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Home2021 Board Elections

2021 Elections for the NDEO Board of Directors, plus Proposed Name Change for Private Sector SIG


Welcome to online voting for the 2021 NDEO Board Elections!


All current NDEO members in good standing are entitled to vote in the election. Voting will be ONLINE ONLY and you must be logged in with your user name and password in order to cast a vote. All votes are anonymous.


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Deadline to vote: November 1, 2021

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2021 Nominees

Click on white arrows next to each name to read their bios and candidate statements. Please read these before voting.
 

President Elect (approve/reject)

 
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Yoav Kaddar
Yoav Kaddar
CANDIDATE STATEMENT: Ten years ago I arrived at my first NDEO conference. Prior to that I was a faculty member in a theatre program teaching dance and movement. As soon as I walked into the main conference lobby I knew I was home, back in Dance. That sense became stronger throughout that weekend as I attended various sessions, met some familiar faces from my past; dance artists, educators and mentors. I came away from that weekend inspired by this organization and the variety of work done by
its members from Pre-K to K-12 to HE, in the PS, community outreach and advocacy groups. I have attended every NDEO conference since.

Since that year I have presented a variety of sessions as lead presenter, co-presenter and panel member and volunteered to serve on the board of directors. A reoccurring session that I have presented at conference centered on my upbringing in Israeli Folk Dance (IFD); a dance genre that is based on the coming together of diverse cultures from around the world, a melting pot of rich histories from people around the globe. Folk who came to dance together in a circle. A circle where there is no leader or follower, where all are equal, all look at one another, holding hands and sharing movement. My dance roots in this diverse dance form have influenced my career as a performer, educator and leader. The humane aspect of the ‘folk’ character as found in IFD has imbedded in me skills of teamwork and collaboration, respect and patience, creativity
and determination. I believe that such skills also contribute to the leader that I am; leading in order to serve others, possessing good listening skills, having sound judgment, being able to see the full picture and make calculated decisions. True leaders create opportunities for others to shine. As a educator and leader I enjoy creating such
opportunities for my students, faculty and colleagues.

As reflected in my CV, my experience as a leader is diverse and demonstrates my abilities in areas this position calls for. I have taken on leadership positions within academia, the dance field and my community. I have accepted such responsibilities not for the title but for the purpose and contributions I can make. As a leader I am driven by the actual work on the ground and not by what accolades and credits it might bring. As a leader I am driven by my passion and belief in the people I can and will serve. This is the reason I accepted the nomination for President Elect. I am passionate about dance education and truly believe in NDEO and its members.

If elected my responsibility will be to both preserve NDEO’s history while keeping it moving into the future. The organization has grown tremendously. Our field is continually evolving, especially after this past year. NDEO has to keep relevant with the culture and the society in which it exists. Together with a committed and diligent board and staff we can keep our organization operating safely and efficiently in a fast-moving evolving and diverse field and world; an organization that serves all its members equally, allowing all voices to be heard, represented and part of the whole.

I believe that NDEO is its members and its members are the organization. One of my main goals would be to engage more members in our organization. I would work for more inclusivity within NDEO’s various programs and committees and how those can better serve our diverse membership. I would work to raise the culture of volunteerism in our organization because no matter the position, job or role, every member can make a difference. No matter if within an organization of approximately 4000 members or within a small group people dancing in a circle, every individual is important. Everyone is vital in making the community whole, contributing in moving efficiently so all enjoy the experience equally.

I continue to be inspired by the wealth and ingenuity of this organization’s members and the endless and tireless work they do as dedicated and passionate dance educators in the field. It would be an honor to continue to serve NDEO, its members and our field. 

BIOGRAPHY: Yoav Kaddar, is the director of West Virginia University’s Dance Program and the WVU Summer Dance Academy. He received his BFA from The Juilliard School, his MFA from University of Washington, Seattle, and his PhD in Educational Administration from the University at Albany, NY. He has been a member and performed with some of the leading modern dance companies in the industry. Yoav has choreographed over 60 works for dance and theatre, is a Fulbright Scholar, and teaches nationally and abroad. He has been a member of the American College Dance Association Board of Directors and the US Fulbright Selection Committee for the Arts. As a member of NDEO Yoav has contributed on multiple levels; He is a Board member, one of the leaders of the Men in Dance SIG, hosted and organized the first MID Symposium at WVU, is chair of the ad hoc Leadership committee, helped revise the PD Award questionnaire and adjudication rubric, is currently a member of the organization’s JEDI audit group and the COOP Committee. He served as an adjudicator for the PD awards and as a member of the Resource Review Committee. Yoav is one of the founding members and president of the WVDEO.  


