Presenting my PhD research at IADMS in Las Vegas

Photo of New York New York taken by me on 35mm film (September 2024)

When I opened the email and saw the word “Congratulations…” I genuinely had to read it twice. My abstract has been accepted for a poster presentation at the 35th Annual Conference of the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS), which takes place this September in Las Vegas. Honestly, it still feels a bit surreal to say that out loud. This will be my first time presenting my PhD research at a conference of this scale, and I’m feeling a real mix of excitement, nerves, and gratitude.

The email mentioned that the committee had been overwhelmed with submissions this year, which makes it feel even more meaningful to have my work selected. Knowing that the research I’ve been immersed in - something I’ve questioned, reworked, doubted, and finally shaped into something I’m proud of - was deemed valuable enough to share on an international platform is such a boost. It’s also a nice reminder that the hours spent squinting at datasets and wrestling with write-ups are starting to lead somewhere.

This conference isn’t just any conference either. IADMS is the place for people working at the intersection of dance, health, science, and education. It brings together professionals from across the globe - dancers, researchers, clinicians, educators - and creates space for collaboration and knowledge exchange. To be part of that feels huge. Even more so considering it’ll be my first opportunity to present this research to a large, international audience. I don’t know anyone going, which is a bit daunting, but it also makes it feel like a fresh start. A chance to network, to learn, to find new ideas and perspectives. And hopefully, to build some confidence along the way.

The research I’m presenting explores performance anxiety, coping skills, and attentional focus in dance, with a particular focus on students in pre-professional training. It’s been a rewarding but challenging process, collecting data, analysing themes, and trying to make sense of the lived experience of performing under pressure. Poster presentations are often seen as a more informal format than oral papers, but in a way, I think that suits me. There’s something more conversational about it, more personal. It gives people space to ask questions, to connect directly with the work, and it gives me a chance to practice articulating it clearly, beyond the safe bubble of academic writing.

Also, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t thrilled about the location. Las Vegas is one of my favourite cities in the world. I know that’s not everyone’s taste, and it’s certainly not quiet or understated, but there’s an energy there that I absolutely love. It's bold, eccentric, and strangely inspiring. To get to share something I care deeply about in a place that makes me feel alive is honestly the dream. I’m already thinking about how to carve out time to explore in between sessions - sunrises in the desert, maybe catching a show or two, and definitely a lot of people-watching and photo-taking.

Of course, there’s still work to do before I get there. I need to design the poster itself, and that brings its own challenges. Summarising months of research into one visual document isn’t easy. It has to be concise but detailed, informative but accessible. It’s like telling a story in one page, and I want to get it right. I want people to stop and look, to ask questions, to be curious about the work I’ve done. It’s a new kind of academic communication for me, and one I’m keen to learn from.

There’s also the prep beyond the poster thinking about how to introduce myself, how to talk about my research in an informal setting, how to make connections with people I’ve never met before. It’s all a bit out of my comfort zone, but I’ve realised recently that these are the experiences I want more of. As someone who often works alone, especially during analysis phases, it’s easy to forget that research is meant to be shared. It’s meant to start conversations.

I think what excites me most is the opportunity to be part of a bigger dialogue. Dance science is growing, but there are still so many areas that need more attention and research. Being able to contribute to that, even in a small way, feels like progress. And it’s a reminder that PhD work doesn’t just exist in the office or the lab or on your laptop at 11pm. It can go places, spark things, make a difference. That’s the bit that keeps me going, especially on the harder days.

It also feels like a bit of a milestone. I’m almost half way through the PhD now and sometimes it’s hard to see the bigger picture. Presenting at IADMS feels like a marker that I’m getting somewhere. That this research has a place beyond my own mind and my own institution. It’s a small step, but it’s a meaningful one.

So for now, I’ll keep planning. I’ll keep refining the poster, researching the sessions I want to attend, and slowly building my confidence about meeting new people in a setting like this. I’ll probably overthink my outfit and rehearse my summary about twenty times. But mostly, I’ll try to enjoy it. To remember why I started this journey in the first place.

Because as much as it’s about sharing research, this feels like a celebration too. A celebration of progress, of opportunity, and of stepping outside the comfort zone even if that means doing it in the middle of the Nevada desert.

Las Vegas, I’ll see you (again!) in September.