dance medicine

Dance Medicine & Science In the UK

August 8, 2017 by 4dancers

Aloha to all!

Erin Sanchez is our guest contributor for the article below, and we are so pleased to post the information she has to offer. Erin is one of the strong voices in the current younger generation of dance medicine and science (DM&S) leaders. A US dancer who received her undergraduate degree in dance at the University of New Mexico, she then went to London to pursue her MsC in Dance Science at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. She has remained in the UK, and currently is the Healthier Dancer Programme Manager at One Dance UK, and is also affiliated with the National Institute of Dance Medicine and Science (NIDMS). It has been my pleasure to get to know her, and her work, over the last five years.

The UK has become a leader in the dance medicine field internationally, and organizations such as One Dance UK and NIDMS have greatly advanced the efforts to bring DM&S information to the nationwide dance community. I know you will enjoy reading what they have accomplished in a relatively short amount of time…….Pass it on!!

(And a side note — you may see a few unfamiliar spellings of familiar words — that is British English, a slightly different version than what we use here in the US !)

Aloha -Jan

Jan Dunn, MS – Dance Wellness Editor

Healthier Dance Program Staff and NIDMS Staff — ***NIDMS/HDP Road Trip!***

by Erin Sanchez, MSc

One Dance UK’s Healthier Dancer Programme and the National Institute of Dance Medicine and Science

What is the Healthier Dancer Programme?

The Healthier Dancer Programme (HDP) was launched by One Dance UK in 1993 and is dedicated to improving the performance and physical and psychological health and wellbeing of dancers. We connect with dancers, teachers, choreographers, directors, administrators, healthcare practitioners (both medical and complimentary therapists), fitness professionals, researchers, academics, policy makers, (and anyone else who will listen!) in order to encourage open dialogue and collaborative working.

The National Institute of Dance Medicine and Science and a brief history of the HDP

The Healthier Dancer Programme is a part of the National Institute of Dance Medicine and Science (NIDMS). NIDMS was launched in 2012, and works to provide three key resources for the dance sector in the UK:

Affordable access for all dancers to high quality, evidence-based, dance-specific health care and dance science support services.
Research in dance to provide an evidence base for training, rehabilitation and healthcare in dance.
Education for dance, healthcare and research professionals.

NIDMS has successfully opened three free dance injury clinics within the UK’s National Health Service in London, Birmingham, and Bath. Research undertaken by NIDMS partners ranges across many subject areas including psychology, talent development, physiology, biomechanics, and strength and conditioning.

NIDMS Partners

NIDMS is a consortium of seven partners: The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, One Dance UK, the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, University of Birmingham, and University of Wolverhampton. It was conceived by Helen Laws, who began her work with One Dance UK’s HDP in 1997. Helen undertook the second national enquiry into dancers’ health and injury in the UK, and published the findings in Fit to Dance 2. Based on the findings regarding the rates and causes of injury and access to injury care, she then began a programme of educational ‘road shows,’ information sheets and books, all aimed at providing information for professional and student dancers and teachers which could hopefully reduce preventable injuries. Helen also initiated an online listing of qualified, dance-specific healthcare practitioners across the UK, our Healthcare Practitioners Directory.

Advisory groups of expert medical practitioners and physiotherapists working in dance companies and professional training programmes were assembled to inform the work of the HDP, and now form our Dance Medicine and Science Expert Panel. Partnerships were developed with dance teacher training organisations, medical and research institutions, and dance companies and schools, to help disseminate key research in dance medicine and science.

However, during this time the lack of affordable options for dance-specific health services became more and more obvious. Ms. Laws began fundraising for NIDMS in response to this need in 2007. Since 2012, NIDMS has successfully opened three free dance injury clinics within the UK’s National Health Service in London, Birmingham, and Bath. Research underpinning both training and healthcare undertaken by NIDMS partners ranges across many subject areas including psychology, talent development, physiology, biomechanics, and strength and conditioning.

Key moments in the development of the HDP

The HDP has become the education and dance sector advocacy arm of NIDMS’ work. Specifically, the HDP provides dissemination of advice and information, delivery of workshops, and talks and conferences aimed at those working in the training and professional dance sector. Our work exists solely to educate and empower dancers and those working with dancers at every level. Further education work is carried out in partnership with Trinity Laban Conservatoire for Music and Dance (London), and the Universities of Wolverhampton and Birmingham, who provide master’s and PhD level studies in dance science.

