Why NDEO, Why Membership?
Dance teachers, it鈥檚 time to join NDEO!
Let鈥檚 be honest - the future of the dance world feels uncertain lately. You might be worried about funding cuts, policy changes, and shifting national priorities put in place by the presidential administration. But at NDEO, we know that by coming together as dance educators, we can help ensure that dance remains a visible, valued, and accessible part of every student鈥檚 learning journey.
That鈥檚 why NOW is the TIME to join NDEO and become part of a community dedicated to advancing dance education and supporting the educators who bring it to life. NDEO, as the largest membership association supporting dance education, is uniquely positioned to ensure that all students have the opportunity to experience the transformative power of dance in their lives.
If you, too, believe in the promise of dance education and want to see the field remain a visible, valued, and accessible part of every student鈥檚 learning journey, then we invite you to JOIN NDEO.
5 reasons why you should become an NDEO member TODAY
1. You believe that ALL students should have access to dance education!
Did you know that there are over 100,000 public PreK-12 schools and over 16,000 school districts in the United States? Dance programs and dance classes are currently offered in 8% of those 100,000 public K-12 schools, according to the Arts Education Data Project. The good news is that this figure is up from 3% years ago. Still, access to dance through the school curriculum is way behind other arts offerings. For example, Music and Visual Arts are offered in over 83% of K-12 public schools, and Theater/Drama in 21% of K-12 public schools.
At NDEO, our vision is that everyone will have access to the transformative power of dance education. We recognize that building dance into the K-12 school system is one important way to offer access to dance education for all students. We also know that advocating for dance in schools provides benefits for the entire dance education community. When students have access to dance through their school, they are more likely to explore other training opportunities at local dance studios, go on to study dance in college, or attend workshops, performances, or dance events in their communities. By advocating for a robust presence of dance in K-12 schools, NDEO helps ensure that the entire field can thrive.
We also understand that access means more than just availability; it means creating inclusive, welcoming, and affirming dance education experiences for students of all ages, abilities, identities, and backgrounds. Whether in a rural elementary school, a suburban high school, a community center, a college campus, or a senior living home, we believe every student deserves the opportunity to experience self-expression, connection, and growth through dance.
2. You believe in quality dance education for all!
At NDEO, we work to equip dance educators with knowledge and skills to help them offer a high-quality dance education to their students. NDEO is the leader in professional development for dance teachers, offering in-person, virtual, online asynchronous, and a number of free and low cost options.
NDEO鈥檚 professional development is created and facilitated by experienced dance educators and leading experts in the field. Our Online Professional Development Institute (OPDI) was one of the first fully-online programs in dance, and has offered some of the most unique and impactful online training courses for dance teachers since 2012. In addition, we host an annual National Conference, featuring over 200 sessions led by NDEO member-presenters, as well as virtual summits, special topics conferences, and a variety of webinars throughout the year.
Our professional development is designed for all dance educators鈥攔egardless of your background, experience, or where you teach. We don鈥檛 judge your teaching style or burden you with unnecessary requirements. Instead, we offer practical, relevant learning opportunities that support your growth at every stage of your career. You decide what fits your journey鈥攚e鈥檙e here to help you take the next step.
3. You believe in elevating the status of dance and dance education!
Most dance educators will agree that dance education deserves more respect than it currently receives. We know that dance education offers unparalleled physical, cognitive, emotional, and social benefits that are needed now more than ever. And yet, dance programs across the nation are being diminished and dissolved, funding for the arts is consistently on the chopping block, and the benefits that dance brings to communities and individuals are often labeled as fluff, and even worse, dangerous.
NDEO has been integral in elevating the status of dance education in the United States. Over the last 26 years, we have made great strides in helping dance become recognized in education policy alongside art disciplines like music, visual arts, theatre, and media arts. Today, as a founding member of the groundbreaking , we continue to work alongside partners in dance, the arts, and education to advocate for dance and the arts in education.
In addition, our website, blog, scholarly journals, and our social media presence show the world the value of dance - as a field of study, a form of expression, way of experiencing the world, and career path.
4. You believe that the dance world is better when we work together!
At NDEO, we recognize that the only way we can advance dance education is through cooperation and collaboration. We have seen the impact that we can have when we work together, strengthening the entire dance eco-system. NDEO is one of the few dance organizations that serves members working in every sector of the field and truly believes in honoring the synergy between the sectors. One third of our members teach or work primarily in higher education, one third of our members teach or work primarily in K-12 schools, and one third of our members teach or work primarily in the Independent Sector: dance studios, community organizations, and teaching artist programs.
