Join Renew Dance Honor Society Member Dashboard
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CANDIDATE STATEMENT: I see NDEO as an important source of support, training, energy, renewal, and camaraderie for dance educators in every sector, who help provide dance education for all. I believe NDEO has a more important role than ever. Studios are reopening, schools are expanding their offerings, and teachers are developing new approaches to training and educating dancers, as well as expanding the scope of dance education for all students. As we embark on creating a brighter future as part of the renaissance that will follow the dark days of pandemic and global upheaval, the need for dance education only increases, and NDEOs purpose is magnified. People are evaluating their priorities, looking for ways to find joy, purpose, and balance in their lives, and they are starting to seek out dance education for their children and themselves. Additionally, NDEO has the potential to be a powerful force in the movement toward improved education for students nationwide. As a lifelong dance educator, I have taught in nearly every setting imaginable, including private studios, K-12 programs, after-school programs, summer intensives, teacher workshops, professional company schools, outreach programs, Arts-In-Education residencies, university dance programs, and international guest artist residencies. Having taught as a university dance professor for the past 20 years, I may be shifting into other realms of dance education in the near future. Although I am proud of what I have accomplished thus far, I feel my work is not yet done. Since 2020, I have served as Treasurer for Arkansas Dance Network (ADN) and over the years, with my penchant for spreadsheets and data, have often stepped up in my other roles to provide reports and analyze data pertaining to budgets and financial records. Having previously served on the NDEO Policy Board of Directors, I now feel that I possess a better understanding of NDEO's institutional history, the role of the Policy Board, and how I can best serve the organization. My knowledge base and breadth of experience give me the background to help form policies that reach every sector of dance education and to serve our membership as a whole. I would like to serve NDEO as Treasurer (Executive Committee/Policy Board) to help the organization best serve its membership and fulfill its mission to advance dance education for all. BIO: Stephanie Thibeault previously served on the Policy Board of Directors for NDEO, and plans to continue her service to the organization, even as her employment status and teaching sectors continue to evolve. She has dedicated her life to dance education, teaching in various settings, including university dance programs, professional company schools, private studios, K-12 dance programs, after-school programs, summer intensives, teacher workshops, outreach programs, Arts-In-Education residencies, and international guest artist residencies. Starting with Goals 2000 and the release of the first National Dance Standards, Stephanie Thibeault has been actively implementing progressive dance curriculum standards since the mid-1990s, when she worked with a team of dance educators to craft the Maryland Dance Standards. She worked in the DC/Baltimore area, as a professional dancer, choreographer, and dance educator, before serving as a dance faculty member at several institutions, including University of Maryland, Dickinson College, Wichita State University, and University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Since 2020, Thibeault has served as Treasurer on the Board of Arkansas Dance Network, where she served as Vice President 2009-2013, and Board President 2013-2020.
CANDIDATE STATEMENT: My work as a Policy Board member has been characterized by amplifying diverse viewpoints and voices, and supporting NDEOs growth and the changes it desires to make. Examples of service during this term include designing and hosting the opening/closing sessions, and the all-inclusive dance party, with its member-created videodances, for the first virtual conference (2020), and co-creating and co-hosting The Struggle is Real panel (May 2021), which magnified the difficulties and artistry of the AAPI community. I have been dedicated to the inaugural Continuation of Operations Committee, a task force formed to strengthen and protect NDEO from future threats and crises, and have focused on reviewing the structure and accessibility of NDEOs State Affiliates. This is a time of tremendous change and growth for NDEO. The Board is currently reviewing and changing its Bylaws, focused on the JDEI audit, and developing a strategic plan, critically-important, years-long processes. Each of these initiatives greatly impacts the membership. I have gained knowledge and insights from being closely involved, an understanding of how the organization has functioned. I believe I can support NDEO as it navigates through the decision-making areas of new policies, procedures, and personnel. I support the visions to expand and diversify NDEOs membership and leadership, and to make its programming more accessible. Making policy decisions and voting on them are actions with consequences. I take these actions, and the conversations and deliberations that go into them, seriously. I am committed to supporting NDEO with transparency. I am organized, detailed, and tactful when interactions have the potential for conflict. I believe a diverse Board, and Staff, can discuss anything and that conversations can always be supportive and instructive. I believe this is an important juncture in the organization's history and that I can positively help shape the direction of its programming and operation and the impact this will have on its membership. BIO: New York City dance artist and educator Daniel Gwirtzman is known for his blend of technically challenging choreography and charismatic performance. He celebrates twenty-seven years as a New York City choreographer and company director. He danced with the internationally-renowned companies Garth Fagan Dance and Mark Morris Dance Group before co-founding Artichoke Dance Company in 1995 and Daniel Gwirtzman Dance Company (DGDC), a performing and teaching nonprofit, in 1998. His repertory has earned praise for its humor, musicality, stylistic diversity, and accessibility. Mr. Gwirtzman does know that in dance less can be more writes The New York Times. The New Yorker describes him as a choreographer of high spirits and skill. DGDC has been committed to education since its inception, operating with the philosophy and programming that everyone can join the dance. He has been awarded commissions, residencies and fellowships nationally and abroad. His most recent creation, a digital educational resource, Dance With Us, received leadership support from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. The online platform showcases his decade-long practice as a filmmaker working in the dance for camera genre. Daniel has served on NDEOs Board as the Director of E-Communication from 2016-2019 and as a Policy Board member, 2020-2022.