The Team

Dance Medicine Staff UK

The current team in the HDP is overseen by Helen Laws, the Head of Industry and Artist Support / NIDMS, and includes 3 team members: Claire Farmer and Stephanie De’ath, who are the Managers of NIDMS, and Erin Sanchez, the Manager of the Healthier Dancer Programme. There are also two emeritus team members, Dr Sarah Needham-Beck, who has just moved on to pursue a new position as a Research Fellow in the Occupational Performance Research Group at the University of Chichester, and Niamh Morrin, who is currently undertaking her PhD at Bucks New University.

Resources and information

NIDMS provides clinical care and strengthens the evidence base of dance medicine and science through research activities, as well as by taking a leadership role on postgraduate education in dance science. Dancers in the UK can access specialist dance injury clinics, which are entirely free, and provide for dancers’ medical needs throughout their injuries – this includes physiotherapy, MRI and bone scans and surgery, if necessary. NIDMS also provides preventative musculoskeletal and fitness screening and a health cash plan that provides up to £800 of injury care treatments, dental and optical cover, and GP, medical, counselling and legal helplines. Details on these services are available here.

One of the key activities of the HDP is Healthier Dancer Talks. These are educational workshops delivered to professional dancers, students, teachers and artistic and support professionals, and cover a broad range of topics – for example:

Nutrition and hydration
Rest
Overtraining
Psychology of injury
Dance specific conditioning
Interval and circuit training
Safe dance practice for teachers

In particular, the HDP has partnered with Safe in Dance International (SIDI) as a Registered Provider of courses leading to their Certificates for dancers and dance leaders. In addition, they have partnered with the University of Birmingham to provide training in developing healthy motivational climates, through the Empowering Dance training. To learn more about all our talks, visit this page.

Healthier Dancer Conferences

Another of our focused activities is an annual conference on a particular topic in dancers’ health. Our healthier dancer conferences are filmed and highlights, clips, interviews, and more are available via our YouTube channel. Our next conference in November 2017 will be a part of a conference season; 3 conferences, 2 days, 1 venue, and will feature specialist days for teachers, choreographers and health. The focus will be on mental health and the psychological and social aspects of injury.

Erin Sanchez is the Healthier Dancer Programme Manager at One Dance UK in London, and with her colleagues within the National Institute of Dance Medicine and Science, organises dance science and medicine focused conferences and workshops for dance professional and students, as well as researchers and healthcare practitioners; advocates to government, employers and stakeholders in the dance sector; and develops resources to support dancers’ knowledge of physical and psychological strategies for health, wellbeing and performance enhancement.

Erin’s main interests in dance medicine and science are psychology, talent development and mental health. She pursued a BA (Hons) in Dance and Sociology from the University of New Mexico while training as a dancer. She moved from the US to the UK in 2009 to pursue an MSc in Dance Science from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London.

She is a registered provider for Safe in Dance International (www.safeindance.com), a member of the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science (www.iadms.org), and holds the qualification in Safe and Effective Dance Practice. She also manages the Dance Psychology Network.

Evaluating Dance Medicine Information On The Web

September 2, 2016 by 4dancers

Aloha! The following is a post from all of us on the 4dancers.org Dance Wellness Panel…it’s something we have been wanting to bring you for some time. It represents the combined thoughts of all of us, on the current plethora of dance medicine information available online for dancers.

For those who may be new to 4dancers.org-our Dance Wellness Panel is a group of internationally recognized experts in the field of dance medicine and science (DM&S) / aka Dance Wellness,
who consult with and write articles for our site. If you don’t already know who they are, here’s the list:

Gigi Berardi, Phd
Jim Garrick, MD
Robin Kish, MS, MFA
Moira McCormack, MS, PT
Janice Plastino, Phd
Emma Redding, PhD
Erin Sanchez, MS
Selina Shah, MD, FACP
Nancy Wozny
Matt Wyon, Phd

We had recently been discussing our shared concern over the many websites and blogs online that are “dance medicine” oriented. These are sites that are offering information / services (often charging money) in the dance medicine / dance wellness area / sports medicine or fitness areas.

Some of these are good sites, with valid science and credentials backing them – but others are questionable.

In our discussions, the Panel came up with some key points for online readers to consider when looking at a particular site and trying to determine if what they are presenting (and often charging for) is valid and worthwhile.

download-1002802_640 We are sharing 4 key points with you to help you evaluate websites in this regard. Please consider them carefully, and pass them on to others:

1) Is the author a dancer / former dancer / or at the very least, have they spent years learning about the art, even if not a dancer themselves? Ditto for a sports-oriented site.

