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Coverage: Performing Arts Medicine Association (PAMA) Symposium 2017

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Performing Arts Medicine Association Symposium, Poster Presentation

by Catherine L. Tully

Each type of conference has it’s own unique atmosphere, and each has it’s own sense of purpose and direction. The Performing Arts Medicine Association‘s 2017 Symposium is no exception, and since this was our first time attending, we’d like to give an overall picture of what this gathering is like, and who typically attends. This way, if you aren’t already familiar with the organization, you’ll get a better picture of what they are all about.

Let’s begin with a basic overview of the organization, and it’s mission statement.

What Is PAMA?

Founded in 1989, the Performing Arts Medicine Association, also known as PAMA, is an organization made up of educators, artists, medical professionals, and administrators that share a common goal – improving the healthcare of the performing artist. Unlike the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS), PAMA is not just dedicated to the art of dance, but rather includes all performing artists – such as musicians, dancers, and actors.

Originally founded as an organization for medical professionals, membership expanded over the years to include others who were becoming more and more interested in the health and well-being of this sector of the arts. Approximately 20% of the organization is currently from outside of the US. PAMA holds a yearly symposium as a gathering place for members and others that serves to share information about the field, provide networking opportunities, and more.

PAMA’s mission is stated as follows:

The Performing Arts Medicine Association is committed to:

  • Promoting the highest quality of care to all performing artists and bringing to that care an appreciation of the special needs of performing artists.
  • Developing educational programs designed to enhance the understanding and prevention of medical problems related to the performing arts.
  • Promoting communication among all those involved in the health care and well being of performing artists.
  • Fostering research into the etiology, prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of medical problems of performing artists.

The Symposium

PAMA Symposium
Registration desk at the Westin in Snowmass – PAMA Symposium, 2017

This year the symposium took place in Snowmass – a lovely setting up in the mountains of Colorado. The Westin provided a home base for the event, as well as space for the sessions that took place throughout. For those interested in dance/dancers, there were a number of different presentations to choose from.

Westin Snowmass
The Westin, Snowmass, CO

Here are some examples:

  • Investigation of the Cardiovascular Endurance of Dance Majors
  • Risk for Hearing Loss due to Noise Exposure in Competition Dancers
  • The First Step: Creating a Dancer Wellness Program That Will Engage and Empower
  • Gaze Behaviour in Dance – the Relevance of Spotting in Pirouettes
  • Injury Prevention and Optimal Performance Training in Dancers

This should give you an idea of the types of presentations there are for people who are invested in the care of dancers and their bodies. There were also poster presentations, and informal gatherings during the course of the symposium.

As with most conferences, the chance to network and make new associations during the span of the event is an important facet when it comes to attending. We connected with a wide range of people during our time there, including authors, medical practitioners, a clinical and performance psychologist, and people from all over the world with an interest in dancer health and wellness. There is no doubt that these people are passionate about the work they do, and it’s wonderful to have some space created for them to come together like this and share what they are working on, and what they have learned with one another.

PAMA poster presentation
Poster Presentation at PAMA

It is our hope that with the growth of the dance wellness section of this site, we will be able to continue sharing information about conferences and symposiums such as PAMA (and others), and that our outreach will help create more pathways for dancers and dance teachers to connect with the important information and research that is taking place all over the world.

Those interested in attending the 36th Annual PAMA International Symposium can view more information about the gathering in Orange, CA here. It takes place from June 30th to July 3rd.

Learn more about PAMA membership levels and benefits on their website.

Disclosure: This author is the editor/owner of 4dancers. She attended the PAMA Symposium on a press pass granted by the organization, but no monetary compensation was received for her coverage of the event. All transportation, lodging, and meals were paid for by 4dancers.

Dance Wellness Links And More…

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Jan Dunn
Jan Dunn, MS, Dance Wellness Editor

Aloha and Happy New Year !

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season, and you are back in full swing with your dance life. This month marks 4 years that I have been associated with 4dancers.org, and so I felt it was an appropriate time to comment – and to encourage you to keep “spreading the word” about dance medicine and science / aka Dance Wellness!

So, how did the Dance Wellness segment of 4dancers.org get here?

In the fall of 2011, Catherine Tully, editor of the site, approached me about writing an article about Dance Medicine and Science, to introduce that topic to the readership.  She and I had never met, or communicated, before that –i.e., it was a “cold contact”. I said “of course” and wrote that first post–which was supposed to be a one-time thing. But–the readership response was so positive that Catherine asked me to keep going…..and so our Dance Wellness segment became official.

Over time I started asking other colleagues in the field to also contribute, and things just kept growing.  This past year, we added our Dance Wellness Panel of experts–all long-time experienced professionals, each focusing on different aspects of dance medicine and science.

From a personal perspective, 4dancers.org has been one of the most fulfilling things that has ever happened in my professional dance life–and I say that coming from many years of very fulfilling experiences! Since the beginning of my work in the dance medicine field, 35 years ago, my #1 goal has always been to reach out to the thousands of dancers and teachers who don’t normally have a chance to access this kind of information. I was given different opportunities, in that respect, over the years–such as helping to form IADMS (International Association for Dance Medicine and Science), and starting Dance Wellness programs in university settings. And all of that was wonderful–but it still didn’t reach out on the “grassroots” level, which was my original goal.

4dancers.org, and Catherine Tully, changed all of that, and I will be eternally grateful both to her, and to you, the readership, for the opportunity I was given, and for the way you have embraced the information we have put out there for you, and “passed it on”!

Some of you reading this probably have been with 4dancers for a long time, maybe all of the past 4 years, but many of you may have not. So with this post, I am sharing our full list of dance wellness articles, so that if you missed any, you can read and catch up–and maybe learn one or two new things you didn’t know before…..and that’s the whole point, isn’t it?

