IADMS hosts an important conversation on the importance of safeguarding dance students and professionals from sexual abuse and harassment in the classroom and workplace. In this webinar, we hear from a number of esteemed panelists about our collective responsibility to respond to sexual abuse and harassment in dance. This discussion is targeted to dance teachers, artistic directors, all dance company/school staff, and dancers.

Neither IADMS nor any of the panelists are authorized to provide medical or legal advice during this panel discussion. Educational tools and resources can be found below for additional inquiries on the subject or if you need additional support. 

Hosted by the IADMS Executive Director, Leigh Ponniah, IADMS Dance Educator Committee co-Chair Joe Bowie, and committee members Ellie Kusner. 

WATCH NOW

Panelists include:
Diane DeFries, Executive Director, American College Dance Association

Maggie Morris, MA, Co-Founder/Director, Safe in Dance International

Erin Sanchez, Msc, Manager of Health, Wellbeing, and Performance, One Dance UK

Mario Espinoza, LCSW, Social Worker, The Entertainment Community

Paula Thomson, PsyD, Professor & Clinical Psychologist, California State University Northridge

Nicole Perry, MFA, CLMA, Certified Intimacy Director and Coordinator, Visiting Assistant Professor of Dance at Florida Atlantic University.

Renee Redding Jones, MFA, CLMA, Intimacy Director and Coordinator (IDC), Adjunct Professor, Tisch School of the Arts/Drama department, Senior Faculty at the Atlantic School for Acting

REPORTING PROCEDURES:

JDoe: anonymous 3rd party reporting app

Lighthouse Reporting- for those involved in any Equity production. Neither the victim nor the accused need to be a member of Equity, but the production must be Equity. Keyword "actorsequity"

SAG hotline- for those involved in any SAG production

Mandated Reporting of Minors and/or Dependents and Mandated Reporter Training

RESOURCES & TRAINING 

Personal Safety for Dance (International) is an international working group that exists to develop a dance environment that is free from abuse, open, and supportive for all. The website includes links to resources on a variety of topics including touch, consent, bullying, sexual harassment, and sexual assault in dance.

Arts Wellbeing Collective (Australia) - Preventing inappropriate behavior. 

Dancers’ Resource Program at the Entertainment Community Fund

• Emergency Financial Assistance - SOCIAL SERVICES AND EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE | Entertainment Community Fund

• Mental Health Services - Mental Health | Entertainment Community Fund

• Support Group for Dancers - Support Group for Dancers - Fall 2023 | Entertainment Community Fund

• Career Center - Getting Started | Entertainment Community Fund

• Career Transition For Dancers - Career Transition For Dancers | Entertainment Community

• Fund Financial Wellness Program - Financial Wellness | Entertainment Community Fund

• Health Insurance Resource Center - Artists Health Insurance Resource Center | Entertainment Community Fund

Dance Education Equity Association: Convention Audit, Trainings in AntiRacism, Power Dynamics, and Safety for Conventions and Studios

Intimacy Direction in Dance: Workshops for Teachers, Students, and/or Dance Companies, Intimacy Direction for Dance Companies, Resources 

Minding the Gap: Dancer Mental Health: Resources and Training for Individuals and Organizations

Momentum Stage: Professional Development  and Resources 

Dance Awareness: No Child Exploited (USA) 

Keep Kids Safe in Dance (Australia)

Safer Dance: The dance school safeguarding working group (UK) 

NEAMA (Nonprofit Education and Advocacy for the Movement Arts)(USA)

Safeguarding the Creative Process and the Artist - Workshop with Stuart Waters 

Safe In Dance International - Professional Development 

Whistle While You Work (International) 

RESEARCH

Dance Data Project Sexual Assault and Harassment Links and Resources (USA) Includes articles and papers, dance-related organizations, example policies and codes of conduct, legal guidance, and US state-specific sexual harassment training 

The Dance Current - Big Little Secrets Part II, by Jo- Anne La Fleche

Equity (UK) Advice and Support for Bullying & Harassment and Creating Safe Spaces initiative and Agenda for Change

One Dance UK - Safeguarding and abuse prevention: Research Findings 2021 and Research Finding 2022

Power and Consent in Dance Spaces series from Dance Geist

Dance/USA Taskforce on Dancer Health - Big Little Secrets: Traumatic Experiences in the Dance World - resource focussing on sources of trauma and how to cope with trauma written by Jo-Anne La Flèche, clinical and dance psychologist.

