From campus to concert: Sport Exercise Therapy students support Jason Derulo tour

Students from the University of Wolverhampton’s Sport and Exercise Therapy degree recently took part in a unique professional development opportunity, providing pre-show soft tissue treatment to dancers on Jason Derulo’s world tour during its Birmingham stop.

The opportunity was facilitated by Aisha James-Smith from the School of Health and Wellbeing. Three students worked behind the scenes at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena on 30 January, delivering sports massage and joint mobilisation treatments to professional dancers ahead of the evening performance. For touring dancers rehearsing for long hours and performing night after night, soft tissue therapy plays an important role in reducing soreness and preparing the body for the physical demands of live performance. A student mentioned that "Listening to them talk about being a dancer, and the costumes, and how tired they do get, and the injuries that they get, then going out and seeing them dancing like nothing had happened; It was nice to see".

The students spent around eight hours on site, working in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment that differs from more traditional placement settings such as football or rugby.

Aisha explained that the experience was about showing students the range of career options open to them. “It’s important for students to see that there are so many pathways beyond the typical routes,” she said. “Performance and touring environments are intense and demanding, but incredibly rewarding and the students really rose to the challenge.”

As part of the Sport and Exercise Therapy degree, students must complete 250 hours of placement to graduate. This opportunity not only contributed towards those hours but also gave students insight into an industry where their clinical skills can be used in unexpected ways. A student mentioned that “It was nice to know that we had helped them in some way to be able to perform.... it was really nice, I was quite proud." 

Feedback from the tour team was extremely positive, with dancers praising the students’ professionalism. One dancer even requested a student’s contact details to arrange future treatment when the tour reaches London.

The placement was advertised without revealing the high-profile nature of the event. “I deliberately didn’t say what the placement was for,” Aisha explained. “I wanted students who were genuinely interested in developing their skills. Finding out it was a world tour was a bonus and they absolutely earned it.”

The opportunity came about through professional networking, after Aisha reached out directly to the tour manager via LinkedIn.

“The worst someone can say is no,” she said. “It really shows the value of building relationships and having the confidence to ask.”

The experience highlights the University’s ongoing commitment to embedding professional development opportunities within the curriculum and showcases how innovative thinking and strong industry connections can have a real impact on student confidence, employability and career ambition.