Clippinger, Karen

PERSONAL:

Education: University of Washington, M.S.P.E., 1984.

ADDRESSES:

Office—Dance Department, California State University Long Beach, 1250 Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach, CA 90840-7201. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Worked as a clinical kinesiologist for twenty-two years, including at Loma Linda University Medical Center and several sports medicine clinics in Seattle, WA; University of California, Los Angeles, part-time faculty member, 1995-2000; California State University, Long Beach, associate professor, c. 2000—. Consulting kinesiologist, Pacific Northwest Ballet, 1981—. Consultant for numerous organizations and programs, including the U.S. Race Walking Team, U.S. Weightlifting Federation, and California Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.

WRITINGS:

Dance Anatomy and Kinesiology, Human Kinetics (Champaign, IL), 2007.

Contributor to periodicals. Columnist, Shape magazine, 1996-99; founding coeditor, Journal of Dance Medicine and Science, 1996-2005.

SIDELIGHTS:

Karen Clippinger is an educator and writer who has a master's degree in exercise science. Her primary interests include kinesiology, functional anatomy for dance, prevention and care of dance injuries, body placement, and Pilates. She has lectured around the world, especially on the application of scientific principles to enhance alignment and movement performance while lowering injury risk. In her Dance Anatomy and Kinesiology, the author discusses the anatomical and biomechanical principles to help optimize dance performance and reduce injury risks. In addition to providing strength and flexibility exercises to enhance technique and prevent injury in dance, Clippinger presents her information in a way that is applicable to anyone interested in understanding more about human anatomy and movement.

In the first two chapters, Clippinger covers the skeletal and muscular systems as they apply to dance. The next four chapters examine specific areas of the body, such as the spine, pelvic girdle and hip joint, the knee, and the ankle and foot. The chapters also include exercises for these specific body areas, as well as the entire body. The last chapter presents an approach to analyze full-body dance movements to determine optimal execution. Dance Anatomy and Kinesiology includes 250 illustrations and nearly 350 photographs.

In an article on the Inside CSLUB Web site, the author told Richard Manly: "My goal was to present something that was scientifically accurate but accessible. Another goal was to offer numerous illustrations and visual diagrams to complement the written text. Up to now, if dancers wanted the answers to certain questions, they often had to look in anatomy, biomechanics and conditioning texts to get what they wanted. Now, they have it all in one place in this text."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

ONLINE

Body Arts & Science International Pilates Web site,http://www.basipilates.com/ (February 14, 2008), faculty profile of Karen Clippinger.

Body Mind Expo,http://www.bodymindexpo.com/ (February 14, 2008), brief profile of Karen Clippinger.

Brynfitness.com,http://www.brynfitness.com/ (February 14, 2008), profile of Karen Clippinger.

California State University Long Beach, Dance Department Web site,http://www.csulb.edu/depts/dance/ (February 14, 2008), faculty profile of Karen Clippinger.

Center for Movement Education & Research Web site,http://www.movement-education.org/ (February 14, 2008), biography of Karen Clippinger.

Inside CSLUB,http://www.csulb.edu/ (February 14, 2008), Richard Manly, "Professor Aims to Reduce Injury to Dancers."

Karen Clippinger Home Page,http://karenclippinger.com (February 14, 2008).