Policy Board Member - accept or reject

 
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Cheyla Clawson
Cheyla Clawson
CANDIDATE STATEMENT: If elected to the Policy Board of NDEO, I would have an opportunity to represent Kansas and the surrounding states. I envision contributing to an organization that centers equity and access to all fields, styles, and educational organizations focused on dance. I am currently a co-lead for the JEDI Standards Audit Group and believe the data findings from the audit requires leaders who have delved deeply into the data to hold the overall organization responsible for the next steps in this process. Identifying needs, gaps, and inequities is a first step, and I can be a valuable contributor to operationalizing found inequities in the next phase of this important work. My goals include structured, continual inquiry into access and understanding of resources for current NDEO members along with growing the membership through diligent and thoughtful strategies to diversify groups and resources. After the JEDI process, I support continued focus groups and collaborative initiatives that work together to identify new values and goals and actionable strategies. In a broader context, I foresee more regional workshops and training, mentorship for the creation and dissemination of creative and scholarly work, and the potential of a conference focused solely on young, diverse educators that includes dance and business, dance and research, and dance and performance curation.

As an educator in a university setting, and a researcher of community integration practices in dance curriculum, I see gaps in the training of future dance artists and would like to contribute this knowledge and work alongside others who have a similar passion. Another goal would include more regional meetings for the education of the various standards and resources NDEO has to offer and to receive more in-person feedback and ideas from more diverse populations (including race/ethnicity, age, and sector).

I am a respected collaborative leader in community arts, education, and diversity, equity, and inclusion at my university and in my community, state, and region. I feel it is time for me to move beyond my immediate surroundings and share work to represent my region and the overall field of dance. As a professor in dance, I am the data specialist for assessment and was the architect of a curriculum overhaul that added courses in professional practices (including grant writing), creative inquiry and writing in choreography, dance audition techniques, research and writing for dance, and a shift to a more equitable plan of study geared toward diverse forms and student interests. I was selected to share the research that was the foundation for these curricular changes at the American Dance Symposium 2020 in NYC sponsored by The Joyce Theatre and NYU.

In the spring of 2022, I will become Interim Director/Chair for my university’s School of Performing Arts (dance, musical theatre, theatre). I am my college’s representative on several important university-level committees including The President’s Diversity Council, the Hispanic Serving Institution Task Force, and University Assessment Committee. Beyond my institution I serve on a community organization board, Harvester Arts, that brings in an average of $400,000 in grants specifically for community individual artists and community-impact projects. I have received the most grant funding of all faculty in my college with interdisciplinary research, most often partnered with sociology (which I also have a graduate degree in), that are predominately focused on integrated community dance for social change. 

In most of the university and community committees I serve on, I am the only dance and interdisciplinary artist. I am comfortable collaborating and developing initiatives with a very diverse group of people. As a cisgender Mexican American woman, I am often the only leader of color. As an Associate School Director/Chair, I am the only woman in a leadership role in my entire college and only one of 5 faculty of color. Now, more than ever, I am aware of the importance of representation and leadership as a dancer, scholar, researcher, and collaborative community artist. Courageous conversations with vulnerability, curiosity, and respect of varied perspectives are what I want to be a part of in all the organizations I serve.

BIOGRAPHY: Cheyla Clawson (MA/Sociology -Wichita State University; MFA/Modern Dance – The University of Oklahoma) has instructed dance at several colleges including the University of Oklahoma and Wichita State University. Her modern dance research is focused on Horton Technique and she attended Horton Technique Certificate Programs 2013-2016 at The Ailey School in NYC. Her two duets, Anam Chara (2014) and nosuchSymbiosis (2016) were invited to The National American College Dance Association Conference at The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. Cheyla presented her latest research focused on community integration curriculum in dance BFA degrees at The American Dance Symposium 2020 through The Joyce Education Program in January of 2020 (NYC), was invited to present at the International Future(s) of Dance Education(s) in April of 2020 (Norway), and the International Arts in Society conference in June 2021 (Australia-virtual). She recently completed two grant projects, a dance film based on labor practices on farms by women in the early 20th century and a collaborative dance film with sociology based on the lives of women in assisted living communities. Her ongoing research focuses on immersive community dance to promote social dialogue. Clawson is the Associate Director of the School of Performing Arts at Wichita State University.

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Helen Buck-Pavlick
Helen Buck-Pavlick
CANDIDATE STATEMENT: I believe that every student deserves a well-rounded education that supports both academic and psychosocial growth through a diverse and rigorous curriculum, a focus on social emotional learning, and access to quality arts education. I believe that dance acknowledges the holistic and wholistic nature of the learner and the learning process as an embodied process. I believe that cultivating student creativity engenders problem solving, new ways of thinking, and encourages self-expression. And I believe learning is psychosocial and should acknowledge the full intersectional identity of each learner. Authenticity, collaboration, open communication, life-long learning, and self-reflection are central to my democratic-transformational philosophy of leadership. I believe that elected leaders should embody the qualities they seek to inspire in others. I intend to be a Policy Board Member who listens to all ideas and perspectives, remains grounded and rational in decision-making, and maintains a strong vision for the future of dance education.

