SOFIA ORNELLAS

Healthcare and Dance Science Teacher/         Body Wellness Coach / Pilates Instructor

Sofia danced ballet and contemporary recreationally and professionally until she was 23

years old. Following an interest in movement efficiency and motor control she qualified as a physiotherapist in 2009 from Escola Superior de Saúde de Alcoitão in Lisbon, Portugal.

Having gained experience in the private sector within the performing arts and with the general public, Sofia moved to London n 2011 where she gained a MSc in Dance Science with a focus in implicit motor learning at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. Since graduating Sofia has presented her research at IADMS Conference 2013 (Seattle) published in Clinical Rheumatology, worked with One Dance UK’s Healthier Dancer Programme and Dance Again Foundation, presented further research at the IADMS Conference 2016 (Hong Kong) and taught Anatomy, Injury Prevention and Strapping techniques at Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts and Bucks University.

 

Sofia uses her academic work to inform her clinical practice and has done so a dance physiotherapist at Trinity Laban, Performers College and at The Place’s CAT Programme working in injury rehabilitation, return to dance, technique correction and improvement, physical screening and dance specific body conditioning. Despite having a keen interest in dance Sofia kept working with the general public as an MSK physiotherapist in central London. Here she has gained experience with repetitive strain injuries, women’s health, spinal pain and injury and recreational sports injury. She is trained in western acupuncture and is a qualified as Pilates Instructor by BASI Pilates with a Dance specialization led by the renowned Karen Clippinger.

In early 2020, Sofia joined Ballet West Scotland as Clinical Director and Head Physiotherapist. Having developed the new service and facilities, Sofia ventured in the development of Arles Youth Ballet Company alongside Artistic Directors Norton Fantinel and Karina Moreira. Sofia is driven by variety and people invested in reaching their full potential. She believes everyone can be treated to athlete standards and that both body and brain fine-tuning is key. To do so, she works mostly with manual therapy, myofascial release, western acupuncture, Pilates and motor control retraining and refining exercises.