Monday Morning Musings

Active Voice: Athletes and the Arts – Make a Difference!

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Active Voice: Athletes and the Arts – Make a Difference!

By Randall W. Dick, M.S., FACSM
 Originally published in Sports Medicine Bulletin (SMB) from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), February 11, 2014 issue
Randy Dick, M.S., FACSM, is a past member of the ACSM Board of Trustee. He worked for 20 years with the National Collegiate Athletic Association, managing its sports medicine and injury prevention programs. He now serves on the US Lacrosse Sports Science Committee and has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed publications. In 2008, Randy joined …

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The Affordable Care Act: What it means for artists of all disciplines

By HealthcareforArtists.org
The national health care reform law known as the Affordable Care Act, has several nicknames such as the ACA and ObamaCare. The law used Massachusetts’ landmark 2006 health care reform law as one of its key templates*. This is a three part blog post focusing on the ACA. The first two parts share important information and web links about the ACA as it pertains to individuals and families. The focus of the third part is to highlight how …

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What can the performing arts learn from sports?

In recent years, a number of novel initiatives have emerged that stand to impact upon the way performing artists are trained and carry out their professional activities. It is now not uncommon for sports medicine physicians to weigh in on the treatment of performing artists. The contributions of sports medicine to the diagnosis and treatment of performing artists’ injuries are becoming increasingly acknowledged and valued. Furthermore, a growing number of science-based research disciplines within the performing arts (i.e. dance science, …

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The Case of the Accidental Collaboration

From awareness comes action when opportunity presents itself, at least that’s what happened to me.  I manage a music industry program at Loyola University New Orleans and I’m also a classically trained musician, a music producer, and half-ass jazz trumpet player so, naturally, I love musicians and music.
Maestro Jean Montes was in my office.  Speaking English in the French patois of a Haitian native, Jean was telling me about the needs of the youth symphony he conducts; he also …

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Getting to the Heart of the Matter: Connecting the Dots to Improve the Well-Being of Musicians and Pro Football Players

“The music that can deepest reach, / And cure all ill, is cordial speech.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson, writer and philosopher (1803-1882)
By: Bethany Ewald Bultman, President of the New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic and Assistance Foundation
New Orleans, known locally as the WHO DAT nation, is world-renowned for good music, good food, good times and our passion for our beloved Saints football. As the birthplace of the USA’s only indigenous art form – jazz – tourists from around the world …

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Practice and Performance in Perspective

In most sports, there are objective measures that can be used to show individual improvement.   These include variables measured by time (speed, quickness agility, pitch speed) or distance (jump height, long jump, javelin throw).   Just get a baseline, train, and re-evaluate.  You are either faster or slower. Even team sports have a metric – the final score.
Defining improvement in performing arts is more subjective (similar to such sports as gymnastics and diving).   There may be judges or just the …

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Artists as Athletes?

The performing arts, as wise intellectuals have surmised over the years, are one thing that separate humans from the animals.  In all cultures across the world, those who express themselves through singing, music, dance, or acting numbers in the hundreds of millions.
Yet, the medical and physical needs of these artists have rarely been made a priority–by artists, by instructors, by medical professionals.  Looking at the issue more closely, one becomes confused.
Colleges will have eight athletic trainers covering one football …

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