International Association for Dance Medicine & Science

What International Association for Dance Medicine & Science does

The International Association for Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional membership association founded in 1990 by Allan Ryan, MD, and Justin Howse, MD, and registered as a U.S. tax-exempt charity in 1996. Headquartered in Aurora, Colorado, IADMS operates as the principal global network linking dance, medicine, and science, serving an interdisciplinary audience of dancers, dance educators, physicians, physical therapists, sports medicine specialists, researchers, and dance companies. Its mission is to advance dancer health, training, and performance by promoting evidence-based practice across clinical and educational settings.

The organization's product surface centers on peer-reviewed and practitioner-oriented publishing (the Journal of Dance Medicine & Science published in partnership with Sage Publishing, and the Bulletin for Dancers & Teachers produced with the Rudolf Nureyev Foundation via Open Journal Systems), an eLearning media library of webinars and audio files, Resource Papers translated into 8+ languages, infographics, and a public Find a Provider directory. Programming is delivered through an annual conference (the 36th scheduled for Melbourne, Australia in 2026), regional meetings, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses sold via Cvent, Special Interest Groups, Chapters, Mentorships, and a Student Committee. Technology is not the primary value driver; content curation, community orchestration, and credentialing are.

IADMS generates revenue through annual membership dues, conference and event registration, and individual CPD course purchases, distributed via an authenticated member portal, the Cvent event platform, and self-serve access to public resources. A $10 promotional discount on first-year membership signals active acquisition. The organization is governed by an elected Board of Directors and operates with a lean staff of 1-10 employees supplemented by committees and volunteers, with no parent organization, outside investors, or equity holders disclosed.

Name

International Association for Dance Medicine & Science

Legal name

International Association for Dance Medicine and Science, Inc.

Website

https://iadms.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The International Association for Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1990 that operates the global professional membership network linking dancers, educators, medical clinicians, and researchers in dance medicine and science.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Membership Association Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Medical, Scientific & Healthcare Congress Organizers (THAHACAD)

Keywords

• Dance medicine
• Dance science
• Professional membership association
• Continuing professional development
• Dance health research

Headquarters

HQ city

Aurora

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees providing access to resources, publications, events, professional development, and networking with global community of dance medicine and science professionals.
2. Conference & Event Registration: Fees for annual conferences, regional meetings, and continuing professional development courses that provide education and networking opportunities.
3. CPD Courses: Individual continuing professional development courses available for purchase with certificates of completion for registered attendees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

IADMS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional membership association that advances dance medicine and science globally through annual and regional conferences, continuing professional development (CPD) courses, peer-reviewed publications (Journal of Dance Medicine & Science and Bulletin for Dancers & Teachers), Resource Papers, eLearning webinars, professional recognition programs, and a public Find a Provider directory connecting dancers with specialized healthcare professionals.

Product overview

IADMS operates as a membership-based nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of interconnected products and services focused on advancing dance medicine and science. The core offerings include the Journal of Dance Medicine & Science (peer-reviewed academic journal via Sage Publishing), the Bulletin for Dancers & Teachers (practitioner-oriented publication via Open Journal Systems), and the eLearning Media Library (on-demand webinars and audio content). The organization facilitates knowledge sharing through Annual and Regional Conferences, CPD Courses, Resource Papers (available in multiple languages), and educational content via its Blog and Infographics. Additional services include Find a Provider (public database of healthcare professionals), the Oral History Project, Mental Health and Dance for Health resources, Student resources, US Healthcare Resource Hub, and Safe in Dance International (SiDI) professional development program. Membership provides access to exclusive content, professional development opportunities, and a global network of dance medicine and science professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IADMS Membership Annual membership providing dance medicine and science professionals, educators, researchers, students, and dancers with access to the member portal, peer-reviewed publications, Resource Papers, eLearning webinars, special interest groups, chapters, awards, mentorships, conferences, and the global IADMS network.
• Annual Conference Annual international conference (the 36th edition scheduled for Melbourne, Australia in 2026) bringing together medical professionals, educators, dancers, and researchers to share innovative research and clinical updates in dance health and wellbeing.
• Regional Meetings Regional conferences and meetings held across different global locations to provide accessible engagement with IADMS programming for the international dance medicine and science community.
• Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Courses Individual CPD courses available for purchase with certificate of completion to registered attendees, covering various aspects of dance medicine and science for working professionals.
• Journal of Dance Medicine & Science Peer-reviewed academic journal published in partnership with Sage Publishing covering research in dance medicine and science, distributed to IADMS members and the wider academic community.
• Bulletin for Dancers & Teachers Online, freely accessible publication translating scientific research into practitioner-oriented articles for dancers, educators, parents, and other stakeholders, produced in partnership with the Rudolf Nureyev Foundation and hosted on Open Journal Systems at bulletin.iadms.org.
• Find a Provider Public searchable directory of dance-specialized healthcare and wellness professionals worldwide, enabling dancers to locate qualified providers across geographies.

