Dynamic Movement Skills

What is it? How is it useful in Dance?

Dynamic Movement Skills™(DMS) is a performance and rehabilitation methodology that stimulates the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. The DMS methodology helps to refine and develop neuromuscular efficiency and to change motor patterns to make movement more efficient. It works by stimulating the neuromuscular and proprioceptive system to change the inefficient movement patterns, reduce compensation and attain a more functional, fluid and dynamic movement.

This helps to improve gross motor skills, balance, rhythm, coordination speed and agility. These skills ultimately help to increase movement competence and confidence in functional movement during rehabilitation, running, dancing and sport. It is being used in professional and recreational sport as a performance enhancement method for speed and agility and in rehabilitation after injury or surgery. It is also being used in a number of physical therapy and rehabilitation clinics with musculoskeletal and neurological issues. DMS is also used in over 100 schools around Europe.

Evidence shows that regular use of neuromuscular training has a prophylactic effect against acute and over-use injuries. It allows better intermuscular coordination of all the relevant muscles used, which leads to an improved proprioception and betters the athlete’s relationship with the ground, which in turn leads to better motor unit activation to produce more force with less energy.

It can be shown that DMS lends towards a more efficient dance technique and studies are currently being embarked upon to show the effectiveness of neuromuscular stimulation in dance. 

DMS Mat