2) Do they provide a clear bio of their qualifications / degrees (such as MD, PhD, MS, MSc, PT, or ATC in a related field) / experience / and qualifications in the field?

3) Do they provide clear references and sources for their information, indicating that they are current with the latest dance medicine and science or sports medicine research, and are not claiming to be the sole expert on the topic being discussed?

4) If a program or something else is being sold on the site, is it supported with external resources and credentials?

For example, if someone is promoting a strength-training program for dancers, do they have credentials in that field, such as a Pilates certification or an ASCM program (American College of Sports Medicine)?

And again – ditto for a sports-oriented site.

Please pass on these thoughts, to all your dance (or sports!) colleagues, whether they are dancers / teachers / students / or choreographers.

There is sooo much out there online. It’s good to be informed, but don’t automatically take in everything you read as fact. Filter the information through key factors such as the ones mentioned above, and then use the site (or not!) accordingly.

Please pass this post on — it’s so important!

Mahalo Nui (many thanks)
Jan

Editor Jan Dunn is a dance medicine specialist currently based on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, where she is owner of Pilates Plus Kauai Wellness Center and co-founder of Kauai Dance Medicine. She is also a Pilates rehabilitation specialist and Franklin Educator. A lifelong dancer / choreographer, she spent many years as university dance faculty, most recently as Adjunct Faculty, University of Colorado Dept. of Theatre and Dance. Her 28 year background in dance medicine includes 23 years with the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS) – as Board member / President / Executive Director – founding Denver Dance Medicine Associates, and establishing two university Dance Wellness Programs

Jan served as organizer and Co-Chair, International Dance Medicine Conference, Taiwan 2004, and was founding chair of the National Dance Association’s (USA) Committee on Dance Science and Medicine, 1989-1993. She originated The Dance Medicine/Science Resource Guide; and was co-founder of the Journal of Dance Medicine & Science. She has taught dance medicine, Pilates, and Franklin workshops for medical / dance and academic institutions in the USA / Europe / Middle East / and Asia, authored numerous articles in the field, and presented at many national and international conferences.

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Safe Dance Practice: What Is It And Why Do We Need It?

April 4, 2016 by Rachel Hellwig

Kai Downham photography: Instep Dance Company — Kai Downham Photography: Instep Dance Company

Aloha All 🙂

New dance medicine book to share! “Safe Dance Practice” is written by three British colleagues of mine in the dance medicine world, Edel Quin / Sonia Rafferty / Charlotte Tomlinson. All three are involved with IADMS (International Association for Dance Medicine and Science), Safe in Dance International (SIDI), and are all MSc graduates of the Dance Science program at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance (London UK). They have been long-involved in dance medicine and science, aka Dance Wellness, aka Safe Dance Practice (a British term), and have put together their invaluable knowledge and experience in writing this book – giving teachers and dancers a solid grounding for training healthy dancers who will be better equipped to dance many long years, in the best possible condition. The book is a great addition to your dance medicine and science library – Please pass it on!
Aloha
Jan

by Sonia Rafferty, Charlotte Tomlinson and Edel Quin

What It Isn’t!

The term “safe dance practice” often conjures up the vision of a checklist of boring, restrictive, and often unnecessary health and safety regulations. As dancers, choreographers, and teachers, we certainly don’t want to be held back in our artistic endeavours by recommendations that we think will limit our creative risk-taking capacity.

Fortunately, the upsurge of interest and increasing knowledge in safe dance practice will help us to do exactly the opposite. We can support artistic challenge by helping dancers to train and work at their best, but also heed the potential reasons for the high injury rate that has been observed in a wide variety of different dance styles.

Who Is It For?

Safe dance practice is important for dancers of any age and any ability. It is not simply for the elite “racehorse” of a dancer, at risk because of high-level demands, or the dancer who perhaps could be seen to be more prone to injury because of lack of technicality or physical ability.

Knowing how to work safely and effectively is relevant for everyone – for dancers themselves who can take responsibility for protecting and maintaining their readiness to dance, and for teachers who are trusted with instructing the dancing bodies. Add to that list the choreographers who use the expertise and abilities of dancers to create innovative and challenging works, and the artistic directors and managers who rehearse those dancers and organise their schedules.

