Contents

Annual General Meeting

You are welcome to attend the AMANZ Annual General Meeting, 7.00pm to 8.30pm on 24 February 1999 at Symphony House, 69 Tory Street, Wellington.

7.00pm Drinks
7.30pm Welcome and Introduction of Executive

Meeting Agenda
1. Apologies
2. Previous Minutes
3. Matters Arising
4. President's Report
5. Treasurer's Report
6. Membership
7. Correspondence
8. Constitution
9. Strategic Plan
10. Programme for 1999
11. General Business
12. Election of Officers
13. Date of Next Meetings

We look forward to seeing you there.

Apologies to: Dawn Sanders Ph: 476 8369 Fax: 476 8754 Email: Action-Sanders@xtra.co.nz

March 16 Russell Tregonning April 26 Alison Bagnall - Voicecraft
May 24 Elizabeth Andrews - author of "Healthy Practice for Musicians"
June 23 To be announced
July 21 To be announced
Venues to be announced at the AGM

Also:
February 21(Session 1)and March 21(Session 2)- Wellington Branch IRMT Target Your Teaching - Module Two: "MAKING MUSIC"

Also:
Hospital Audiences Visit to New Zealand, 23-29 June

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"Damage to the Voice means damage to the Personality"
Guest Speaker: Alison Bagnall
7.30 pm Monday 26 April 1999
St Johns Centre, Karori,
Cnr Campbell and Karori Road, Karori, Wellington

The New Zealand Association of Teachers of Singing (NEWZATS) Wellington Branch will host an evening for Arts Medicine Aotearoa NZ at which Alison Bagnall will be guest speaker.

April 26 will be an evening particularly for all those involved with the voice, as teachers of singing or speech, students, artists, and medical practitioners concerned with the healthy use of the human voice in all facets of life.

We all need our voices to convey our ideas, feelings and, in fact, our total personality. If the voice is damaged in any way by injury or strain there is a reduction in the ability to connect with other people - in the home, in the workplace, giving speeches, taking board meetings, the auctioneer, the teacher, in fact, at every turn. This is magnified for anyone using their voices in performance - singing or acting.

THE PERFORMER'S VOICE

When a performers succumbs to vocal injury or voice strain, the delicate and unconscious organisation of the voice goes awry. No longer can the exquisitely subtle movements and rapid arrangement and rearrangement of the parts which acoustically shape the instrument for various vocal effects occur effortlessly and efficiently. Struggle and effort replace ease and grace. Confidence is lost and anxiety compounds the problem. Reintroduction of those patterns which were available but not at the level of awareness is the subject of Alison's presentation on April 26.

Moshe Feldenkrais, who died in 1984, pioneered a way of working with the body to promote ease and grace in movement and once said "when you don't know what you are doing, you can't do what you want." The human voice is like any wind instrument. Breath acts to excite the vocal folds, the vibrator, into motion to produce a pulse wave which is selectively filtered as it passes through the throat and mouth before it reaches the ear of the listener as recognisable as voice. Like any musical instrument we can learn to play it well. We can learn to manoeuvre numerous parts of the vocal mechanism consciously and in a differentiated way so that we can safely access every type of voice for singing in any style or for speaking, teaching, debating or drama work. Alison Bagnall's VOICECRAFT training develops such mastery.

Voicecraft ensures full resolution of such voice difficulties by reintroducing optimal vocal techniques. The performer becomes conscious of the different positions of the various parts and how such differences alter the perception of tone. Finding their way between thin, thick and thin-stiff vocal folds, "velar-port control", stabilising the voice with "anchoring", altering the vocal tract length and selective use of aryepiglottic narrowing, (it is pronounceable) to add brilliance to a note becomes easy and rebuilds efficiency and confidence.

