American College Dance Association Inc

THE AMERICAN COLLEGE DANCE ASSOCIATION'S PRIMARY FOCUS IS TO SUPPORT AND PROMOTE DANCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION THROUGH SPONSORSHIP OF REGIONAL CONFERENCES AND THE AROUND THE REGION AND COUNTRY AND TO HAVE THEIR DANCE WORKS ADJUDICATED BY A PANEL OF NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED DANCE PROFESSIONALS IN AN OPEN AND CONSTRUCTIVE FORUM. THE CONFERENCES ARE THE PRIMARY MEANS FOR COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY DANCE PROGRAMS TO PERFORM OUTSIDE THEIR OWN ACADEMIC SETTING AND TO GAIN EXPOSURE TO THE DIVERSITY THROUGHOUT COLLEGE DANCE NATIONALLY. ACDA ALSO SPONSORS THE NATIONAL COLLEGE DANCE FESTIVAL, A BIENNIAL EVENT, SHOWCASING WORKS SELECTED FROM EACH REGIONAL CONFERENCE FOR PRESENTATION, USUALLY AT THE JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS IN WASHINGTON, DC. DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ACDA HAS DEVELOPED VIRTUAL OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT DANCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION.

THE ACDA NATIONAL OFFICE PROVIDED WRITTEN SUPPORT MATERIALS, TECHNICAL RESEARCH AND SUPPORT, AND ONGOING CONSULTATION FOR 13 CONFERENCES HOSTED BY COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY AND MARCH 2020. OVER 5000 STUDENTS, FACULTY, MUSICIANS AND GUEST ARTISTS WERE SCHEDULED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONFERENCES. CONFERENCES INCLUDE OPPORTUNITIES TO PERFORM AND VIEW ADJUDICATION AND INFORMAL CONCERTS; PRESENT AND/OR PARTICIPATE IN CLASSES, WORKSHOPS, RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS, PANEL DISCUSSIONS, AND ROUNDTABLES; AND STRENGTHEN PROFESSIONAL AND CREATIVE CONNECTIONS OVER A FOUR-DAY PERIOD. SIX OF THE CONFERENCES TOOK PLACE BEFORE COUNTRYWIDE SHUTDOWNS. SEVEN CONFERENCES WERE CANCELED DUE TO HEALTH CONCERNS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

PLANNING FOR THE 2020 NATIONAL COLLEGE DANCE FESTIVAL MAY 2020. APPROXIMATELY 33 COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES WERE TO BE INVITED THROUGH REGIONAL CONFERENCE ADJUDICATIONS, TO PERFORM OR ATTEND THREE GALA PERFORMANCES. PERFORMANCES WOULD HAVE BEEN OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. IN ADDITION TO PERFORMING, FESTIVAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE APPROXIMATELY REGISTRANTS INCLUDED CLASSES, DISCUSSIONS AND SOCIAL EVENTS. THE FESTIVAL WAS CANCELED IN APRIL 2020 DUE TO THE PANDEMIC.

PARTNERSHIPS: JACOB'S PILLOW DANCE FESTIVAL (BECKETT, MA) CURATED A PROGRAM OF DANCES FROM FIVE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, SELECTED FROM THE ACDA NATIONAL COLLEGE DANCE FESTIVAL TO PERFORM IN THE INSIDE/OUT SERIES IN AUGUST 2019. THE ACDA NATIONAL OFFICE COORDINATED THE ELIGIBILITY AND SELECTION PROCESS AND WORKED CLOSELY WITH JACOB'S PILLOW TO IMPLEMENT THE PERFORMANCE. IN ADDITION, THE NATIONAL OFFICE COORDINATED OFFERS OF DISCOUNTS FOR SUMMER WORKSHOPS FOR FACULTY AND STUDENTS OFFERED BY THE AMERICAN DANCE FESTIVAL (DURHAM, NC).