Mahalo Nui Loa (thank you from the heart), and–
Pass it on!

Jan

Jan Dunn, MS
Dance Wellness Editor – 4dancers.org

4dancers.org – Dance Wellness posts 1/1/12 to present

2012

1/2/12 – Keeping Dancers Dancing: An Introduction to Dance Wellness in 2012 – Jan Dunn, MS

1/19/12 – “The Perfect Arch” – Frank Sinkoe, DPM

1/26/12 – Blisters And Corns Between The Toes (Interdigital Lesions) – Frank Sinkoe, DPM

2/1/12 – Dance Wellness: Causes of Injuries (Risk Factors) – Part 1 – Jan Dunn, MS

2/9/12 – Treatment Of Warts In The Dancer – Frank Sinkoe, DPM

2/12/12 – Dance Wellness: Causes of Injuries (Risk Factors)- Part II – Jan Dunn, MS

2/14/12 – Nutrition for the Dancer: Emily’s Apples and Pumpkin Oatcakes – Emily Harrison, MS

2/16/12 – Toenail Injuries in the Dancer: Bruised Nail – Frank Sinkoe, DPM

2/18/12 – Dancers and Hydration – Emily Harrison, MS

2/23/12 – Toenail Injuries of the Dancer: Ingrown Toenail / Infection – Frank Sinkoe, DPM

3/8/12 – Keeping Dancers Dancing: “Help! – I have an Injury- What Do I Do?” – Jan Dunn, MS

4/3/12 – Keeping Dancers Dancing: Conditioning – Jan Dunn, MS

5/4/12 – Keeping Dancers Dancing: Conditioning – Pilates – Jan Dunn, MS

5/13/12 – Keeping Dancers Dancing: Conditioning Gyrotonics and Gyrokinesis – Jan Dunn, MS

6/14/12 – Keeping Dancers Dancing: Conditioning – The Franklin Method, Part I – Jan Dunn, MS

6/15/12 – Keeping Dancers Dancing: Conditioning – The Franklin Method, Part II – Jan Dunn, MS

7/12/12 – Staying on Your Toes with a Physical Therapist – Sarah Graham, PT

8/9/12 – Competition Dance: Maximizing Peak Performance, Part I – Robin Kish, MA

8/21/12 – Competition Dance: Maximizing Peak Performance, Part II – Robin Kish, MS

9/6/12 – Dance Wellness Update – Jan Dunn, MS

10/25/12 – Nutrition for Your Dancer Body: Understanding the Fundamentals of Making Good Food Choices – Diana Clanin, MS

11/29/12 – Dance Wellness: Phases of Healing – Marika Baxter, PT

 2013

1/10/13 – Motor Learning in Dance – Donna Krasnow, PhD

1/24/13 – Dance Wellness: Preparing for the Summer Intensive – Jan Dunn, MS

3/21/13 – Dancing Through the Adolescent Growth Spurt – Jan Dunn, MS

5/7/13 – Ballet: How Hard Should It Be? – Janet Karin, OAM

5/9/13 – “Older Dancers” – Gigi Berardi, PhD

8/23/13 – Dance: The Importance of a Good Warm-Up – Jan Dunn, MS

10/2/13 – Book Review: Dance Medicine Head To Toe: A Dancer’s Guide To Health – Emily Kate Long

11/10/13 – Healthy Dance Practice Certification Course – Jan Dunn, MS

12/2/13 – Supplemental Fitness Training Can Improve the Artistic Element of Dance Performance – Matthew Wyon, PhD

12/26/13 – Dancing in the Dark: Dancers Need Vitamin D – Matthew Wyon, PhD

2014

1/22/14 – The Healthy Dance Practice Certificate – Jan Dunn, MS

2/14/14 – Stretching Healthy: A Primer for Dancers – Jan Dunn, MS

2/27/14 – Mirror Use in the Classroom: How Much is Too Much? – Sally Radell, MFA

3/10/14 – Mirror Mirror on the Wall: A Dance Teacher’s Perspective – Sally Radel, MFA

5/27/14 – Thoughts on Starting a Dance Screening Program – Jan Dunn, MS

6/9/14 – Integrating Best Practices From Dance Medicine And Science To The Faculty Of A Professional Dance Conservatorie – Rachel Rist, MA

7/4/14 – The Hypermobile Dancer – Moira McCormack, MSc

8/7/14 – A Somatic Update for Dancers – Nancy Wozny

11/19/14 – Turn-out and the Dancer: A Closer Look – Jan Dunn, MS

2015

1/2/15 – Dancers and Stretching: How Hard Should You Push? – Matthew Wyon, PhD

1/22/15 – Are You Ready For Pointe? – Selina Shah, MD

3/11/15 – A Franklin Method Foot Warm-Up for Dancers – Jan Dunn, MS

5/13/15 – Introducing Our Dance Wellness Panel – Catherine L. Tully

5/20/15 – Franklin Method Foot Warm-Up: Part II – Jan Dunn, MS

6/25/15 – An Easy Guide to Portion Sizes – Catherine L. Tully

8/5/15 – Let’s Talk “Core Control” – Jan Dunn, MS

8/31/15 – Let’s Talk “Core Control” II – Jan Dunn, MS

9/1/15 – Let’s Talk “Core Control” III – Jan Dunn, MS

10/1/15 – On the Marley Floor – Jessica Anspach McEliece

10/24/15 – IADMS 25th Annual Meeting – Catherine Tully

10/29/15 – Flash Feldenkrais for the Busy Dancer: Part I – Nancy Wozny

11/10/15 – Book: Anatomy, Movement Analysis, Conditioning – Gayanne Grossman, PT

12/6/15 – About That Ice Pack…… – Jan Dunn, MS

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