Big Messy Conversations

A 4-Part Series on Dance Education

We invite you to join Dance Educators’ Committee Chair, Ellie Kusner, along with committee members Joe Bowie and Brenton Surgenor in a series of “big messy conversations” about dance science education. The series will include invited guests and copious, informal discussions in a semi-structured format--imagine a long table discussion over brunch with a few guidelines! We aim to offer space for all to share in an open and equitable way. Rather than looking to define labels or establish facts, we hope to explore perceptions, listen deeply, question, and invite ideas for creative steps forward. Our hope is that these conversations will serve as a beginning to ongoing dialogue which flows out into our communities.

We invite you to attend all four of these big messy conversations over the next few months, but each can also be enjoyed a la carte! To assure a vibrant discussion, space is limited and pre-registration is required. The first 18 seats will be reserved for IADMS members.

Part I. How Did We Get Here?

This event occurred on April 25th - 9:00am ET

Part II. What Do Students Want?

This event occurred on August 8 - 12:00pm EDT

Part III & IV. COMING SOON

Learning About Social Return on Investment: The Value of Dance for Health

The IADMS Dance for Health Committee presents a webinar of inspiration from international guests leading the sector in the integration of arts and dance into health care. The webinar reviews how practitioners are working with analysis tools to quantify the economic and social impact of arts for health and specifically dance for health practices.

Bridging IADMS. An Interdisciplinary Webinar Series

Log in NOW to access this webinar series, Bridging IADMS: Discovering Attention and Focus Strategies in Practice. This series aims to provide a background introduction and application on the topic of Attentional Focus. Attentional Focus is perhaps one of the most relevant research areas that sports science can bring to dance. Attention and focus skills represent a new frontier of potential, relatively unchartered performance enhancement for dance. The robust findings of the last 20 years apply equally across the disciplines, bridging the practice of IADMS members.

Hosted by Clare Guss-West, MA, author of Attention and Focus in Dance: Enhancing Power, Precision, and Artistry, this series brings guest presenters and specialists from varied disciplines to explore how to implement this research directly into practice. 

Learn more about the topic in an IADMS blog post with IADMS Committee Members Johanna Osmala and Clare Guss West.

This recorded series, produced in 2021, is now available to IADMS members. Log-in is required for access to the webinars below.

How to Use an External Focus of Attention to Enhance Effective Teaching

This event occurred on May 29 - 11:00am ET/ 3:00pm GMT

The first in this 5-part interdisciplinary series focused on the Dance Educator. With Ellie Kusner, MSc, IADMS Dance Educators' Committee Chair, and host Clare Guss-West. Available now - Log In Required!

Dance for All - Attentional teaching tools to facilitate dance for those with movement and learning challenges

This event occurred on June 18 - 11:00am ET/ 3:00pm GMT

The second in this 5-part interdisciplinary series focused on the Dance for Health Teaching Artists and Facilitators. With David Leventhal, Program Director of Dance for PD, Mark Morris Dance Group, NY, and IADMS Dance for Health Committee member, and host Clare Guss-West. Available now - Log In Required!

External Focus of Attention: A Tool for Rehabilitation and Physical Performance

This event occurred on July 29 - 11:00am ET/ 3:00pm GMT

The third in this 5-part interdisciplinary series focused on Allied Healthcare Professionals. With Johanna Osmala, PT, Head Physiotherapist of Finnish National Ballet, and IADMS Program Committee member, and host Clare Guss West. Available now - Log In Required!

A New Frontier in Dance – Attention and Focus Training Provides the Winning Edge for Your Performance

This event occurred on August 22 - 10:00am PT/ 5:00pm GMT

The fourth in this 5-part interdisciplinary series focused on Competition Dancers and Teachers. With Astrid Sherman, ISTD North American Representative, LA Chapter -The Bridge Dance Project, and IADMS Dance Educators' Committee member, and host Clare Guss-West. Available now - Log In Required!

The Best You that You Can Be - Attention and Focus Tools to Enhance Power and Precision, and Renew Energy and Stamina for Training, Rehearsal, and Performance. 

This event occurred on November 9 - 11am EST / 4pm GMT

The fifth and final in this 5-part interdisciplinary series focused on Pre-Professional and Professional Dancers. With Madeleine Onne, Artistic Director of Finnish National Ballet and IADMS Honorary Member, and host Clare Guss-West. Available now - Log In Required!

The Hormone High-Kick: Starting the Conversation

The Hormone High Kick: Starting the Conversations. Nicky Keay, BA, MA, MB, BChir, MRCP, a renowned expert in the subject and author of Hormones, Health, and Human Potential, will lead these discussions and introduce concepts on how hormones play a role in a dancer’s performance. Specific focus on developing awareness of the hormonal health of dancers that will give the best outputs for both optimal performance and later health. Participants will learn about the effect of hormones on a dancer’s flexibility, strength, energy/endurance, mood, outlook, focus, and memory. The session will also provide practical tips and tools and allow time for participant Q&A.

