From stage to physical therapy
Christina Brown knows firsthand the tolls dance can take on the body.
After spending much of her life on stage, she now works behind the scenes as a physical therapist and ballet instructor.
Brown earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance Performance from Butler University. After graduation, she toured as a dancer with Stiletto Entertainment on Holland America Cruise Lines. But chronic injuries eventually pulled her off the stage and redirected her path.
After always searching for a physical therapist who understood the demands of dance, which proved to be a difficult task, Brown returned to school at Mercyhurst for an Associate of Science in Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA).
“This opened my eyes and my heart to being on the other side of physical therapy,” Brown expressed. “The connections I have made and the opportunities provided to me through the PTA program were the building blocks to an eventful career.”
She transitioned into clinical work as a PTA and still returns to Mercyhurst PTA annually to lecture on the use of cupping as a useful modality in the clinic. As her passion for the field grew, Brown returned to school and earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of Findlay.
Today, she works in an outpatient physical therapy clinic and returns to Mercyhurst monthly to evaluate and treat the dance majors to prevent injuries before they escalate. Brown’s commitment to dance extends beyond the studio. She serves as a ballet instructor and conditioning coach for USA Rhythmic Gymnastics. Several times a year, she travels to the Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Lake Placid, New York, to work with athletes, focusing on cardio, ballet technique, and mobility and stability work.
“I am so blessed to have a career that shares my love for dance, physical therapy and teaching,” Brown said. “There is nothing more rewarding than seeing the lightbulb turn on with correct placement, getting a dancer back on stage after an injury, or seeing one of the rhythmic gymnasts make her way to the Olympics.”
Brown has built a career that combines her love for dance, teaching, and healing, ensuring the next generation of dancers and athletes stay strong.