Prof. Benita Kuni, M.D.

Specialist in orthopedics and traumatology, honorary professor in manual medicine; chiropractic, acupuncture, and special pain therapy; and occupational health insurance (university accidents).

After dance training scholarship in Montpellier at Epsedanse training centre; Rosas, the company of the choreographer and dancer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker in Brussels; and further education in singing and Alexander Technique, Feldenkrais, and Qigong, Benita Kuni danced professionally in L'Esquisse company founded by Joëlle Bouvier and Régis Obadia in Le Havre;  and the National Choreographic Center of Rennes and Brittany (CCNRB) directed by Catherine Diverrès. She earned a state diploma as a dance teacher (diplôme d'État de professeur de danse) in Paris and a Degree of in-Depth Studies (DEA) as a researcher. After medical studies in Heidelberg and Paris with medical license granted with a PhD thesis on ankle conditions among dancers, she served a professional apprenticeship for a decade at the Orthopedic University Clinic in Heidelberg, earning a habilitation with analytical movement studies on the subject of injury prevention. She has published in many renowned international journals, presented research results regularly at national and international congresses and has received many awards and scholarships for research visits. In addition to teaching at Heidelberg University Hospital, she also teaches dance medicine and anatomy seminars. She codesigned the joint session for doctors of musicians and dancers at the German Congress for Orthopedics and Traumatology. Since 2015, she regularly provides specialist advice to professional dancers at the Ortho Center in Karlsruhe. In addition to treatment, her focus is on preventing injuries and damage from the perspective of special challenges related to artistic activity.