On April 26, Alison will present both theoretical and practical aspects of her Voicecraft training. Like many voice professionals in New Zealand currently relying on Voicecraft techniques, you will experience you voice changing through the introduction of simple manoeuvres which optimise voice production. With a lively and approachable style and illustrated with slides and video, Alison will demonstrate how the changes you are making promote the health and potential of your voice. Based on physiological/acoustic research, Alison's Voicecraft training literally brings your voice out of the realm of the mysterious and unknown. With Voicecraft any voice can become skilful and versatile. The evening will conclude with discussion and questions about the local services and support available in Wellington.

ALISON BAGNALL - Speech Pathologist, Voice Specialist, Certified Voicecraft Practitioner, Feldenkrais Practitioner, Churchill Fellow.

From the position of chief speech pathologist at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, Alison moved into private practice for voice professionals twenty years ago. She presents her work internationally. Already widely recognised in the area of the voice and cleft palate work, she trained with Jo Estill, developing mastery of Jo's innovative, research-based physiologic/acoustic model for the understanding of the singing voice. She extended this for the needs of both speakers and singers with therapeutic approaches, greater task analysis and Feldenkrais style body awareness - and called the result Voicecraft. With 17 years experience with Voicecraft she teaches in every state of Australia, the UK, USA, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and New Zealand to speech pathologists, singers (modern and classical), actors, drama students, auctioneers, voice teachers, speech pathology students and choirs. Her commitment is to the total well-being of the participant as Voicecraft focuses not only on the mechanics but also on the psychodynamics of skilful use of the voice.

For further information or booking vouchers please contact:
Loretta Lander
Convenor NEWZATS Wellington Branch
c/- 31 Woodmancote Road
Khandallah, Wellington
PH: 04 4792542
Pre-book, join AMANZ or NEWZATS and receive discounted admission.
$15 at door
$12 if pre-booked with Loretta
$10 Unwaged, NEWZATS and AMANZ members

Victoria University School of Music (Sponsors) 1.30 - 6.00pm
Instruments: Piano, Violin, Flute, Clarinet
Designed to encourage and equip emerging teachers and to stimulate experienced teachers with fresh ideas: a practical and exciting opportunity to discover new skills, explore and share ideas with other teachers and observe experienced teachers in action. The course deals with the first five years of learning and consists of three independent modules.
"Making Music" explores how to motivate pupils to become good musicians. Topics covered include Musicianship, Music Tools, Motivation, Repertoire and Business Methods.

Fees:
IRMT members:
1 session: $28.00
2 sessions $48.00
non IRMT members:
1 session: $32.00
2 sessions: $54.00
Students with ID:
1 session: $18.00
2 sessions: $30.00
IRMT members and their students can apply for sponsorship to attend.

Enquiries and registrations:
Bill Edginton (Registrar)
IRMT "Target Your Teaching"
Chester Rd RD1
Carterton
Ph/Fax 06 379 5690
or
Sian Williamson (Convenor)
Ph/Fax 04 5268431

Please register as soon as possible.

Hospital Audiences, Inc (mentioned in our August newsletter) is a very vibrant New York based organisation which among its activities includes approximately 2500 live performances each year in health and human service facilities.

A Joint Adventure Downunder with The Foundation for Hospital Art & The Friendship Force
June 23, Wed.Arrive in Auckland, New Zealand, Tour Auckland, spend night in hotel.
June 24, Thurs.Depart via train for Wellington to meet host families.
June 25, Fri. Tour Wellington area
June 26, Sat. Tour Wellington area
June 27, Sun. PaintFest in hospital 1 to 5pm
June 28, Mon. Tour Wellington area
June 29, Tues. Tour Wellington area

You can contact HAI at 220 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036, (212) 575 7676, Fax (212) 575 7669, TTY (212) 575 7673 or http://www.hospitalaudiences.org

Most back pain gets better quickly and people can take an active part in the recovery process. These are two of the main messages in the recently published Patient Guide: Acute Low Back Pain Management.

