Nueva Vizcaya — In a significant initiative aimed at enhancing the overall well-being of student dancers, the research team behind “STEP UP WELLNESS: A Research-Based Brochure for Mental and Social Fitness Among HEI Dance Troupe Members” successfully distributed their finalized wellness brochure to partner Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) across the province.

The project, grounded in extensive research on the mental and social fitness needs of collegiate dance performers, was formally disseminated to Aldersgate College, PLT College, Nueva Vizcaya State University (Bayombong and Bambang Campuses), and Saint Mary’s University. The distribution marks a key step in bringing evidence-based wellness practices directly to dance troupe members and their coaches.

Lead Researcher Ronda L. Naval­ta, MAEd-PE, together with collaborators Niño N. Baldonado, MAPE, Dalarry L. Duldulao, and Ronna Chiehann J. Vidal, personally facilitated the turnover of the brochures to each partner institution. The team emphasized that the brochure aims to serve as a practical guide for dancers, focusing on stress management, emotional resilience, team cohesion, and positive social engagement—factors often overlooked but essential in sustaining peak performance.

“This brochure is not just information—it is a support system designed for our dancers,” Navalta shared during the turnover activity. “We want our HEI performers to recognize that mental and social wellness is just as crucial as physical training.”

According to the research team, the brochure was developed in response to recurring challenges identified among student dancers, including performance anxiety, academic–dance workload balance, interpersonal conflicts, and social pressure within troupe settings.

The research team hopes that this material will help foster healthier dance communities across partner HEIs and inspire more institutions to integrate psychosocial wellness frameworks in performance-based programs.

For the dance troupes of Nueva Vizcaya, STEP UP WELLNESS stands as a timely reminder: fitness begins not only with the body, but also with the mind and the heart.