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Dance Education Blog

NDEO's "Dance Education" Blog features articles written by NDEO members about dance and dance education topics as well as periodic updates on NDEO programs and services. This is a FREE resource available to ALL.

Archive by category: Dance StudiosReturn
By Shannon Dooling-Cain, NDEO Special Projects ~~ If you are a dance student with big goals, the National Honor Society for Dance Arts (NHSDA) can help you accomplish them! NHDSA is an honor society, just like those you may be inducted to at your school for math, music, or foreign languages. Unlike other honor societies, though, you do not need to be part of a school-based dance program to be inducted into NHSDA! NHSDA Chapters can be set up at dance studios, community centers, and performing ar...
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By Madison E. Lence, Dance Choreographer and Educator ~~ Dance is a versatile discipline that requires a plethora of schooled skill for an individual to be successful in their field of dance. One such area of dance that necessitates a keen knowledge is the understanding of music. Music is coupled with the practice of dance, yet many people disregard its significance to the education of a dance student. Far too often I have found myself in a class or rehearsal where the instructions being given c...
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By Shannon Dooling-Cain, NDEO Special Projects ~~ While honor societies are mostly associated with high schools and colleges, NDEO recognizes that many dancers study dance outside of the school setting. We believe that all dancers deserve to be honored and celebrated. The National Honor Society for Dance Arts (NHSDA) is unique in that there are chapters hosted by K-12 schools, community organizations, performing arts organizations, colleges, and yes - even dance studios like yours...
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By Dr. Christi Camper Moore, Associate Professor of Dance and Head of Arts Administration, & Olivia Lybarger, Student, Ohio University ~~ his blog reviews a semester-long choreographic investigation, developed and guided by movement research that focused on ecological balance, the human relationship with consumption, and the earth and its ecosystems. Olivia is an Environmental Studies major and Dance minor, and Christi is an Associate Professor of Dance. The authors were curious about an interdi...
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At NDEO, we are committed to offering programs and services that help dance educators foster student development through dance education. Student development is the process of how students grow and develop their skills, both inside and outside of the classroom - or in our case, the dance studio! When considering student development, their academic, social, emotional, and physical growth and well-being are taken into account. As dance educators, we know that dance has a positive impact on student...
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By Shannon Dooling-Cain, NDEO Special Projects ~~ In 2025, we are celebrating the 20th anniversary of the National Honor Society for Dance Arts, the premiere honor society for dance in the United States. NHSDA was established by the National Dance Education Organization in 2005 to recognize outstanding artistic merit, leadership, and academic achievement in students studying dance...
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By Gina D'Antonio-Spears, Dance Educator, Portage Park Elementary School ~~ When I was a student, my dance teacher would say, “One more time!” but we knew it meant several more times. This is so common that they make tee shirts about it. So, how do we get our students to value the rehearsal process, and understand that even though the learning is complete, there is still more to do? To solve this problem, I teach specific dance elements during the rehearsal process, keeping each lesson fee...
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By Patch Schwadron, Independent Career Consultant ~~ Beyond learning technique, dancers need to develop and practice strategies for managing their mental and physical health, finances, and career options. As with all their acquiring of life skills, dancers in training can benefit from practical support provided by knowledgeable adults around them. At the Fund, I responded to a request from a dance professor at Florida State University to talk to students about how to use their college years to p...
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By Shannon Dooling-Cain, NDEO Special Projects ~~ In this post, we will focus on how dance educators can better connect with middle school age dance students. We are defining middle school age dance students as those approximately age 11-13, in grades 6-8. Middle school students face unique challenges, and dance educators in turn have a special opportunity to reach and impact these students through dance - although it isn’t always easy. According to the Association for Middle Level Education (...
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by Shannon Dooling-Cain, NDEO Special Projects ~~ In this blog series, we are exploring ways to help dance educators foster better connections with their students, so that they can teach more effectively and meaningfully. This blog series features insight from NDEO members who responded to a call for submissions, as well as ideas gleaned from resources used in our OPDI courses for dance educators...
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by Gina D'Antonio-Spears, Dance Educator, Portage Park Elementary, Chicago Public Schools ~~ When I first began teaching in Chicago Public Schools, dance positions were few and far between. One day, I was at a conference and I met this amazing elementary dance teacher. I latched onto her like a lost puppy, asked if we could have lunch together, and *boom* I had a mentor. Suddenly I was not alone in my work, no longer teaching dance in a bubble. Over the years she advised me and inspired me, ...
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By Krista Brown, Freelance Teaching Artist ~~ Many veteran teachers know the voice that springs up when there is a lull in learning choreography. As I am scrolling through notes, if ever there is a quiet moment I often hear “we could…” or “what about this…” In my early years of teaching, I’d shoo it away and say, “that’s a nice idea” and proceed with my choreography notes. Whether this is how I feel the classroom is best managed, I think rests on something beyond just expectation setti...
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by Krista Brown, Freelance Teaching Artist ~~ Traditional classrooms have this ability with their constructed spaces dedicated to learning and transition between multiple subjects during the entire day. Dance teachers don’t possess this in most cases. As a freelance teacher, I shift from space to space with totally different students. There is a solution that has brought me this relationship I crave as well as a focused attention from my students: my fuzzy little friend, talking tomato. This...
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By Shannon Dooling-Cain, NDEO Special Projects - Content Writer ~~ Thank A Dance Teacher Day is a global movement to shine the spotlight on dance education and the teachers who make it possible. It was started in 2014 by the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) to raise awareness of the benefits of dance education through social media. Held annually on the first Thursday in May, Thank A Dance Teacher Day is a perfect time to show your gratitude to the dance teachers who made all the diff...
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By Shannon Dooling-Cain, NDEO Special Projects Coordinator ~~ Dance can sometimes get a bad wrap in society. It can be considered frivolous and inconsequential, a nice hobby to have but nothing more. As dancers, though, we know that dance can be powerful! Dance offers physical, mental, and emotional benefits to individuals and can help build strong and supportive communities. Throughout history, dance has been used to bring people together, raise awareness of societal issues, and help support im...
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