The guide reassures people that most back pain is benign and once serious disorders have been eliminated, they can help themselves make a faster recovery by staying positive and active. Manipulation and medication for the pain may help in the first month.

The patient guide looks at 'Red Flags' and 'Yellow Flags'. Red Flags are physical causes, which are serious, but rare, and Yellow Flags are stresses and problems in people's lives that make coping with pain harder. The guide contains practical tips to help people deal with pain and an action plan to assist them to set realistic recovery goals.

The patient guide complements treatment provider guides published early last year. Both the treatment providers and the patient guide have been developed by ACC and the National Health Committee in consultation with treatment provides.

Nicholas Kendall, Senior Clinical Psychologist and research Fellow, Christchurch School of Medicine, played a key role in the development of the guides. "The patient guide helps patients understand what health care they can expect," he says, "and provides information about what they can do to help themselves".

"This century our culture has tended to rely on quick fixes. We've made the mistake of telling people if something hurts in the soft tissue they should stop moving. We now know that people recover faster if they stay active. They can change down some gears and moderate what they are doing, but not come to a full stop."

"It's important patients take and active part in their own recovery. There needs to be an alliance and cooperation between patients and treatment providers. As well as receiving treatment, there are things patients can do for themselves. This patient guide provides practical self help advice."

Copies of the patient guide are available from all treatment providers and ACC Branch Offices.

In the physically demanding and constantly changing environment of the dance industry, the vast majority of injuries sustained by dancers with the exception of major trauma and impact injuries, are classified as being cumulative and microtraumatic in origin (R.M. Bachrach 1987). It is the breakdown of adaptive mechanisms required to maintain a healthy state of existence that can often lead to the occurrence of injury. Some of these contributing factors stem from environmental conditions either in the "workplace" or outside it, ie personal family living situation etc. Vital necessities in self care and self image such as eating habits, nutrition, cardiovascular fitness, body maintenance, mental health and living conditions, all form a part of this picture. However by far the greatest source of direct overload stems from inappropriate biomechanics, or poor use of technique. (Soloman and Micheli 1984) The technique may be fine but the understanding and application of it as such may be severely lacking.

Other contributing factors to constant sustained injury may be from maladaptive alignment either from a physiological, anatomical source (ie scoliosis, differing leg lengths, a previous severely traumatic injury) or from a muscular imbalance. This would be manifested in either over or underdeveloped usage of some muscle groupings at the expense of others. The origins of this are many fold but the significant factor is they all result in a reduction of the dancer's ability to function at their full potential.

All these factors are within a dancer's conscious control, but only to a certain extent. There are areas where there needs to be a possibility of change that can be manifested at both a cortical and sub cortical level. One of the methods of identifying causation and instance of injury can be from postural observation and analysis. This can be from the outside eye of someone specialising in the field who can then lead each dancer to learn to develop their own internal observations and distinctions.

The concept of posture is a dynamic concept. The actuation of posture exists in stillness and in movement. Therefore manifestations of inefficient or "poor" posture in stillness will translate directly into inefficient or "poor" posture in movement. Concurrently it can be said that well organised or efficient posture in stillness will translate into well organised posture in movement.

In learning to improve dynamic posture three primary things need to occur:
1. There needs to be an identification and recognition at some level, conscious or subconscious, of inefficient response patterns.

2. There needs to be a set of conditions, a situation, or an environment that is conducive to letting go or releasing inefficient patterns and allowing the possibility of new responses or behaviour to occur.

3. There needs to be a period where the learning of this new behaviour can be integrated and applied to specific functions or techniques as required.

It is important to be aware that many of these inefficient patterns exist at a subcortical level. If we knew all the time precisely how we were doing what we were doing, we wouldn't need any external intervention methods. Therefore to impose a conscious method of correcting an unconscious movement habit is at best ineffective.

