The 26th Annual IADMS Conference will be held in Hong Kong in October 2016. Following the main IADMS conference, is a Day for Teachers where presentations and movement sessions focus on applying new knowledge and understanding to the teaching of dance. There are often panel discussions where teachers are encouraged to share their own experiences and discoveries. These Day for Teachers, events offer teachers a lot of potential development in one day.

A lot has happened since 1999

Since 1999, when I joined IADMS, so much has happened in the field of dance medicine and science. And this progression has enhanced and furthered my own professional development time and time again. In addition to IADMS related events, there are the publications, resources and the extremely valuable networking with other industry professionals. I have travelled around the world attending IADMS Conferences from UK visiting various countries around Europe, USA and even Australia. And I have been privileged to present aspects of my own work at a number of these international conferences. Some of the Powerpoint slides of these presentations are available to download for free from the downloads page at ethicsdance.

For many years I have also been involved with one of the committees of IADMS. We started out as the Member Relation Committee and now we are the Development Committee. A key task for the Committee is to encourage support for IADMS in the dance medicine & science world, the dance teaching and education world, in the fields of bodyworkers and movement specialists working with or who want to work with dancers and all who have an interest in the health and wellbeing of dancers.

Supporting IADMS

If you are part of a dance teaching organisation that you think would benefit from a relationship with IADMS then why not ask them if they support IADMS? I am very happy to provide information to organisations who want to know more about supporting IADMS. Just put them in touch with me or give them this website address.

Membership of IADMS

Membership of IADMS is available to anyone actively connected with the healthcare, education, administration and supervision of dancers and/or is a member of the dance community.

There are many benefits of membership of IADMS including:

• increase your knowledge of dance medicine and science and add a new dimension to the care of the dancers that you work with.
• Network with other professionals in the field.
• Receive the Journal of Dance Medicine & Science which is the official publication of IADMS and individual members (not corporate, schools or companies) also receive free access to JDMS articles online.
• Quarterly email newsletter.
• Receive a discounted registration rate when attending IADMS conference.
• Receive discounted rates for various publications available from IADMS online shop.

You can find more information about joining IADMS and the associated benefits here.

Journal of Dance Medicine & Science (JDMS)

The Journal is a quarterly, peer-reviewed, scientific journal, indexed in MEDLINE. Dance teachers/educators, who are members of IADMS receive the printed journal as part of their membership as well as free online access. JDMS can be subscribed to by institutions for their libraries.

JDMS aims to provide members/subscribers with one source for up-to-date information from a whole range of topics covering every aspect of dance medicine and science.

CPD

Being a member of IADMS for about 17 years now, has given me a wide variety of opportunities to develop aspects of my knowledge, skills and understanding about many areas directly and indirectly related to the learning and teaching of dance. Furthermore, I have had some wonderful CPD conversations* with industry professionals from the field of dance medicine and science and education. In fact it was one such conversation at my first IADMS with Julia Buckroyd, author of the wonderful book The Student Dancer, Emotional Aspects of the Teaching and Learning of Dance, that encouraged me to continue my studies by doing a PhD. Not only did this come to being but Professor Julia Buckroyd (now Professor Emeritus) became one of my two supervisors for my PhD. I can truly say that a CPD conversation can lead to valuable continuous professional development.

I have enjoyed many CPD conversations connected to IADMS since that one back at the beginning of my relationship with IADMS. And a lot of learning and development has emerged from these CPD conversations. Networking with industry professionals and encouraging CPD are vital aspects of what IADMS has to offer.

If you are not familiar with IADMS and the IADMS website why not take a look around it today to see what it has to offer?

*conversations where active professional development occurs or directly leads to professional development.