If Andrea Allison of PT Central could describe her experience volunteering with the Oklahoma City Ballet in one sentence, she would use a quote from Vivian Greene: “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass…It’s about learning to dance in the rain.” After two years of working with the OKC Ballet, Andrea has helped to provide physical therapy care to over 75 dancers, spent countless hours volunteering in the studio and during performances, and seen all the highs and lows of these dancers’ lives. She wouldn’t trade the experience for the world.
Andrea officially began working with the OKC Ballet in their 2023–2024 season, but was involved with the art long before that. She grew up dancing and has seen The Nutcracker at least 15 times. After becoming a Physical Therapist, Andrea began treating dancers from the OKC Ballet and other studios in the area and volunteered with different dance groups. The OKC Ballet didn’t yet have a medical provider for their pre-professional level and students, but due to the intensive nature of ballet, they desperately needed one and were looking to expand the dancers’ coverage. Andrea’s background in ballet and connection to the dancers led the OKC Ballet’s Artistic Director to reach out to her about creating a partnership. Andrea worked with PT Central to establish a program to provide both in-studio and backstage coverage, which she now leads. With the support and volunteer time from other PT Central employees, they can provide PT care to over 40 dancers.
Working with the ballet is no small-time commitment: on a non-show week, Andrea spends 4 hours per week with the ballet in the studio, but during show weeks, between in-studio and backstage care, dress rehearsals, and performances, Andrea can spend up to 20 hours volunteering, including lots of late nights and weekends. While studio days are more relaxed and function more like an average day in a clinic, performance days are an hours-long endeavor full of preparation and almost non-stop work before, during, and after the show. Though the days can sometimes be long and stressful, Andrea considers herself lucky to be “surrounded by dancers who support [her] just as much as [she] supports them on this journey, which makes the work worth it.”
During this hectic, stressful environment, Andrea aspires to make PT fun. Through a genuine connection with the dancers, Andrea makes PT a safe space for the dancers, where they can visit her for anything they need, whether that’s a listening ear, a few minutes of peace and quiet, or even something as simple as a snack or an extra bobby pin. “The dancers joke that I’m 50% PT, 50% backstage mom,” Andrea says.
Though Andrea leads PT Central’s volunteer efforts at the OKC Ballet, she has a huge support system from her fellow employees. She feels like the partnership greatly benefits PT Central because it gives their therapists a chance to work alongside high-level athletes and build on a mutual goal of getting people back to their work, play, and life. “PT Central wants to support the community we all live and work in,” Andrea says, “and there is no better way than supporting the arts and the next generations.”
When asked for advice about creating community partnerships like this, Andrea says, “Dive into it! There are going to be ups and downs, mistakes and lessons, but it is worth it. I have grown as a person and provider through this partnership, and PT Central has grown as a company. Over the past two years, we have impacted at least 75 dancers and their families. I hope that in the next few years, that number will reach into the hundreds and, eventually, thousands.”
The Oklahoma City Ballet is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit, and you can support the dancers and their mission at https://www.okcballet.org/donate/.