Part 1: How is COVID-19 Affecting Us

This webinar is the inaugural mental health session for professionals who work with performing artists and, in particular, professional and pre-professional dancers. for a half-hour webinar examining how the current COVID-19 pandemic is affecting performing artists, and how we can help ourselves and each other.

Note: this webinar is free and available to the public. After viewing this presentation, we invite you to share your thoughts and feedback on the IADMS app.

Part 2: Why am I Feeling This Way and What Can I Do? 

Emotions, moods, affect, and feelings that we may experience during the current COVID-19 pandemic and from the pervasive disruptions to our lives are explored in the second mental health webinar. Join our panel to explore theory related to, and evidence-based practical strategies for, mental health and performing artists.

Note: this webinar is free and available to the public. After viewing this presentation, we invite you to share your thoughts and feedback on the IADMS app.

Part 3: Stress and Coping

This webinar explores stressors that dancers may experience in association with COVID-19. Our panelists will be discussing with the president of IADMS, Peter Lewton-Brain, how COVID-19 impacts dancers and how the body responds to stressful situations. Strategies for coping with stressful events are offered.

Note: this webinar is free and available to the public. After viewing this presentation, we invite you to share your thoughts and feedback on the IADMS app.

Part 4: To Sleep, Perchance to Dream, During COVID-19

This webinar covers key concepts about sleep and its influence on dancers’ health. Dreams, nightmares, and COVID-19 dreams are identified. Dancers are offered strategies to regulate sleep and manage nightmares.

Note: this webinar is free and available to the public. After viewing this presentation, we invite you to share your thoughts and feedback on the IADMS app.

Part 5: Sensitive and Resilient, Two Sides of The Same Coin

The webinar focuses on the reality that COVID 19 has situated our entire industry in a fragile state. Our panelists offer valuable insights on sensitivity and resilience in performing artists. A deeper understanding of resilience and how it influences sensitivity will be examined. Six strategies for enhancing resilience during challenging times are offered to dancers to add to their dance bag of coping resources.

Note: this webinar is free and available to the public. After viewing this presentation, we invite you to share your thoughts and feedback on the IADMS app.

Part 6: ReEntry - Navigating the New Normal with COVID-19

The coronavirus catapulted us into an unprecedented and uncertain way of life. We were expected to practice social distancing, endure disruptions in life and work, fear and anxiety, death, loss of income, and restricted movement. And now, we are faced with new territory to navigate — re-entering a world that is unexpectedly different. How do we leave the safety of our homes and move back to what we did before, or do we? Our expert panel explores how we can successfully navigate the transition to a new normal in the wake of COVID-19. In this webinar, our panelists discuss getting the mind and the body prepared for returning to activity.

Note: this webinar is free and available to the public. After viewing this presentation, we invite you to share your thoughts and feedback on the IADMS app.

Part 7: Psychosocial Changes: Navigating the New Normal with COVID-19

The coronavirus catapulted us into an unprecedented, uncertain, and unnerving way of life. We have experienced social isolation, physical distancing, life and work disruption, illness, fear and anxiety, death, loss of income, and loss of personal freedom and movement. And now, we are faced with an unfamiliar territory to navigate—re-entering a world that is different from the one we left. How do we leave the safety of our homes and move back to what we did before, or do we? Our expert panel explores how we can successfully navigate the transition to a new normal lifestyle in the wake of COVID-19 in the 7th webinar of the series on Performers Mental Health explores. In this webinar, panelists discuss, with host Bonnie Robson, about getting the mind and the body prepared for returning to activity.

Note: this webinar is free and available to the public. After viewing this presentation, we invite you to share your thoughts and feedback.

Part 8: Loss and Grief

Loss and grief are permeating daily life during these unprecedented times. Loss can be experienced whenever a major change transpires. The grieving process that follows is often more difficult as a result of COVID-19; many experts fear that this grieving process may be prolonged which may make bereavement even more difficult.
If you or someone you know is struggling and looking for help, please contact a local mental health professional or crisis hotline. Here is a link to resources available in the US or Canada: https://www.griefresourcenetwork.com/crisis-center/hotlines/

Note: this webinar is free and available to the public. After viewing this presentation, we invite you to share your thoughts and feedback.

Part 9: Depression: Dark Night of the Soul

Depression can be a transitory state provoked by unsettling situations; however, if it persists and compromises functioning and wellbeing, then it is considered a medical illness and requires professional treatment. A major life event might tip the balance and push some individuals into clinical depression. This webinar outlines symptoms of depression and offers suggestions on how to manage it.

