Call for Conference Session Proposals
Dance is powerful. It carries cultures and traditions forward, tells stories, bridges divides, connects communities, expresses individuality, develops empathy, and so much more. As a dance education professional, you are part of the dynamic, affirming, community-building, transformative power of dance. Now more than ever, we need to come together to celebrate the rich traditions that make up this powerful art form and be the change that is needed to push it into the future.
Despite our deep love and understanding of this art form as dance educators, it feels as though the world around us is losing its grasp on the value of movement, at the very moment we need dance most. While dance is shown to improve students’ physical and cognitive development, programs across the nation are being diminished and dissolved. Funding for the arts seems consistently to be on the chopping block for many of us at the federal, state, and local levels. The challenges of the current economy are directly impacting dance studios, companies, and colleges as earned income, donations, and new students become increasingly difficult to secure. The benefits dance brings to communities and individuals are often labeled as fluff, and even worse, dangerous.
The constant advocacy for our classrooms and our communities requires us to think creatively, teach meaningfully, and pivot regularly. We know that dance can be a powerful force for change in our communities and throughout the world. But, the question remains, just how do we do it? How do we show the world the power of dance? How do we show our students, parents, administrators, representatives, and communities all of the ways that dance can improve lives? How do we make our classrooms such transformative and impactful spaces, that their necessity to students is undeniable?
We also realize that as society changes, so must our field. The process of transforming the field of dance education to respond to evolving understandings in culture, science, and psychology can feel overwhelming, daunting, and even scary at times, but together we can embrace the need for change and work toward a future in which dance is relevant, responsive, and respectful of both the traditions in which it was founded and the new generation of practitioners who will carry it into the future. How do we juggle the challenge of embracing change and implementing new traditions, while also respecting the work of those who came before us? What teaching strategies are time-tested and worth continuing, and which need re-examining? How do we innovate our programs to include languages, approaches, and standards that are consistent across specific genres, while also adapting to the unique needs of each student and setting? How do we bring life and levity to our programs, in the midst of so much in the world that feels perpetually heavy?
What gives us the momentum to keep teaching, dancing, and creating? How do we manage the personal and programmatic growing pains that come from consistently improving and striving? How do we continue to improve our teaching strategies, curriculum, and creativity? How do we create rhythms that are helpful, hopeful, and energizing? In a field where burnout is prevalent, how do we care for ourselves, so that we can, in turn, continue to care for our students? How do we find the enthusiasm to teach, create, and advocate? How do we harness our collective power to keep our students dancing?
We invite all dance educators to reflect on these questions and submit your unique ideas and experiences for presentations at the 2025 NDEO Conference, “The Power of Movement: Dance Education Traditions and Innovations.” We will come together in Detroit, Michigan to cultivate hope, build connections, share ideas, and remind ourselves exactly why we do what we do.
Let’s talk about the power of dance to drive change.
Apply to Present at the 2025 NDEO National Conference!
Present at Conference 2025