Often realising they have postural defects dancers try to compensate through a variety of muscular tricks. ( Bachrach RM 1987. 264) Some of these may include tucking the pelvis to prevent lumbar lordosis, or contracting(retracting) the cervical spine to correct the chin jutting forward etc. The problem with this is when the demands on the system increase, when the movement becomes even more complicated and physically demanding, the old patterns remain, in conjunction with the imposed compensatory pattern. The learning of new patterns or more efficient methods of response is not achieved by consciously holding muscles and positions of the body, but by accessing movement at a subcortical level. Often this acquisition of movement patterns (ie. a compensatory pattern) at a subcortical level is where the less inefficient patterns originate in the first place. One of the ways of accessing a behavioural change in this area can be through working with specialists in this field; ie movement analysts, Kineseologists or Certified Alexander Teachers, and Feldenkrais Practitioners.

In movement education and injury rehabilitation, this type of work at subcortical level accesses the body's internal support mechanisms leading to improved independence. Rather than providing or seeking fixed solutions (although this may be necessary at times), this work invites us to explore our own selves in a deeper manner and increase the possibility for adaptation. The learning in both rehabilitation and prevention relies on observation, awareness and being present to the situation at hand. This provides opportunity for choice in how we do what we do, thus eliminating the habitual response, often indicated by a lack of awareness and a propensity for injury to re occur.

It is this application and integration of the learning that is the real test in instigating the behavioural change. It is the care and time taken to integrate this change within the person's environment or activity that can really reinforce the improvement or behavioural change.

This form of re-education in conjunction with Physiotherapy, Massage Therapy, and Yoga can contribute a great deal to dancers being able to become more self directed in their learning and understanding of movement. They will not only lean to monitor and improve movement patterns but will be able to make clear distinctions about themselves and how they move based on personal experience and awareness. "The capacity to make distinctions is the basis of human awareness. If we do not know one thing from another, if we cannot feel one state from another we are left with no choice but to repeat the same pattern of dysfunctional movements again and again." (Wildman. F 1986)

The ideal scenario would be for dancers to be able to work, rehearse, perform, and take classes while continuing to grow in awareness, forming new sets of responses that can be adjusted to a present and changing environment.

References:
Torje Eike. Dance UK. "Muscular Imbalance, A Common Cause of Lower Back Pain in Dancers"
Dr Yannis Koutedakis. Dance UK. "Burnout in Dance"
Allen J Ryan, Robert E Stephens. Dance Medicine a Comprehensive Guide Pluribus Press Chicago
Wildman. F 1990 "Learning - The Missing Link in Physical Therapy" NZ Journal of Physiotherapy
Alon, R. 1996 Mindful Spontaneity North Atlantic Books and Somatic Resources
Ruth, S. Kegerris, S. 1992 Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy; July 1992
Zejdlik, C. 1983 Management of Spinal Cord Injury Wadsworth
Feldenkrais, M. 1949 "Body and Mature Behaviour" 1989 ed. International Feldenkrais Journal No 3 September 1996

"The Art and Health PARTnership" by Penny Eames

From Arts Access Aotearoa, This booklet examines the philosophy behind co-operative ventures and gives some examples of model arts and health partnerships.

The publication notes that the arts are being used to provide an appropriate medium for patients and health professionals to express their spiritual, emotional, intellectual values, explore their ideologies and myths, while giving feelings of importance and belonging.

In this book Arts Access Aotearoa hoped to demonstrate how the arts can:

• create healthy, safe and less formal environments
• be a diversion from pain
• be an alternative to drugs
• assist in rehabilitation
• convey health information
• build self esteem for staff and consumers
• release pent up energy
• make signposting clear
• enable staff and consumers to work together on projects
• build morale
• create community partnerships
• make policy changes in the health service

The examples in this book show that the arts can be used in positive ways, particularly during the times when people are forced to face their identity as they tackle the major crises of life, death, illness and health.

