by peers normalising amenorrhoea. The dancers who lost their love of the art, not through lack of talent, but lack of energy. The dancers who now struggle with fertility. And the dancers who are living through all of this right now.
They are the heartbeat of Project RED-D.
Looking forward to 2026
With our foundation laid, Project RED-D moves into its next chapter in 2026 and our work deepens.
Our plans involve:
Launching as a registered foundation
Continued global expansion and support
Practical toolkits for dancers, parents, teachers, healthcare practitioners and dance educators
Bringing dancer stories to the forefront of our work
Building partnerships with vocational schools, studios and organisations
Measuring our impact so funders can see where change is taking root
What sets Project RED-D apart is that we are unique in one essential way – we have no commercial agenda.
We’re not here to sell products or upsell services, we exist to create change - nothing more, nothing less.
The bigger picture
We are striving for a future where dancers no longer experience REDs.
A future where:
Health and wellbeing pathways are embedded in dance just as they are in high-performance sport.
Children grow at a normal pace, and are celebrated for it
Joy is protected, not lost.
Parents feel empowered, not confused.
Teachers feel supported, not blamed.
Dancers thrive long-term; physically, mentally and artistically.
Cultural change is slow, complex, and systemic, but we know it is worth it.
Every conversation, every school visit, every story told, every toolkit read, moves us one step closer to a dance world where young people can pursue the art they love without risking their health or their sense of self, because of low energy availability.
You can help create this change.
Get involved in the conversation, collaborate with us, or share your REDs story and help us reshape the future of dance health.