Health and Wellbeing in Professional Wrestling
- Project timeframe
- 1 September 2020 - 30 November 2021
- Research area
- Theatre
- Amount awarded
- 拢97,000
- Funder ID
- British Academy
Project leader: Dr Claire Warden
Despite its global popularity, professional wrestling has a largely poor record of looking after performers鈥� health and wellbeing.
Facing barriers of class, economics, snobbery, lack of unionisation or representation, as well as the expectation of macho toughness, professional wrestling has not kept up with improved practices in dance/physical theatre or sport.
Modern progressive British professional companies and training schools might be broadly committed to caring for wrestlers’ wellbeing, but there has been no research on the most appropriate methods of care, or the stresses this unique art-sport places on mind and body. This collaborative, interdisciplinary project tackles this by conducting a supportive health check of British wrestling in a global context.