Regardless of talent, effort or experience, any dancer is underserved if they do not adopt basic fundamental practices to support longevity and health in their dance careers. The practice of an appropriate, graduated warm-up has been found to improve performance by readying the dancer physically and mentally. It has additionally been found to reduce pain and injury risk, and can be adapted to accommodate dancers in various physical states and environmental conditions. Knowledge and practice of suitable progression and content of a dancer-specific warm-up is central to supporting good preparation for dance. Equally, cool-down can help prevent later pain and stiffness, and is important to return the body to a resting state in a controlled manner. Feet are the tools of the dancer, and consideration of footwear and footcare is extremely important. In Irish dancing (ID), this is particularly pertinent given practices around under-sized dance footwear, and challenges in breaking in new heavy/jig shoes. Finally, the nature of the dance flooring and the temperature of the dance environment can impact on the wellbeing of the dancer, and modifications may be appropriate where these conditions are less than ideal.