The Encore Story
Quality healthcare for performers has always been a passion for Grace and was the reason behind choosing Physiotherapy as her career. Since working in the industry she noticed a gap in the distribution of health knowledge among artists and has embarked on a journey to make education for performers more accessible and digestible. Encore delivers fun, evidence-based practice and transparent services to improve a dancer's body and performance.
Grace Williams
PHYSIOTHERAPIST & DIRECTOR
Grace graduated with a Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours) from the University of Queensland in 2015. Following graduation, Grace worked in a large sports medicine clinic in Brisbane treating a variety of musculoskeletal conditions. It was sports and musculoskeletal physiotherapy that sparked Grace’s interest in the profession following involvement in dance from the age of three. In 2018 she moved to the UK to follow her passion of providing exceptional physiotherapy care to performers.
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Whilst in the UK Grace secured a role as the Physiotherapist for touring musical theatre companies, film, and shows on the West End.
She then returned home to Brisbane working with the shows at QPAC and as the Academy Physiotherapist at Queensland Ballet. She is the current Physiotherapist for Australasian Dance Collective.
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Shows and Organisations Grace has worked with:
- Dirty Dancing UK and Ireland Tour
- Kinky Boots UK and Ireland Tour
- A Monster Calls UK Tour
- Come From Away West End London
- The Play that Goes Wrong, West End London.
- The Midnight Sky Film, Shepperton Studios London.
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Brisbane
- Frozen The Musical, Brisbane
- 9 to 5 The Musical, Brisbane
- Cruel Intentions, Gold Coast
- Mary Poppins, Brisbane
- Hamilton, Brisbane
- Moulin Rouge Australia, Brisbane
- Chicago, Brisbane
- Gymnastics Australia, National Clubs Carnival 2022, 2023, 2024
- Gymnastics Australia, Australian Gymnastics Championships 2024
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In addition to physiotherapy treatment, Grace offers dance and pre-pointe assessments for dancers looking to progress to pointe, to further their dance technique or to stand out in an audition. Further training has enabled Grace to also work in the specialised area of vocal physiotherapy assessment and treatment. She understands the importance of the mechanics of the voice and neck in musical theatre performers, singers, public speakers and musicians. Grace is a qualified pilates instructor in both matwork and equipment, attaining her certification through the Pilates Institute of Queensland and completed extra training in this area for dancers.
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Grace has trained in many styles of dance including ballet, jazz, contemporary, aerial and pole dance. She completed exams in the RAD ballet syllabus up to Advanced 2 and holds a CSTD Jazz Teacher certificate. This background, alongside experience treating professional performers, enables her to have a good understanding of the demands of an artist and what is required of them to achieve at their optimal level. Her approach to treatment is holistic incorporating education, manual therapy, dry needling, exercise prescription and clinical pilates.