Special introductory price: $10.00 GST inclusive

The 1999 "Journal of Dance Medicine and Science"
- Official publication of the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science
Editors-in-Chief: Karen S. Clippinger, MSPE, Dept Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California Scott E. Brown, MD Dept of Rehabilitation Medicine, Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, with an international editorial board.

Each issue of this quarterly peer reviewed scientific journal will focus on bringing you the current results of clinical and experimental research. The aim of the journal is to provide you with one source for up to date information. Featured articles are drawn from the fields of:

• Anatomy and physiology
• Biomechanics
• General Medicine
• Sports Medicine and Surgery
• Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
• Physical Therapy
• Dance Education
• Kinesiology
• Psychology
• Nutrition and Diet

Each year the Journal publishes original articles with a focus on the identification, treatment, rehabilitation and prevention of illness and injuries in dancers. These articles emphasise the application of scientific principles to current practice.

The Journal also includes review articles, case reports, abstracts, consensus statements, book reviews etc. Each volume presents one topic-oriented special issue offering a review and summary of the current state of knowledge of this area and coordinated by a distinguished guest editor. Example topics include: Dance and Development in Children and Adolescents; Eating Behaviour, Reproductive Health and Osteoporosis; Dance Screening

ISSN 1089-313X

Contact AMANZ for ordering details/forms or contact:
J. Michael Ryan Publishing Inc.,
24 Crescent Drive North,
Andover, New Jersey 07821,
USA
Ph: +1 973 786 7777
Fax: +1 973 786 7776

Dance Medicine Resource Guide - Edited by Marshall Hagins

A comprehensive directory of health care professionals in the field of dance medicine.

Are you looking for a practitioner with specific expertise - whether a physician, chiropractor, physical therapist, athletic trainer, or other allied health practitioner? Then the Dance Medicine Resource Guide is the source to consult.

The Guide is intended to allow dancers and dance company management to easily locate health professionals around the world who have demonstrated the desire or ability to work with dancers.

To help you determine whether a practitioner is right for you the majority of listings include specific descriptions of practice expertise and specialty areas.

Sections include:
Institutions: a comprehensive listing of the clinics throughout the world that specialise in the treatment and rehabilitation of dancers.
Individual Practitioners: includes complete contact information as well as a description of their practice specialty and expertise.
Audiovisuals, Books, and Journals: a bibliographic listing of the major resources in dance medicine.

Dance Medicine & Science Bibliography with Update One - Compiled by Ruth Solomon & John Solomon

With 1677 references from the English language literature the Bibliography encompasses the relevant scientific works in the fields of anatomy, physiology, general medicine, sports medicine, physical therapy, somatics, body therapies, dance therapy, dance education, kinesiology, biomechanics, movement analysis, psychology, and nutrition and diet - providing a more comprehensive resource than any other published or electronic database available.

Update One may be ordered individually if you already own the first version.

Sections include:
Bibliography - 1677 citations listed alphabetically by first author
Subject Index - over 500 subject headings cross-referenced to the relevant citations
Author Index - A comprehensive guide to all authors.
For ordering information see review of Journal of Dance Medicine & Science above

The Fit and Healthy Dancer - by Yiannis Koutedakis, School of Health Sciences, Wolverhampton University, and Craig Sharp, Dept. Of Sport Sciences, Brunel University, Middlesex, UK

Some of Britain's 25,000 professional dancers are so unfit that they are sustaining more injuries than players of contact sports such as rugby and boxing.

This volume focuses on prevention of injury and maintenance of good health. Written in a user-friendly style, the authors, who are ex-dancers, utilise their elite sport, competition, training, coaching, teaching, research and writing experience in a wide variety of aspects of sport and exercise science.

• An indispensable reference examining both classical and contemporary forms
• Provides essential tips about improving performance whilst maintaining health and fitness
• Reflects the increasing interest in and relevance of dance medicine.

