Who is NDEO? Getting to Know NDEO Members ~ Part 2
Why is NDEO membership important?
NDEO is often described as an organization 鈥渇or the members, by the members.鈥� As a membership organization, we rely on revenue from member dues to help support our advocacy work and provide the infrastructure we need to keep the organization running. We rely on our members to work with the staff to provide leadership and service that helps us fulfill our mission to advance dance education for all people. Most importantly, a strong member base is a signal to donors, funding organizations, legislatures, partners, and other stakeholders that our cause is important and our work is valued.
Who are NDEO members?
NDEO members are dance educators, dance artists, administrators, college dance students, professionals, and advocates working in diverse environments. They represent dance studios, K-12 education, professional preparation programs, performing arts organizations and academies, professional dance companies, college and university dance programs, and cultural and community programs. They collectively teach, create, and perform all genres of dance. NDEO members are diverse in age, gender, socioeconomic status, ability, and ethnicity and live in all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and throughout the international community. With diverse backgrounds and interests, NDEO members create a rich community of individuals and institutions dedicated to advancing dance education centered in the arts.
Getting to know some NDEO members
In this blog series, we will be sharing updates from NDEO members about their work, practices, and accomplishments. These members replied to NDEO鈥檚 call for submissions in early 2025. Each month, we plan to share another blog post introducing more members. Five members are featured in this post: Erika Vasquez, Dena Cronholm, Grace Gallagher, Tamara Irving, Sean McLeod, and May Kesler.
Erika Vasquez
I am one of the dance directors in a Visual and Performing Arts High School in Oklahoma City. We are so lucky to study and train in ballet, modern, and now flamenco. We just had our first professional guest artist come from Albuquerque, New Mexico to set a piece on the students in the flamenco course. They recently unveiled the beautiful work "Bulerias." I am so proud of the students, and excited to be moving our dance program forward! - Erika Vasquez (pictured left), Dance Director, Classen School of Advanced Studies at Northeast High School/Oklahoma City Public Schools, OK
Dena Cronholm
This year, the dancers in our NHSDA Chapter created a studio mascot, working through the entire creative process. They reflected on our chapter values鈥攂uilding connections and confident dancers鈥攁nd chose a lioness as their symbol. They defined her traits as courageous, confident, and kind and held a student contest to name her鈥擫egend won! One dancer sketched her, and to fund her creation, they hosted a family dance event (pictured right). The event was a huge success, reinforcing our values and raising enough money to bring Legend to life. It was so meaningful that they鈥檝e decided to make the family dance an annual tradition. Now, Legend the Lioness is on her way to our studio, and we can鈥檛 wait to see the youngest dancers鈥� amazement when they meet her at upcoming events! - Dena Cronholm, Owner/Artistic Director, Elevate Dance Center, CO
Grace Gallagher
I am incredibly proud of integrating climate action into my Dance Repertory and Ensemble/ Engagement courses through the creation of There Is No Planet B (pictured left). By merging movement with climate advocacy, I provided students with a meaningful way to connect their artistry to urgent global issues. Inspired by the Climate Across the Curriculum initiative, I developed embodied practices that helped students experience climate concerns viscerally, deepening their engagement. The overwhelmingly positive response鈥攕tudents expressing that dance made climate change feel tangible and personal鈥攁ffirmed the impact of this work. Seeing There Is No Planet B premiere at CSU and knowing it will reach over 3,000 people across Colorado in 2025 reinforces the power of dance as a tool for change. This project has solidified my belief that dance education can transcend performance, fostering critical conversations and inspiring action on vital social and environmental issues. - Grace Gallagher, Assistant Professor of Dance, Colorado State University, CO
Tamara Irving
I recently developed a SMART goal-setting professional development program for dance educators, helping them create sustainable programs while tracking their progress for data purposes. Additionally, I had the honor of having my choreographic work, By Faith, featured in the EmpowerHer Exhibit, celebrating women artists. - Tamara Irving (pictured right), Arts Educational Consultant, TMI Design and Consulting, GA
Sean McLeod
Celebrating 35 years as the founder of Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre in 2025, I Executive Produced the Carmen DeLavallade Awards, Black Ballerina Summit, and New York Dance Festival at School of American Ballet, Lincoln Center. Additionally, I created a new work in collaboration with Grammy nominated Taiwanese Composer & Musician Chihsuan Yang A Tale of Two Lands: From Formosa to New York, a multi-cultural music/dance anthem celebrating global difference and simple humanity. I collaborated with former Garth Fagan Dance Executive Director and 34 year veteran on an NEA funded comparative analysis Two Black Voices, exploring if Black-created techniques exist in America. An overwhelming culmination, I helped create and lead a 4 years study: Critical Thinking in the Natural & Physical Sciences, Dance Science & Kinesiology: McLeod Technique Reinforced Motor Function Essentials Course for Dance Majors. The study ran parallel to an Essentials course of the same name, taught by ballet legend and University of Missouri, Kansas City Professor Karen Brown. - Sean McLeod (pictured left), President & CEO, New York Institute of Dance & Education, NY
May Kesler
I wrote a chapter called Fascia Illuminated for the book, The Female Dancer- a somatoscientific approach, published by Rutledge. I will give a presentation called 鈥淔ascia Integrity and Choreography鈥� at the Fascia Research Congress 2025, International Association of Dance Medicine and Science 2025, and Performing Arts Medicine Association Congress 2025. I also participated in a dance protest with unplugged dance company in Washington D.C.. - May Kesler (pictured right), Director, Physical Therapist, Massage Therapist, Choreographer, Dancer at Kesler Physical & Massage Therapy, and Keslerdances, MD
Join the community - become an NDEO member!
Are you ready to join the NDEO community? We are ready to welcome you! Join dance educators, dance artists, administrators, college dance students, professionals, and advocates working in dance studios, K-12 education, professional preparation programs, performing arts organizations and academies, professional dance companies, college and university dance programs, and cultural and community programs. Our community is made up of members who are diverse in age, gender, socioeconomic status, ability, and ethnicity who are teaching, creating, and performing all genres of dance. We believe that our community is made better through diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and interests - including yours! Visit our Membership page to learn more and sign up today!
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麻豆视频直播 NDEO鈥檚 Dance Education Blog聽
The 鈥淒ance Education鈥� blog is brought to you by The National Dance Education Organization (NDEO), a thriving non-profit membership organization that supports YOU as a dance educator! NDEO works with and for dance educators of all backgrounds and in every setting and genre. We work for equitable and accessible dance education for all through advocacy, research, and support for the dance educators who are making a difference for their students. As a membership organization, we rely on dance educators like YOU to join us in this important work! When you become a member of NDEO, you align yourself with our vision of dance education for all. We invite you to become a part of our vibrant community that offers support, resources, advocacy, and research you need to make a difference for yourself and make an impact on our field. Now more than ever, we need to come together to celebrate and share the dynamic, affirming, community-building, transformative power of dance. Join the movement - become a member of NDEO today!
Photo credits (in order from top to bottom): Erika Vasquez by Simon Hurst, Dena Cronholm, Jennifer Clary, Shocphoto, New York Institute of Dance Education, May Kesler