Posted by: IADMS Education Committee 

The 2016 IADMS Education Committee Dance Educator Award is presented to Dr. Tom Welsh, Professor at Florida State University.

Tom’s direct and indirect influence on dance pedagogy and training has been profound. He carefully thinks about how research informs practice and how research needs to reflect practice. The many colleagues and students he works with are challenged and invigorated by his thoughtful questions, carefully worded concerns and unique solutions to difficult problems. The students and colleagues he mentors are directly impacting the field of dance, from the smallest studio to college programs. He has written several papers for the Journal of Dance Medicine and Science, Journal of Dance Education and his book, Conditioning for Dancers, is a foundational text in many dance programs and studios around the country. A founding members of the Dance Kinesiology Teacher’s group (now the Dance Science and Somatic Educators Group), Tom also served on the IADMS board of directors and was the President of IADMS from 2009-2011.

Tom joins Dr. Janice Plastino, recipient of the 1st IADMS Dance Educator Award and Janet Karin, recipient of the award in 2015 in receiving this honor from the IADMS Education committee.

More information on the Dance Educator Award can be found at Education@IADMS.org.