No matter where you work within dance education, you will find a home at NDEO. We offer resources to help dance education professionals and students working in every sector of the field, and we are committed to improving our programs and services for all dance educators. We amplify member voices and disseminate valuable information about our field to help raise awareness of the many facets of dance education. One example of this is through our Webpage Series Project. We collected, curated, and disseminated the knowledge of 135 members about their respective areas of the dance education field to produce three Webpage Series Projects, including Graduate Studies in Dance Education, K-12 Dance Education Careers, and Dance Education Research.
5. You believe that dance education is about more than technique!
NDEO members are educators, administrators, innovators, and researchers working in dance history, dance medicine and science, choreography and creative process, pedagogy, teaching methods, kinesiology, and dance technology. They鈥檙e also the ones behind the curtain鈥攑roducing performances, coordinating teaching artist residencies, planning events, and cultivating spaces for connection, dialogue, and discovery. We know that every branch of the dance field informs and supports one another, and that students benefit from an expansive approach to dance education.
Through dance, we are fostering the next generation of leaders, scholars, and change-makers. NDEO鈥檚 National Honor Society for Dance Arts gives students the opportunity to delve into the broad world of dance beyond technique, while preparing for their futures and developing their entire selves. Since the inception of NHSDA, we have honored over 40,000 students through induction.
Take the Next Step
If you share these beliefs, membership in NDEO is the next step.
- Join to Access Tools and Benefits to Support your Professional Growth - With your membership, you can enjoy tangible benefits like access to discounts on OPDI courses and the National Conference, resources like our scholarly journals, and opportunities for virtual and in-person networking.
- Join to Align with a Mission that Matters - With your membership, you align yourself with our mission of advancing dance education for all people and become part of a community working together to make a difference in the lives of students across the country.
- Join to Amplify your Impact - With your membership, you strengthen NDEO鈥檚 voice in national advocacy and signal to funders and partners that dance education is a vital cause worthy of respect and support. Can you imagine going from 4,200 members to 5,000, or even to 10,000? What a story those numbers would tell!
A large and robust Membership base makes our work possible. As a non-profit professional association, NDEO relies on revenue from membership to keep the entire organization afloat. Simply put, our programs, services, and advocacy initiatives would not exist without your support as an NDEO member.
Visit our Membership page to learn more and JOIN today!
PS - If you want to establish a chapter of the National Honor Society for Dance Arts (NHSDA) make sure to sign up with an Institutional membership.
Melissa Greenblatt - Interim Executive Director
Melissa's dance journey began at age six in Houston, Texas. She honed her skills taking classes at various local studios, performing in several companies, and participating all four years in her high school's dance program as a student, leader, choreographer, and performer. These experiences fueled her passion for dance and the belief that everyone deserves an opportunity to dance. Melissa earned a Bachelor of Business Administration and Marketing from the University of Texas at Austin and began her corporate career at Procter & Gamble which spanned thirteen successful years, focusing on sales, business development, marketing, and brand management. Amid her corporate accomplishments, Melissa maintained her love of dance taking adults classes when possible. After P&G, she continued to build her marketing and business development skills with several other companies. In 2006, she had the opportunity to study dance full time at the collegiate level at the University of Maryland College Park. It was here that she was introduced to the National Dance Education Organization and realized she could merge her business acumen with her passion for dance. She joined NDEO part-time in 2007 as the first-ever NDEO Director of Marketing and Membership. As the organization grew, so did Melissa鈥檚 responsibilities and leadership, culminating in her appointment as Managing Director in 2017 and Interim Executive Director in 2025. Today, Melissa brings together her strategic leadership, business expertise, and unwavering dedication to dance education to help shape a more inclusive, sustainable, and thriving future for the field. With nearly two decades of experience advancing programs, partnerships, and infrastructure at the National Dance Education Organization, she continues to champion equitable access, elevate the profession, and build systems that support dance educators at every stage of their journey.
-------------------------------------------------------------
麻豆视频直播 NDEO鈥檚 Dance Education Blog听
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: Young dancers with teacher by Bronwen Houck Photography, group of dancers on stage by RAW Images
听