Whether you teach at a private studio, a K–12 school, or in higher education, the National Dance Education Organization has professional development offerings that meet your needs. With options ranging from one day to 12 weeks and in-person or online, NDEO’s year-round programming is designed by the country’s premiere dance organization with you in mind. “Our strength lies in the diversity of our membership,” says NDEO executive director Susan McGreevy-Nichols. “Not only do members work in different areas of the field, but they specialize in many different styles of dance, from bharatanatyam to ballet to breaking and beyond. Our members bring diverse backgrounds and perspectives to the organization, and our professional development represents both the expertise of our members and their needs.”
NDEO offers three types of professional development, catering to teachers’ busy schedules: Virtual Professional Development Days are a one-day online offering; Online Professional Development Institute Courses span several weeks and are a deep dive into a particular topic; and the National Dance Education Conference is an annual in-person gathering with hands-on instruction for educators from across the country. Additionally, teachers can check out NDEO’s free, one-hour webinars for a bite-sized taste of PD.
Educators not only take away tangible skills, but the events are an excellent way to build community. “Our professional development offerings, especially the OPDI courses, allow you to create lasting connections with experts in the field (the professors) and teachers around the world (the participants). Our professional development is relational—it’s not a one-sided experience where one person offers material and the others absorb it. These relationships cross work environments, dance styles, ages, and backgrounds.”
Virtual Professional Development Day
Engage in a high-quality, accessible mini-conference. Programming includes some of the most popular and engaging presentations from NDEO’s National Dance Education Conference in a convenient online format. Registrants can access recorded presentations after the event at their convenience.
Cost: $95 for NDEO Members/$160 for not-yet-members.
Location: Virtual
Time commitment: 1 day each. The next event will be held on July 26, 2023.
Frequency: Offered twice annually in January and July
Size: 100+ dance educators
ndeo.org/pdday
Online Professional Development Institute (OPDI) Courses
Choose from a variety of new and returning favorite topics, including Teaching Dance to Students with Disabilities and Introduction to Dance Education Research. Participants work at their own pace within the course schedule. Modules use video, readings, discussion boards, and experiential learning. Participants often are tasked with applying what they are learning with their own students, so the information takes on real-world meaning immediately.
Cost: Course fees for NDEO Members range from $200 (4 weeks) to $520 (12 weeks). Non-member fees range from $275 (4 weeks) to $595 (12 weeks). Space in online courses is limited; registration closes once courses fill.
Location: Virtual
Time commitment: 4, 6, 8, or 12, depending on the topic. Courses are led by a professor and taught in an asynchronous format with weekly due dates, but no mandatory meetings.
Frequency: New courses start each spring, summer, and fall semester with tiered start dates throughout each semester.
Size: Approximately 20 dance educators per course
ndeo.org/opdi
National Dance Education Conference
Join fellow dance educators for three days of rejuvenation through community-building and coursework. Connect with old friends and meet new colleagues while immersing yourself in all things dance and dance education. The weekend includes movement classes, presentations, panel discussions, and participatory workshops. Attendees can choose which sessions they want to take, so they can zero in on specific topics and shape their own conference experience.
Cost: $445 for NDEO Members/$545 for not-yet-members (until August 31, 2023)
Location: Denver, Colorado
Time commitment: 3 full days of sessions. Friday, September 29–Sunday, October 1, 2023
Frequency: Annually every fall
Size: 800+ dance educators
ndeo.org/conference
“As educators, we want to continually be improving, growing, and challenging ourselves,” says McGreevy-Nichols. Simply put, “NDEO’s professional development opportunities make that lifelong learning possible!” For more on NDEO’s programming throughout the year, click here.
