New Physical Therapy Clinic Services 'Nutcracker Season'

December is "Nutcracker season" for ballet-loving kids across America, and a new business in Orange is ready to provide them -- and others -- with physical therapy treatment.

Magna Physical Therapy & Dance Medicine is an outpatient clinic at 200 Boston Post Road, in a shared space with the New England Ballet School. Clinician Marika Baxter just started seeing patients two weeks ago, and says she's excited to work with dancers young and old as the space gets up and running. While her background is specifically in ballet -- she previously worked with the New York City Ballet and the School of American Ballet -- she says the service isn't limited to dance professionals.

"We see anyone," she says. "It doesn't matter if you're a dancer or gymnast or have never danced a day in your life."

Magna's primary clinic is in Avon; this is the clinic's second location. Because it's tied in with the New England ballet, Baxter will have plenty of opportunities to work closely with kids during what is often the most strenuous time of the year.

"Nutcracker season is tough," she says, referring to the Christmas season, when young ballet dancers face a host of challenging performances of the popular Christmas ballet. "It's the same show every single night; they don't get a break, and the issues of overus can come in a lot more. Typically for a ballet company, their repertoire might be different - but in Nutcracker season, they're doing the same thing over and over again. For a professional company, for kids in high school in a studio company, they're still trying to take their normal dance classes. It's a lot for the adolescents to have all these on top of their schedule."

Baxter says she listens closely to concerns from parents and works to accommodate dancers who may be worried about getting sidetracked from their busy dance schedule.

"A lot of parents are concerned because this is their child's love and passion, and they just want to get back to dancing. How and when can we do it in best and fastest way? They don't like to see their children upset."

Magna Physical Therapy and Dance Medicine is located at 200 Boston Post Road, Suite 8R, next to the New England Ballet School.

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