Dance Science

I have always had a keen interest and fascination in science and how holistic training could develop healthier and stronger dancers. In 1997 I joined the International Association of Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS). My curiosity led me to take a Certificate in Health & Fitness in 1999 through Simon Fraser University, which I then followed with their BSc Kinesiology/Gerontology degree. I felt sports science, which was way ahead of dance science at the time, could be influential in my teaching methodology to train stronger and healthier dancers. At that time, there were no specific dance science or dance kinesiology degrees in Canada.

Pro Arte Centre (which I left in 2019 to move to LA), become a model dance training studio in its years 2004- 2018 for its “Holistic Training Program” which included weekly dance conditioning, yoga, nutrition, dance science enrichment lectures and performance psychology workshops alongside its intensive traditional dance training program. A past student, Erika Mayall www.allegroperformance.com, came on-board to be the physiotherapist on-site at Pro Arte Centre. Erika & I went on to co-author many dance science research projects.

Current Dance Science volunteer positions:

• Committee member on the Dance Educators’ Committee, International Association of Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS) since 2014 (www.iadms.org)

• Dancer Wellness Advisor for Ballet Beyond Borders (BBB)

• Local LA Team Leader - The Bridge Dance Project (The Bridge Dance Project) a newly launched cooperative endeavor between leaders in the dance medicine and science field and in the competition / commercial dance field)

Dance Science Presentations, Publications and Event Organization

• September 2023, Organizer, virtual community outreach International Association for Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS) Outreach “the Hormone Highkick” how hormones affect dance performance.

•   July 2022, co-organizer/conceptor “Being a 21st Century Dance Teacher” collaboration with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD), IADMS and Safe in Dance International (SiDI) Virtual Dance Science Day.

• 2021 Organiser, collaborative virtual community outreach with IADMS, Bridge Dance Project (BDP) and Ballet Beyond Borders (BBB) “Championing the Competitive Dancer.”

• February/March 2021 Dance Science Workshop Series for Teachers; Carole Watson ISTD Approved Dance Centre, Italy (Virtual): Conditioning and Dance Science focused on feet; turnout; port de bras & extension.

• October 2019 IADMS International Conference in Montreal, Canada: “Can we shape, yet preserve, the heritage and traditions of a ballet class in a world of learning differences.”

• August 2019 Ballet Beyond Borders, LA: The Science of the Developpe and Fabulous Feet Workshops  

• January 2019 Ballet Beyond Borders, Missoula: Port de Bras and Upper Body Issues in Classical & Contemporary Dancers Workshops

• 2018 Healthy Dancer Canada Conference, Toronto: “Port de Bras & The Smart Phone Generation”

• 2018 Ballet Beyond Borders, USA: Panel for “Myth Busters: Dancer Health & Wellness”

• 2018 Organiser and lead presenter for IADMS Regional Conference for Teachers in South Africa (Cape Town and Johannesburg)

• 2018 University of Montana & Ballet Beyond Borders: Panel speaker at the Art of Diplomacy Conference “Taking Over the World with the Arts”

• 2017 IADMS International Conference Houston, USA: “Port de Bras & The Smart Phone Generation”

• 2017 Co-author of publication for IADMS Bulletin for Dancers and Teachers, 7(1): 14-20 Special Issue on Turnout

• 2017 VIBE USA, Missoula: “Are you self- sabotaging your dancing with your stretching and warm-up?” 

• 2016 Organiser of the IADMS Regional Conference for Teachers Canada (Vancouver)

• 2015 IADMS International Conference Pittsburg, USA: “Scoliosis & the Adolescent Ballet Dancer”

• 2015 Organiser of the IADMS Regional Conference for Teachers in Canada (Vancouver)

• 2015 Healthy Dancer Canada, Vancouver: “Scoliosis & the Adolescent Dancer”

• 2014 Co-author of peer-reviewed publication “Can a Prescribed Turnout Conditioning Program Reduce the Differential Between Passive and Active Turnout in Pre-professional Dancers?” for IADMS Journal of Dance Medicine & Science, 18(4): 159-168

• 2012 IADMS International Conference, Singapore: “Turnout Strengthening Program”

• 2012 Healthy Dancer Canada Conference, Vancouver: “Myths of dance posture and control” 

• 2010 IADMS International Conference, Birmingham UK “Can a prescribed turnout conditioning program reduce the differential between passive and active turnout in pre-professional dancers?”2008 Presenter at the Johannesburg Dance Medicine Conference: “Foot Strength and Conditioning for Dancers”

• 2008 Johannesburg Dance Medicine Conference: “The Developpe: working between the North American & English Aesthetic.”