October 25, 2002. Newly retired as a dancer, newly minted as a Pilates teacher, eager to help out dancers from the “other” side of the table now, I walked into my first IADMS conference in New York City.

In the entryway,  two doctors passionately debated the best approach for hip arthroscopy. A group of therapists gathered around someone’s ankle, poking and prodding, discussing Lisfranc injuries. In a corner someone was coaching a dancer through a theraband-wrapped arabesque.

And I thought, “Oh, HERE are my people.”

I felt an overwhelming sense of belonging right away, coupled with an almost uncontrollable urge to dive in and start learning EVERYTHING. NOW.

Fast forward to IADMS Houston, 2017, site of my very first presentation. I stepped forward to begin speaking, looking at a sea of faces comfortably seated all around the room. Everyone looking at me expectantly, but also joyfully, like, “Let’s do this! It’s going to be great!”

And I thought, “How can I be nervous? It’s my people.”

Every year, I look forward to the IADMS conference as a chance to connect with old friends who are scattered across the globe but share my passion for supporting the next generation of dancers, even as I get excited to meet new people and see what’s new in the dance medicine and science world. I always know I’ll leave with a full brain, and an even fuller heart.

Italy 2024 was no exception.

From the moment you walk in the door, you feel like you’re home. People are seeing each other across the lobby even before they make it to the check-in desk. Once you grab your badge and find your way around the space, it’s a nonstop buffet of seminars, movement sessions, and deep discussions picking back up where you left off a year ago.

This year seemed to have a few themes. I noticed several presentations around the idea of supporting dancer autonomy or independence - ways to equip dancers to make better-informed decisions, or take control of their body maintenance, such as “Building a self-care contract for dancer wellness and performance” by Shona Erskine MS/c, PhD. Movement sessions were also inspiring, such as “Supporting Social and Emotional Learning in dance with attentional focus strategies” by David Leventhal BA and Clare Guss-West MA.

It being Italy, of course one of the best parts of the conference was the meals. The food was fantastic, and a great excuse to linger over the table and chat deep into the evening. The internet provides so many chances to make long-distance friends, and the conference is a great opportunity to  meet those online friends In Real Life.

Now that I’ve been to so many conferences, I can say that the thing excites me the most is seeing the next generation rise up: both as dancers, willing to stand up for themselves and demand a seat at the table when their own health is on the agenda, and as scientists and medical professionals, eager to move the needle on what is possible for dancer care.

Italy 2024 was another huge first for me: my daughter Madeleine presented her first e-poster as a dance science student, and my mother, a former dancer herself, attended as well. Having three generations of dancers at IADMS reminded  me what a worthwhile investment dancer health is, and what a long road is still to be traveled.

There are lots of opportunities to further your knowledge in the dance medicine and science world, of course. But the annual conference is a special opportunity: to be in the room with some incredible brains who love to dive deep on the biomechanics of the plie; to make life-long friends who will support you on social media and encourage you to push yourself; and to literally have a hand in shaping the future of dance medicine and science.

Where do you want it to go? What should be studied next? What needs supporting? We are the ones who will make it happen: specialists, students, doctors, therapists from all over the world.

Still my people.