CANDIDATE STATEMENT: Americans for the Arts recognizes that equity is crucial to the long-term viability of both the arts and culture sector and communities-at-large and that it is crucial to ensure that everyone has equal access to a full, vibrant creative life, which is essential to a healthy and democratic society. My vision and goals are to uphold these ideals in all of my life interactions. I know that it takes courage as well as time and resources to make progress on creating this environment of equity. I have been a researcher and teacher in higher education for 21 years and my interest in serving in this position is to explore the challenge of putting my doctoral preparation to serve dance in a new way. I have initiated and followed through on many projects throughout my career (see resume) and I have completed and put to practical use my doctoral research. I have taught in an undergraduate dance minor program for 21 years so I have been involved in a multitude of leadership and followership experiences. I have been creating and delivering technology-based instruction for dance in the online environment for 6 years. My doctoral dissertation research compares the efficacy of online instruction in dance to that of face-to-face coursework. Other areas of interest for me in my future practice, research, and scholarship are in the domain of dance within its larger social, historical, and intellectual contexts and the art form of dance. I continue to be a choreographer and performer who engages in community and university dance projects. As a retiree, I endeavor to stay active in dance organizations. BIO: Dr. Lauralee Zimmerly is a Dance Educator/Artist who uses teaching and research as a natural extension of her love of choreographing and performing. She hails from California where she received a masters degree in dance choreography and performance from UCLA. Her doctoral degree is in educational leadership with an emphasis in instructional technology from Idaho State University. She has had the privilege in her education to train with acclaimed artists and educators Alwin Nikolais, Bella Lewitsky, Contraband, Tandy Beal, Tim Wengerd; at UCLA with Marion Scott, Carol Scothorn, Alma Hawkins, Allegra Fuller-Snyder; and with her longtime colleague Dr. Marcia Lloyd. She was honored by The National Dance Association (NDA) as the 2011 University Dance Educator of the Year and was invited as visiting lecturer at Universiti of Malaya Cultural Arts Center for the summer of 2013. Dr. Zimmerly has been an artist-in-residence for the San Joaquin County school district, a member of New Dance Company in Stockton, CA, a choreographer and costumer for South Stockton Community Theatre, a founding member of Contemporary Dance Alliance in Albuquerque and a performer for Sor Maria Productions in Santa Fe. In Pocatello, Idaho, she has worked with Kinetikos Dance Alliance, STB Dance, Co-Exhibit, Brindusa-Moore Ballet, EXTEND Dance, as well as working independently as a choreographer, teacher, and performer. She was a Senior Lecturer in the department of Theatre and Dance at Idaho State University in Pocatello, Idaho where she has served for 21 years.
