About the National Dance Association
The National Dance Association is a members-driven organization that advocates for dance education as a creative, healthy lifestyle that benefits people of all ages and abilities. NDA is one of the five national associations that make up the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD).
Vision Statement
The National Dance Association envisions a society where dance and dance education are an integral part of education and community life.
Mission Statement
The National Dance Association (NDA/AAHPERD) leads in promoting and supporting creative, artistic and healthy lifestyles through quality services and programs in dance and dance education.
Resolutions of the National Dance Association
On June 1, 2011, the National Dance Association (NDA) membership approved the following broad resolutions as expressions of belief, opinion, position, and intent of the Association. These resolutions explain concepts in succinct, clear language. The statements emphasize the views of the Association positively, ethically, and with respect.
NDA's Educational Programs and Services
National Dance Honor Society—NDA's National Dance Honor Society, Nu Delta Alpha, recognizes middle school, high school, and college students for academic and artistic achievement. NDA encourages schools and colleges in every district to establish local chapters. This dance honor society offers projects that involve (1) publishing original writing and art work in the Nu Delta Alpha Journal; (2) community service with the Dance for Health Project, designed to encourage students to lead a creative, healthy lifestyle; and (3) educational workshops open to all honor society members, collegial student organizations, and the community.
Educational Workshops based on the National Dance Standards
- The National Dance Educator of the Year (DEOY) Workshops—The K-12 and university National Dance Educators of the Year are available to present on teaching dance in grades K-12 through higher education levels. The National Dance Educators of the Year are chosen from a list of highly qualified nominees who teach dance in either public or private schools across the country. This program is sponsored in part by Sportime.
- Author Workshops―Many of NDA's authors are available to present workshops based on their innovative teaching methods found in their best-selling books. Learn about Brain Compatible Dance Education and Creative Dance for All Ages with Anne Green Gilbert, Soul Dancing with Frank Ross, High School Dance Textbook Series with Wendy Oliver, or Implementing the National Dance Education Standards with Fran Meyer.
- Let's Move in School (LMIS)─Let's Dance! Workshops─ Learn how to establish this all-AAHPERD initiative with special dance programs.
- "Page-to-Stage" Workshops—This workshop is designed to highlight the National Dance Standards and is open to professionals and to students. Popular themes include "Musical Theatre" and "World Dance."
- Pedagogy Conferences- These conferences offers an array of Best Practices sessions for professional dance educators. Among the venues have included the Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing Arts (Dallas, TX), New Mexico State University (Las Cruces), and the National Museum of Dance (Saratoga)
- Dance Technology Conferences- These conferences showcases cutting-edge technological advances in dance and dance education.
- Steps to the Future Workshop- This one-day workshop is designed primarily for high school students.
- PIPEline: Teaching Dance in Physical Education—In cooperation with NASPE, workshops are designed to train K-12 dance and physical education teachers to teach dance units within the curriculum. These sessions focus on folk, pop, creative, and other forms of dance as they relate to interdisciplinary subjects and as a healthy activity. Both the National Dance and Physical Education Standards are applied for best practices.
Arts Advocacy Day
Join NDA and 200 dedicated organizations from all over the U.S. to advocate for arts education on Capitol Hill. As part of the Americans for the Arts Legislative Committee, professional and student NDA members aid in the preparation of this annual spring event. Make your voice heard in supporting quality dance education in your community, your profession, and the nation! Next year, it is scheduled to take place in the spring (date TBA). For additional information, go to http://www.artsusa.org/news/afta_news/default.asp.
Continuing Education Units
NDA offers Continuing Education Units for all of its conferences and workshops, as well as at the AAHPERD National Convention. These CEUs list all sessions approved and signed by the presenters or presiders as a documentation of what the candidate successfully completed.
The Choreography Evaluation Project
NDA provides the Choreography Evaluation Project (CEP) as a service to dance faculty in need of independent professional evaluation of their original dances for retention, promotion, tenure, or other recognition; highly recommended for choreographers participating in performances at national and district HPERD conventions.
"Dance Education in America" Exhibit Now Online
Straight from the National Museum of Dance, NDA's "Dance Education in America" Exhibit is now online with a great display of posters, costumes, and recorded narrations honoring pioneers in dance education. This is a beautiful educational tool with original music by John Fraccia! http://aahperd.s3.amazonaws.com/DanceEducationInAmerica/index.html?cid=00019
New Publications
Sharing the spotlight with such classic books as Anne Green Gilbert's Creative Dance for All Ages and Brain-Compatible Dance Education, here are just a few of our exciting new publications:
- Soul Dancing: The Essential African American Cultural Dance Book—Author Frank Russel Ross offers easy steps, many of which his grandfather taught him, along with lesson plans and a short history of African American dance. Learn a few ring plays, a cakewalk, even Hip Hop. Students will love these dances, and so will adults!
- Implementing the National Dance Education Standards―Innovative benchmarks, lesson plans, and assessments. In cooperation with Human Kinetics.
- High School Textbook Series: Choreographers, Choreography, and Writing for Dance; Dance and Culture, an Introductory Reader (books) , and Dance in My Life (CD)—Textbook series coded to the National Dance Standards, designed especially for students to open their minds to the multidisciplinary world of dance.
- Estándares nacionales para la educación en la danza (Spanish translation of the National Dance Standards) —Los Estándares nacionales para la educación en la danza fueron traducidos por Maria Carolina Vélez Gaitán, abogada y bailarina, bajo la dirección de Iliana Aljure, coordinadora de artes, estando ambas asociadas con el Colegio Rochester en Bogotá, Colombia.
Special Awards
- The Heritage Award is presented for lifetime achievement in dance
- The NDA Scholar/Artist is recognized for an outstanding record of creative works
- Dance Educators of the Year are chosen by their districts and NDA
- Student Awards: Outstanding Dance Majors and Minors are nominated by their advisors and receive special certificates
- The Student Literary Award is presented to a collegiate student for high-quality writing.
For complete rules click here, or contact NDA Headquarters.
Contact:
National Dance Association
1900 Association Drive
Reston, VA 20191
703-476-3400
nda@aahperd.org