Quantifiable outcome

• 36th Annual Conference connecting professionals globally
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Rudolf Nureyev FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe IADMS Bulletin for Dancers & Teachers is produced in partnership with the Rudolf Nureyev Foundation. This partnership enables the publication to provide accessible research translation for dancers and teachers with foundation support making the content widely available.
• Sage Publishing, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSage Publishing receives membership information (name and mailing address) for required access to the Journal of Dance Medicine & Science. This partnership manages the peer-reviewed journal publication and distribution.
• Healthy Dancer CanadaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerShared resource paper arrangements - IADMS shares resource papers from select like-minded organizations including Motor Development and the Young Dancer resource paper and Motor Control and Dance (member's only).
• Dance/USA Task Force on Dancer HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple IADMS board members and staff serve on the Dance/USA Task Force on Dancer Health. Kathleen Davenport served as 2020-2022 Co-Chair. Collaboration includes webinars (Bodyweight Cross-Training for Dancers) and research initiatives.
• Safe in Dance International (SiDI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIADMS Programming & Marketing Specialist Sutton Anker is a SiDI Registered Provider, supporting safe dance practice advocacy and education.
• Performing Arts Medicine AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple IADMS members and board members are involved in the Performing Arts Medicine Association, supporting interdisciplinary collaboration in performing arts health.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Performing Arts Medicine Association: The most direct peer: a North America-based professional association for healthcare practitioners serving performing artists (including dancers, musicians, actors). Overlaps with IADMS on mission, member base, and interdisciplinary clinician focus.
• Safe in Dance International: UK-registered charity promoting safe dance practice through certification and CPD. IADMS staff and members sit on its provider network, and it offers overlapping continuing education for dance teachers and health professionals.
• Healthy Dancer Canada: Canadian multidisciplinary hub advancing dancer health through education, networking, and resource sharing. Shares resource papers with IADMS and serves an overlapping member audience of clinicians and dance educators.
• NYU Langone's Harkness Center for Dance Injuries: Hospital-affiliated research and education center dedicated to dance injury prevention and treatment. Provides continuing education, clinical research, and provider training that functionally compete with IADMS's content, while several IADMS staff previously worked there.

Broad incumbents

• Dance/USA: The national service organization for the professional dance field in the US, hosting the Task Force on Dancer Health that IADMS board members lead. Broader in scope (advocacy, touring, leadership) but overlapping on dancer health programming.
• American College of Sports Medicine: Large US-based professional membership organization for sports medicine and exercise science. Sits in adjacent clinical territory and serves many shared members (e.g., ACSM Exercise Physiologist credentials held by board members), with overlapping journals, conferences, and CE programming.
• National Athletic Trainers' Association: US professional association for athletic trainers serving in clinical, scholastic, and performing arts settings. Overlaps with IADMS members in injury prevention and rehabilitation for dancers and overlaps on continuing education and conference programming.

Regional players

• International Association of Theatre and Performing Arts Medicine (IATPM): European-focused forum bringing together clinicians, researchers, and educators in performing arts medicine. Comparable medical congress and resource-sharing model to IADMS, but with broader performing arts scope and Eurocentric membership.
• One Dance UK: UK-based membership body supporting the dance sector with health, training, and advocacy programming. Comparable nonprofit model in dancer health (including a Healthier Dancer Programme) but operating at a national rather than global scale.

Others

• Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance: UK conservatoire that runs the MSc Dance Science program producing many IADMS-aligned clinicians and researchers (notably the current Student Committee chair). An academic feeder and adjacent educational institution rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/_iadms_/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading
• Xx.com/IADMS
• Facebookfacebook.com/iadms

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Association for Dance Medicine & Science