As the Advisory Director of e-Communications, my vision consists of ensuring all members view and have access to the latest news occurring within our organization through several electronic platforms. The ultimate goal is to increase communication viewership by 10% through incorporating audio/video updates into our website and email communications that members can quickly watch. Moreover, I intend to continue to utilize the exceptional tools developed by the current Advisory Director and committee members. Over the past fourteen years, I have served as a public school dance educator in Texas and Maryland. While in Texas, I was an involved member of the Texas Dance Educators Association and served on several committee to enhance the field of dance. I joined the Maryland dance association in 2017 where I currently serve on the board as the K-12 Public School Representative. My role on the board has afforded great opportunities and connections to advanced the field of dance especially during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. For the past two years, I have been the co-chair of the Maryland Dance Alliance (MDA), a program under the Maryland Dance Educators Association (MDEA). During this statewide event, students engage in master classes during the day followed by an evening performance from selected schools. Due to the pandemic, the last two programs have been modified to accommodate the different policies of each county. The committee chairs meet prior to the beginning of the school year to chart out the application process, theme, dates, location, and logistics. Once we are closer to the actual date, we meet every two weeks to monitor the progress of the event. The duties of the co-chairs consists of communicating with local partners for venue space, guest teaching artists, adjudicators, and videographers/video editors. Additionally, I am the social media committee chair for MDEA. As the social media committee chair, I am responsible for updating social media posts and stories in relation to all key events. I work collaboratively with the executive committee and other board representatives on post submissions. I created a Facebook group in which Maryland dance educators and artist could communicate their own upcoming events. One of the goals for our states dance association is to foster collaboration around the entire state. These goals are met by hosting events like MDA and providing a space for educators to promote their work. BIO: Originally from Texas, Darryl Pilate begins his fourteenth year in dance education at High Point High School in Prince George's County Public Schools. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Dance with a minor in Health Administration from Texas State University and a Master of Business Administration from Texas Woman's University. He studied under various dance artist in genres such as ballet, jazz, Hawkins technique, hip hop, and contemporary. Darryl Pilate has taught in several middle and high schools choreographing many styles of dance. As a District of Columbia resident, Darryl has danced with the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington DC and choreographed for the DC Congressional Chorus. He is a guest artist/choreographer for Light Switch Dance Theatre. Pilate is the owner of Dazza Entertainment, LLC.
My name is Bradford Chin (he/they), and I am running for a second term as NDEO Graduate Student Representative. It is important to me that I can continue the work that we started this year as the Advisory Board of Student Initiatives, especially because our current Undergraduate Student Representative and our Director of ABSI are transitioning out of their roles. In all of the work that I do, I try to center Disability Justice. Thus far, we have not directly engaged with disability and inclusion in the way I envisioned when I started in this role. However, I realize that the work we are currently attempting is foundational for long-lasting efforts toward inclusion that includes disability at NDEO. This year, we began work toward reaching our student membership and building student-centered offerings in collaboration with other branches within NDEO. This ongoing process has been a learning experience in how much time is needed for change within a large organization like NDEO. Frustrating as it may be, we have also learned and continue to learn how to navigate the organizational structure of NDEO. We cannot impact lasting change on our own. Connecting with and serving our student community, who are both the future and PRESENT of NDEO, is a crucial need for our organization. It must be a priority, and it is just as important as increasing disability inclusion, especially with a Disability Justice perspective. To impact lasting change, we must be in community with each other, and our collaborative leadership must involve leadership by our most impacted community members. To do so, we must reach those community members, and on that front, we still have much work to do. Selected Achievements and Experience (full CV available at sites.uci.edu/BradfordChin) - Graduate Student Representative, NDEO (2022-present) - Campus Climate Director, Associated Graduate Students at the University of California, Irvine (2021-present) o Oversee interdepartmental and campus-wide climate through advocating on behalf of the graduate student population with university leadership/administration and in collaboration with campus offices and resource centers. Key advocacy items include: disability inclusion during the ongoing pandemic; reduction of campus police activity in nonemergency situations; cessation of White supremacist activity on campus; and greater transparency in shared university governance. o Project Lead for first-ever Inclusive Drag Night centering