HURTY DANCING
Student injured lifting ‘too heavy’ partner over head sues her school for £500k
A DANCE student who suffered career-wrecking injuries trying to hoist a hefty training partner above her head is suing for up to £ 500,000 in compensation.
Charlotte Vanweersch, 26, says she sustained disabling neck and shoulder injuries while taking part in a ‘throwing and lifting’ routine at a top dance school in Leeds.
She claims she was not properly taught how to safely lift a ‘ significantly’ heavier partner and should have been paired with a dancer ‘of a more comparable size’.
Miss Vanweersch is suing the University of Kent-validated Northern School of Contemporary Dance for up to £500,000 for injuries which restrict her ability to dance.
But the Northern School denies all blame, insisting that Miss Vanweersch chose her own dance partner and was ‘given appropriate instruction’. Their lawyers point out in court documents at a pre-trial hearing that she had sought out a contemporary dance degree, which involved a large amount of physical training.
Miss Vanweersch claims the November 2015 accident came after she was picked by her tutor to partner a fellow student in techniques which involved ‘throwing and lifting’.
Her barrister James Candlin claimed in court papers: ‘She will contend that a lift technique was shown twice, but not explained in close detail. The significant size disparity between her and selected dance partner had not been addressed in respect of any particular protective technique, or approach to minimise risk of injury.’
Just before the end of the lesson, Miss Vanweersch attempted a lift ‘for the purpose of throwing or raising her partner above head height’ when she felt an alarming cracking sensation in the back of her neck, she says.
Miss Vanweersch claims she subsequently received ‘minimal injury support’ and, by January 2016, she had to stop dancing in class, before eventually giving up her degree.
Her lawyers say the accident damaged her spine and affected her shoulder, causing lasting pain and restricted movement.
The school denies liability and disputes the extent of the injuries. No date has been set for the trial of the claim.