[Read more…]

Dance Wellness Links And More…

January 9, 2016 by 4dancers

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 25^th 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

Dance Medicine: IADMS 25th Annual Meeting

October 24, 2015 by 4dancers

by Catherine L. Tully

The International Association for Dance Medicine and Science held their 25th annual meeting in October at the Marriott City Center in downtown Pittsburgh, PA. Starting off with a day for teachers, the gathering spanned a four-day period that offered networking opportunities, information-sharing, and an overall sense of purpose that was clear and heartfelt.

As a first-time attendee, I thought I’d share some thoughts on the meeting with those who may be interested, and those who might want to consider going in the future. After all, next year’s meeting is in Hong Kong, which would make a lovely trip!

I have to say that I really enjoyed my time with this unique group of professionals, and felt the experience was definitely worthwhile. As most of you are already aware, I’m very passionate about the topic of dance wellness, and I’d love nothing more than to see IADMS continue to grow and connect with dancers and dance teachers everywhere.

So…here are some thoughts on the experience from my perspective, along with a few photos that should give a little context to my narrative.

Networking

Without question the single largest benefit to attending this meeting is the networking. The IADMS gathering brings professionals together from all over the world, giving them a chance to compare notes, talk dance medicine, and, perhaps most importantly, get to know one another.

Even with the magic of connecting via the web, there is just no substitute for face-to-face interaction. To that end, I enjoyed having the chance to meet the members of our own Dance Wellness Panel in person for the first time, and I couldn’t have been more pleased with the planning time we had to solidify topics we’ll share with readers throughout the year (stay tuned!).

Although IADMS is smaller gathering of professionals than conferences such as Dance USA and the Dance Teacher Summit, it actually works to the advantage of the organization in this case. It simply felt much easier to connect with people here. Faces became familiar after a day or two, and because of that, it made approaching people less intimidating–even for a somewhat introverted person, such as myself.

Several events were incorporated into the meeting’s overall framework that allowed participants the chance to just relax and mingle a bit. Among these were the welcome reception Friday evening, and the “dance party” on Saturday night.

Information

The information presented at the IADMS meeting fell into three primary formats: lectures, movement sessions, and poster presentations. There were also a number of tables on-hand from various supporters and exhibitors. To try and summarize everything offered is quite an impossibility, so an overview of the main categories is offered here instead…each with a few examples…

Lectures

Throughout the event there were numerous lectures available for attendees to take in — from “Nutritional concerns in vegetarian and vegan dancers“ to “The science of motor learning: creating a model for dance training” to “Anterior hip pain in a dancer – an alternative diagnosis.”

Injury prevention/treatment, teaching strategies, metabolism, and dancer fitness were just some of the topics addressed by professionals from the podium. Lecture sessions were typically brief and specific, with accompanying slides. Following each lecture there was an opportunity for questions/comments.

Poster Presentations

Poster presentations offered another approach in terms of information sharing and engagement. Posters were displayed in a room where attendees could peruse them and discuss ideas with one another at a leisurely pace. These sessions were lively, and many people took advantage of the opportunity to join in the conversation.

There were two poster presentation slots during the span of the meeting, and a wide range of topics were covered, such as, “Differences in sway area observed in ballerinas en demi pointe and en pointe,” “Can textured insoles improve ankle proprioception and performance in dancers?” and “Building a safe environment for private dance sectors: a business model to provide healthcare for dancers.”

Movement sessions

In addition to the posters and lectures, the IADMS meeting also provides numerous “movement sessions” where participants have the chance to explore thoughts and ideas in a more “hands-on,” active environment.

Some of the movement sessions included: “Using technology for movement analysis in the dance studio,” “Incorporating conditioning into a modern dance technique class,” and “Gaga, Ohad Naharin’s movement language,” among many others.

Unlike the lecture sessions which are generally rather short in length, the movement sessions typically run about 50 minutes, giving attendees the chance to dig in a bit and try some things out for themselves.

Camaraderie

In my time at the meeting I met a wide range of educators, students and dance medicine professionals — from seasoned, founding members of the field — to brand new faces just joining the ranks after graduation.

It was wonderful to see such a large span of ages and experience levels in attendance, and exciting to think about the possibilities that bringing this group of people together offers to the dance community throughout the world.

For more information on IADMS, please visit their website, and be sure to keep an eye on their blog. Those hoping to attend the 26th annual meeting in Hong Kong can keep an eye out for details on the site, and membership information is there as well.

Disclosure: 4dancers attended the 25th annual meeting on a press pass granted by IADMS, but no monetary compensation was received for coverage of the event. All transportation, lodging, and meals were paid for by 4dancers.