disability/accessibility with $20,000 grant award from the University of California, Office of the President. Over 400 in-person and virtual attendees. UC Davis and UC Merced following lead with inclusive drag nights for 2022/2023 school year. - UCI hiring/search committee service: o Director, Disability Services Center o Dean, Claire Trevor School of the Arts - First person at UCI Dance to present audio description, ASL interpretation, and captioning as accessibility components for live concert dance performance, involving both campus and non-campus collaborators. - $25,000 in additional fellowships and awards for the 2021-2022 school year to fund research activities and collaborators. BIO: San Francisco native Bradford Chin (he/they) is a dance artist & methodologist, DEIJ & accessibility consultant, and audio describer for dance. Based in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Florida, he received a 2021-2022 Individual Artist Fellowship from the California Arts Council. His works have been described by LA Dance Chronicle as conceptually fun and presented at festivals, museums, and schools. Formerly with AXIS Dance Company, he has performed works by choreographers including Arthur Pita, Jennifer Archibald, and Robin Dekkers, and has danced with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Contempo Ballet, and Laurel Jenkins among others. Specializing in physically integrated dance and inclusive pedagogy, Bradford has taught ballet, contemporary modern, improvisation and/as composition techniques in ten states and internationally. For two years, he co-directed stART in partnership with ARTX and Arts Council for Long Beach. Formerly a research consultant for Dance Data Project, his research interests are pedagogy, disability, race, gender, and creative process in Western concert dance culture. Bradford earned a BFA in Dance from California State University, Long Beach and a Certificate in Social Justice & Diversity from City College of San Francisco. He joined the Dance MFA program on full fellowship at the University of California, Irvine in 2021.
CANDIDATE STATEMENT: Over the past three years, I have been an active member of the Towson dance community; and in the past year I have had the opportunity to hold some integral roles in the Towson chapter of National Honor Society for Dance Arts. In my local NHSDA chapter, I've held executive positions of Social media coordinator, Secretary, and President; and I feel qualified and motivated to apply for the role of NDEO Undergraduate Student Representative. My primary goal has been to encourage strong communication between board members of my NHSDA chapter to students and leaders throughout the dance department. Through my efforts I have been able to bridge the gap successfully and feel that my commitment to connecting and communicating as a liaison will translate efficiently in the role of Student Representative. Through my emphasis in strong communication within the network of students and members, I hope to invest more into the interactive community building of the National Dance Education Organization on the undergraduate level and beyond. I plan to craft an innovative approach to advocacy and accessibility through social media, blog/vlog posting initiatives and college-wide engagement with the National Honor Society for Dance Arts. As well as, acknowledging my administrative responsibilities from actively engaging in meetings; interacting with undergraduate dance students to vocalize their needs or visions for NDEO and NHSDA; and remaining diligent with integrating the mission of dance education for all. As a Dance performance and Choreography Major with a PreK-12 Education Concentration, I am willing to invest wholeheartedly in executing and uplifting the National Dance Education Organization. Not only does my knowledge of dance and the NHSDA Executive board support my experience in this role, I have also worked with local organizations in the Maryland and Delaware areas such as Maryland Creative Classrooms and the Delaware Dance Education organization branch to invest beyond my college experience. I have taken and taught professional development courses; uplifted others through educational choreographic works such as Same Stories, different countries(2016), choreographed and directed by Dr. Lynette Overby, A.T. Moffet, Ashley S.K. Davis, Vincent Thomas and more; and lastly, I will be sharing my research on dance education in the interdisciplinary field for students in the Pre K-12 education sector at the National Dance Education Organization Conference this Fall. Overall my goals as the National Dance Education Organization Undergraduate Representative are to uplift, lead and connect all through movement, education and community, thus advancing the foundation that the organization has already upheld. BIO: Taylor Richardson, native of New Castle, Delaware is a current Senior at Towson University pursuing a BFA in Dance Performance & Choreography with a concentration in PreK-12 Education and a minor interdisciplinary studies. Taylor began dancing at the age of two and went on to Cab Calloway School of the Arts as dance major for both middle and high school, while also being a member of Pieces of a Dream Dance inc. of Wilmington,DE. Through her college career she has performed works choreographed by Ballet Hispanico, Company E and Jawole Willa Jo Zollar. Taylor continues to perform with POAD inc., and has deepened her creative voice through not only her academic understanding but also her personal experiences. Within her artistic statement she writes, As a choreographer I yearn to share stories of raw truth and triumph within the socio-cultural context, examining themes from the past as it relates to the present and the present as it informs the future.