Contents:
Part One: Energy and Food for Exercise and Fitness

Part Two: Fit to Dance
Non- Artistic Components of Dance Performance
Muscle and its Physiology
The Main Physical Fitness Components and Dance
Fitness and Training

Part Three: The Healthier Dancer
Overtraining - Burnout
Asthma and Dance
Body Weight Control
Body Weight and Bone Density
Anatomical and Physiological Gender Differences
Children and Dance
Life after a Professional Dance Career

Contact AMANZ for order forms, or contact:
Sarah Hinton, John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Baffins Lane, Chichester
West Sussex, PO19, UK
Ph: UK 0800 243407 or NZ +44 (0) 1243 843 206, Fax: +44 (0) 1243 770460
Email: customer@wiley.co.uk
or http://www.wiley.co.uk

Arts Medicine Web Sites
A collection of web sites of interest to AMANZ members and others interested in arts medicine, can be found in the Links section of this site.

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Members Notes
Insurance for Artists
AMANZ is investigating the redesigning of a Dancer Insurance scheme (previously called 'Understudy Insurance') to cover a broader spectrum of arts.

It will be available to AMANZ members and we will have more details in the next Newsletter.

AMANZ and Arts Access Aotearoa
Because of our common interests, AMANZ and Arts Access Aotearoa have been forging close links and we have offered them a permanent column in our newsletter. See the book review section for their contact details.

AMANZ will also be publishing in the newsletters of our affiliate organisations.

NZ Doctor
Check out the front page of the next issues of NZ Doctor for an article on AMANZ.
Many thanks!

All Members:
We are sending out a database sheet of members' contact details with our next newsletter.

Please use the form marked Membership/Database on the last page to send any corrections or objections to us by the end of March.

We are pleased to offer this means of promoting our members' skills and services.

Subscription renewals are also due by the end of March. Complete the membership form clearly and tick the Renewals box on the last page. Don't forget to include a cheque and fill out details as you wish them to appear on the database sheet.

From Footnote Dance Company
The Footnote year begins with some intensive time with Susan Simpson (physiotherapist and AMANZ executive member). 1999 welcomes Jane Duncan and Melanie Turner back with new dancers Moss Patterson and Stuart Armstrong, both graduates of UNITEC, Auckland. Also joining the company as Apprentice Dancer is Wellington's Nicole Gerber. The company is working first on choreographies by Shona McCullagh, Katerina Waldner, Melanie Turner and their new education work 'Over the Moon' by Deirdre Tarrant. This programme begins its 'Over the Moon' tour in Nelson in March.

Advertising in the AMANZ Newsletters

N.B. Our Affiliate members are entitled to one free advertisement of a seminar in our Newsletter. The database sheet to be sent with the next Newsletter will also promote our members' skills and services. To sign up, go to the JOIN AMANZ form.

Newsletters for 1999 will be published on 18 May, 18 August and 18 November. Deadlines for copy: 30 April, 31 July, 31 October 1999

All types of advertising are welcome, members, non-members practitioners, performers - anyone with anything to advertise!

This newsletter has a current circulation of 150+ (and increasing ) and is, as a serial registered with the National Library, is also registered in Paris and available to publishers, book suppliers and libraries globally. We have affiliate organisations in the United States and Great Britain and now have our own web site which contains the current newsletter so the potential for coverage is enormous!

Schedule of fees:
$30 for a quarter page
$50 for a half page*
$100 for a whole page*
Sign up for a year (four issues) and receive a 15% discount.
*Half and whole page advertisements can appear on left hand pages only in the print newsletter.

Join AMANZ
AMANZ offers benefits to members, including discounted admission to some related events where possible, and as time goes on we hope to offer benefits in other areas too (eg. discounted insurance premiums etc). To join AMANZ complete our form

Contact AMANZ:
P O Box 17 215, Karori,
Wellington, New Zealand
Ph: 64 4 476 8369 Fax: 64 4 476 8754
E-mail: action-sanders@xtra.co.nz
Mobile 025 283 6016

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