About
Sugarfoot Therapy is a revolutionary injury prevention conditioning program created by Doctor of Physical Therapy Nicholas Cutri and professional dancer/choreographer Katie Schaar. Used by dancers and dance educators worldwide, Sugarfoot Therapy brings the exercises of sports physical therapy to dancers. When practiced regularly, these exercises are scientifically proven to help prevent the occurrence of injuries.
If you are a competitive dancer frustrated by repeated injuries, a dance teacher frustrated by having injured dancers sitting out, or a professional dancer who fears the impact an injury could have on your income…
this program is for you.
Most orthopedic dance injuries are overuse injuries caused by a repeated movement pattern that places continued stress on a tissue over a period of time. Injuries manifest over time as pain, inflammation, stiffness, weakness, and tissue damage as a result of inefficient dance technique and/or lack of effective cross training. Sugarfoot Therapy provides an easy-to-implement cross training program for dancers, designed by a Doctor of Physical Therapy and backed by research based evidence.
Our program bridges the gap between the principals of functional biomechanics and traditional dance technique, creating functionally authentic movements that are the most efficient and effective way to warm-up, mobilize, and stabilize the dancer’s body in all three planes of motion. This is the same science that prepares professional and elite level athletes to perform optimally, while dramatically decreasing their chances for injury. Understanding that the body in motion is a dynamic chain of moving parts, it is only as strong as it’s weakest link. One part affects the whole and creates optimal function or dysfunction. The dancers body not only requires vast amounts of mobility, but also the ability to stabilize that range of motion with adequate muscular strength and neuromuscular activation. Recognizing that dancers are extraordinary beings who push the human form well beyond its evolutionary limitations, we have taken this science and catered it specifically to the dancer’s biomechanics and physiology.
Sugarfoot Therapy is designed so that you can fit it into the beginning of every class, before every rehearsal, and prior to every audition and performance. Sugarfoot Therapy is not intended to replace dance technique training but to greatly enhance it. Our program offers full-length workouts for dancers in our SFT Routines…these are great to use as your gym workout or as your full-length conditioning class. We also offer a curriculum of individual exercises with our SFT Progressions. This curriculum makes it easy for dance teachers to incorporate our program in the classroom one exercise at a time. Dance teachers, we encourage you to use our program in your classroom. Improve the health of your dancers and teach them the value of taking care of their bodies. We would love to help guide you in figuring out the best way to incorporate Sugarfoot Therapy into your existing studio program. Send us an email and we can discuss!
Sugarfoot Therapy is optimal for every kind of dance. Ballet, modern, jazz, tap, hip hop, ballroom, burlesque…whatever your style, Sugarfoot Therapy will strengthen your body so that the artist in you can move freely.
HERE’S WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT US:
“8 months ago I was just about to give up on doctors & schedule a surgery that would potentially put my dance career on the line forever. That was until I was led to this mastermind (Dr. Nick Cutri) & his program, Sugarfoot Therapy. He officially goes down in history as the only PT I’ve ever been able to put my full trust in. He’s pushed me & has helped make me stronger than I’ve ever been in my entire life & on top of it all has educated me, making me a much more knowledgeable dancer/athlete. This morning marked my LAST day of PT after 8 months. I don’t think there are enough thank you’s to express my gratitude for this place & these people. You all are such a blessing in my life. Thank you, forever!! – Emily, professional dancer
“After a terrible ankle injury, Sugarfoot Therapy literally saved my life! I’ve worked with dozens of physical therapists throughout my 22 years of dancing and none compare even in the slightest to Nick. I’m dancing the best I’ve ever danced in my entire life after rehabilitating my ankle with Sugar Foot Therapy. The combination of Nick and Katies’ expertise is invaluable. Sugarfoot Therapy is a much needed, life changing training and injury prevention program for dancers. I cannot thank Nick and Katie enough for creating this program. Every dancer needs Sugarfoot Therapy.” – Ellie, professional dancer
“As a physical therapist who sees a wide variety of elite athletes from dancers to NFL players and everyone in-between, I can personally attest to the efficacy of the fundamental movement science behind SugarFoot’s treatment strategies. Their approach of utilizing multijoint and multiplanar exercises inherent in dance-specific movements are perfect for those who are recovering from a variety of musculoskeletal injuries or to help prevent injuries from occurring in the first place. I have incorporated these fundamentals into my own practice with excellent results and cannot recommend their program highly enough. ” –
Jesse Phillips, Sports Physical Therapist, Los Angeles, CA
Ready to get started?
Who We Are…
Katie Schaar – Sugarfoot Therapy creator
Katie Schaar has over a decade of experience as a Los Angeles-based professional dancer and choreographer. Her many performance and choreography credits include Drop Dead Diva, House M.D., Dancing with the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance, the American Music Awards, the European Music Awards, MTV VMA’s, the BRIT Awards, and feature films The Muppets and Rock of Ages. Best known for her work as an assistant choreographer, Katie has worked extensively as the right hand man to Tyce Diorio, Mia Michaels, and RJ Durell & Nick Florez. In this role, and with a real gift for breaking down movement for dancers of all abilities, Katie has worked closely with the world’s biggest stars…Tom Cruise, Catherine Zeta Jones, Julianne Hough, Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand, Annie Lennox, Katie Holmes, Paula Abdul, David Hasselhoff, Cher, P!NK, Megan Mulally, Katy Perry, and Taylor Swift. Recent credits include P!NK’s “The Truth About Love World Tour”, P!NK’s “Beautiful Trauma World Tour”, P!NK’s “Try” Music Video, Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” music video, Katy Perry’s “Prismatic World Tour”, and the 2015 Super Bowl Halftime Show starring Katy Perry. Furthermore, Katie has over 15 years of experience as a dance convention faculty member, teaching dancers of all ages all over the United States. She has a BA from Loyola Marymount University, where she studied Communications Studies and Dance.
Dr. Nick Cutri, PT, DPT, FAFS, CSCS – Sugarfoot Therapy creator
Dr. Nick Cutri earned his Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) from the University of Southern California after earning his BS in Kinesiology at San Diego State University. A practitioner of functional physical therapy, he completed the Fellowship Program in Applied Functional Science with the Gray Institute for Functional Therapy. He is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). He has extensive experience treating both amateur and professional athletes and dancers and has developed an in depth understanding and appreciation for the unique physiology and biomechanics of dancers. He is the Owner and Director of MOTI Physiotherapy in Los Angeles, where he practices as an Orthopedics and Sports Physical Therapist and treats many dancers of all ages and skill levels.
Dr. Traci Ferguson, PT, DPT – Sugarfoot Therapy contributor
Dr. Traci Ferguson earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from University St. Augustine for Health Science after completing her Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology from California State University San Marcos. Traci has a strong background in manual and orthopedic therapies, with advanced coursework on evaluation and treatment of spinal and extremity function. Traci has had clinical experience in many physical therapy settings including orthopedics, pediatrics, neurological rehabilitation with emphasis on spinal cord injuries, as well as prosthetic training for amputees. Traci aspires to focus her continuing education on increasing her knowledge on functional, developmental movements, dance medicine, and sports physical therapy. Traci has over 20 years of dance experience, with over 7 years at a competitive level, and enjoys working with professional dancers and performing artists.