North American Suicide Hotline - 800-273-8255

Websites for International Suicide Hotlines

https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html

Mental Health Websites (with hotlines):

https://www.nami.org/help

https://www.psychguides.com/guides/mental-health-hotline/

https://unitedgmh.org/mental-health-support

Safe Dance Practice in Quarantine: A Panel Conversation for Educators, with IADMS and SiDI Leaders

This live panel discussion with IADMS and Safe in Dance International leaders took place on Saturday, April 25, 2020, in the IADMS Science for Dance Educators Facebook group. Dance educators of any level and dancers (student, pre-professional, or professional) were invited to join, listen to the conversation, and share their questions with the panelists.

Note: this webinar is free and available to the public. After viewing this presentation, we invite you to share your thoughts and feedback on the IADMS app.

Conditioning for Dance during COVID-19: Strength, Power, Endurance, and Speed 

This live stream panel discussion occurred on Saturday, May 9, 2020, in the IADMS Science for Dance Educators Facebook group. Dance educators of any level and dancers (student, pre-professional, or professional) were invited to join, listen to the conversation, and share their questions with the panelists.

Note: this webinar is free and available to the public. After viewing this presentation, we invite you to share your thoughts and feedback on the IADMS app.

Exploring the Scope of Dance Education During COVID-19

This panel will help you consider your new teaching practice through the lens of science. We will discuss the education of the dancing body and brain with ideas from neuroscience, improvisation, somatics, and more.

Note: this webinar is free and available to the public. After viewing this presentation, we invite you to share your thoughts and feedback on the IADMS app.

Dance for Health Interventions during a Global Pandemic... and Beyond

Dance for health educators brings the power of dance to a wide range of populations, all of whom face unique challenges in isolation. What's more, many of these students are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, so while studios around the world cautiously begin to reopen, it is likely that many dance for health teachers will continue to work with their students in a virtual format. In order to support these important educators, this panel invites members of the IADMS Dance for Health Committee to discuss their work during this global pandemic and consider the future of their field. 

Note: this webinar is free and available to the public. After viewing this presentation, we invite you to share your thoughts and feedback on the IADMS app.

Effective Communication with a Dancer

This seminar, entitled "Effective Communication with a Dancer" is designed to explore the way in which medical professionals, dancers, and artistic directors view injury and the ways in which they communicate during a clinical encounter. The seminar will show where there is overlap and where there are opportunities for improvement and will draw from a wealth of professional experience from the speakers.

Note: this webinar is free and available to the public. After viewing this presentation, we invite you to share your thoughts and feedback on the IADMS app.

Interdisciplinary Care of Dance Injury - Modern Dance 

This panel highlights the importance of interdisciplinary communication and collaboration with dancer-centered care to optimize outcomes. Alongside medical experts from IADMS and special guests from the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), is Madelyn Ho, a past Paul Taylor Dance Company member who speaks to her injury and care with a dance medicine team. 

Note: this webinar is free and available to the public. After viewing this presentation, we invite you to share your thoughts and feedback on the IADMS app.

Implementing Dance Science: A Panel Discussion

This panel discussion, from the IADMS 27th Annual Conference, held in Houston, Texas, USA,  discusses the effective use of dance science in practice.

Tale of the Tallus Presentation & Dance Medicine Collaboration: A Discussion

This presentation, Tales of the Talus, is from the IADMS 27th Annual Conference, held in Houston, Texas, USA. Go behind the scenes with presenters in an exclusive post-presentation discussion, Dance Medicine Collaborations. 

Biomimetic Surgical Implants Presentation & Interview

Watch Dr. Tasciotti's presentation and an exclusive interview on his research presented at the IADMS 27th Annual Conference, Houston, Texas, USA.

Interview with Susan Jaffe & Kathryn Morgan

A conversation with world-renowned dancers, Susan Jaffe and Kathryn Morgan about their experiences with injury, performance longevity, and how dance medicine and science have influenced their own professional and personal goals. 

An Interview with Paula Baird Colt

An interview with Paul Baird Colt from the IADMS 27th Annual Conference, held in Houston, Texas, USA, on her research and experiences teaching dancers at The Australian Ballet and her thoughts for the continuation of dance medicine & science. 

An Interview with Neeru Jayanthi

A post-presentation interview with guest speaker, Neeru Jayanthi, MD, from his presentation titled "Overuse Injuries and Specialization: What Can Dance Medicine and Science Learn from Sport?" Dr. Jayanthi's talk was presented at the Opening Ceremony of the IADMS 27th Annual Conference, held in Houston, Texas, USA.

An Interview with Selina Shah

Selina Shah, MD, shares her experiences in dance medicine as a member of the IADMS Board of Directors, Dance/USA Taskforce on Dancer Health, and head physician for the San Francisco Ballet School, touching on medical research, dance culture, and social media. This interview was recorded at the IADMS 27th Annual Conference, held in Houston, Texas, USA.