NYU Langone’s Harkness Center for Dance Injuries offers both online and live continuing medical education (CME) and continuing education unit (CEU) certificate courses, including Principles of Dance Medicine: Clinical Management of the Dancer Patient. Additional CME and CEU courses are offered periodically as well.

Principles of Dance Medicine: Clinical Management of the Dancer Patient

Our Principles of Dance Medicine: Clinical Management of the Dancer Patient is a CME and CEU course for healthcare and dance practitioners who wish to understand the unique risk factors associated with dance training. The course also provides up-to-date and innovative treatment plans for the dancer patient.

Studies indicate that 80 percent of dancers will experience a major injury during their career, and 95 percent will experience repetitive stress injuries. This course provides evidence-based research on numerous intrinsic and extrinsic factors associated with injury. Further, it discloses the best-known means of preventing injury and reducing the severity of injuries and teaches the skills dance medicine professionals need to improve health outcomes in their patients. Practitioners taking this course receive updates on the latest research findings in relevant areas, such as screening, nutrition, ergonomics, biomechanics, injury prevention, and rehabilitation.

This course is targeted to certified athletic trainers, chiropractors, nurse practitioners, physicians, physician assistants, physical therapists, podiatrists, and orthopedic surgeons, as well as dance educators, somatic practitioners, and dance scientists.

The following is an overview of the course’s educational objectives:

• to be able to identify biopsychosocial (biological, psychological, and social) factors influencing injury occurrence among dancers
• to effectively implement strategies to modify risk and prevent injury influenced by biopsychosocial factors
• to recognize the value and limits of the screening process for adult and adolescent dancers and to be able to explain the place of screening in a broader epidemiologic model of prevention and intervention
• to select appropriate conservative treatment, surgical interventions, and rehabilitation based on patient needs

Funding for this course is provided in part by the Harkness Foundation for Dance.

DanceMedU Online Course Series

DanceMedU (new users are required to create an account to login) is an online learning platform that allows healthcare practitioners, dance professionals, and students to listen to a series of individual lectures from anywhere in the world and earn continuing education credits at an affordable price. Lectures include Principles of Dance Medicine content and additional material. Purchase of the lectures gives you access for 90 days. You can register for free to see the complete course catalog.

Live Dance Medicine Courses

We periodically offer live CME and CEU dance medicine courses. These courses cover Principles of Dance Medicine materials as well as other topics such as pelvic floor rehabilitation for dancers and managing anterior hip pain.

If you are interested in hosting a live course at your institution taught by Harkness Center for Dance Injuries clinicians, please contact us at Harkness@NYULangone.org.

Harkness Center Coffee Chats

Harkness Center Coffee Chats are informal, guided discussions about topics related to dancer wellness and injury prevention. Past Coffee Chats have included Performance Season Tips, Wellness for Dancers of Color, Dance Parent Dialogue, Dance Educator Self-Care, Effective Cross Training, and When Dance Is at Odds with Family Culture, Goals, and Traditions.

Registration is now open for our Spring 2025 Coffee Chat. 
Dance Concussion Awareness and Prevention
Tuesday, April 22, 2025 from 12:00 - 1:00 PM EDT over Zoom. 

Harkness Center Saturday Series

Harkness Center Saturday Series workshops are led by Harkness clinical staff and feature various topics on dancer wellness and injury prevention. These workshops take place in-person at the Harkness Center for Dance Injuries—Physical Therapy Clinic, 614 S Avenue, 2G, New York, NY 10016 or over Zoom. Please see registration information for specific locations. All members of the dance community are welcome. Workshops in 2024 included Cracking the Core, Posture and Motor Skill Essentials, Effective Cross Training, Holistic Self Care, Self-Release Techniques, Decoding the U.S. Health System, Nutrition for Dancers, Benefits of Reiki Healing, Running for Dancers, and Therapeutic Taping for Dancers. Below is the schedule for 2025 Saturday Series workshops.

January 25, 2025:

Stress Management Tools with Molly McEvoy, MS, ATC (in-person)

February 8, 2025:

Effective Cross Training with Ella Otto, MS, ATC (virtual)

March 15, 2025:

Therapeutic Taping for Dancers with Lauren McIntyre, ATC (in-person)

April 5, 2025:

Adolescent Dancer Health with Alison Deleget, MS, ATC (virtual)

May 31:

Fundamentals of Fascial Release Tools with Bridgette Saba, DAT (in-person)
Register

June 14, 2025:

Maximizing Performance Throughout the Menstrual Cycle (virtual)
Registration opening soon