I have over 20 years of combined experience as a dance teacher in studios, K-12, university, and arts enrichment/integration programs. Prior to accepting the Arts Education Specialist position with the Arizona Department of Education, I spent eight years in the classroom as a teacher at a Title I middle school in Arizona. In 2015, I designed and implemented the first dance program for the district. It was essential to me that the program was inclusive for all learners. This involved deconstructing student-teacher power dynamics, decentralizing Western-European dance styles, adapting curriculum and teaching strategies to support English language learners and students with disabilities, integrating technology, forming authentic relationships, allowing for individual agency, and cultivating inclusion and value of student interests as well as feelings. The program also included a chapter of the National Junior Honors Society for Dance Arts. Through community collaborations, increasing performance opportunities, and advocating for sustainable funding I grew program enrollment by 60 percent. When I left the district, the two additional middle schools had adopted a dance elective as a result of the popularity of the program I had created.

As a leadership team member, I collaborated with school administration, fellow department leaders, and district level coordinators to ensure continual improvement in curriculum and instruction, supporting student and staff social emotional needs, and scheduling decisions. As Department Chair, one of my highest priorities was supporting academic achievement through arts practice. After analyzing the school's continuing improvement plan, I led discussions with the Fine Arts team to assess which art standards needed additional curricular and pedagogical development, and the common core standards that we could support through arts practice. To improve student-student artistic feedback and academic dialogue, I led a training and implemented a research and standards backed system for providing feedback for in-progress work. As an active member of my state level organization (AZDEO) I helped to coordinate the implementation of two Dance @ the Core Residencies for two elementary schools, and created virtual dance resources for teachers during the pandemic.

My current position, Title IV-A Arts Education Specialist for the Arizona Department of Education, allows me to directly interact with a broad spectrum of the education and arts education ecosystems with direct influence over state policy implementation, first hand knowledge of federal programing, and connections to other state education departments that can inform my decision-making process while serving on the board. As a part of a state education agency I have two primary objectives: first promoting quality arts education in all Arizona schools, and second is the implementation, management and evaluation of Title IV, Part A programs of the Every Student Succeeds Act. This involves collaborative monitoring and providing support to local education agencies with their Title IV-A student enrichment grants so that school districts can have funding to create learning experiences that support well- rounded education for all students.

I believe my experience, unique perspective, and dedication to dance education align with the mission and vision of the National Dance Education Organization. As a Member of the Policy Board of Directors, my goal would be to center decision making on supporting policy and funding to ensure high quality dance education for all students regardless of gender, race or culture, socio-economic status, age, or ability.
 

BIOGRAPHY: Helen Buck-Pavlick, is the Title IV-A Arts Education Specialist for the Arizona Department of Education. She earned her MFA in Dance from Arizona State University, her BA in Theatre from North Central College, holds a secondary 6-12 certification (dance, drama, middle grade science), and a preK-12 endorsement in dance and Structured English Immersion. Helen is a Registered Somatic Dance Educator (ISMETA), Registered Yoga Teacher 200hr (Yoga Alliance), Certified Irish Dance Teacher (CLRG), and Mat Pilates Instructor (PIA). For the last seven years, Helen taught dance and theatre at a middle school in Tempe, AZ; a program that she created in 2015. Before moving to Arizona in 2010, Helen spent nine years teaching dance and theatre, directing and choreographed musicals, and teaching arts integration programs in Chicago. Her research interests include dance pedagogy, arts advocacy, and cultivating social emotional learning through arts education. Helen’s research has been published in Dance Education in Practice, Journal of Dance and Somatic Practices, and Journal of Music and Dance. She has been invited to present at professional conferences and workshops including National Dance Education Organization, International Somatic Movement Education and Therapy Association, Dance Science and Somatic Educators, and American College Dance Association.

Advisory Board Director of Awards (vote for one)

 
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Yauri Dalencour
Yauri Dalencour
CANDIDATE STATEMENT: My experience with project management is extensive. In 2007 I founded a successful and robust dance education consultancy. Through the organization, I designed and implemented dance programs across schools throughout NYC for both in-school instruction and after-school programs managing multiple institutions’ programs simultaneously. Each program I developed in partnership with the institution was a project within itself, and it was a joy to design and watch each flourish from inception to launch. 

In 2017, I acquired Dancetime Publications, a dance film, and documentary publication house and archive, with 20+ films. We currently sell our films via DVD through our website and Amazon, Google Play, and iTunes, among other platforms, and stream to colleges and universities worldwide through academic streaming platforms. As CEO of Dancetime Publications, I create strategy for several things from marketing, user experience, and community engagement and management, implement and manage several projects on an ongoing basis. For example, our recent work on the published Google Doodle (May 2021) “Savoy Ballroom,” the production of new films, widening our distribution channels and platforms with new partners, and establishing our on-demand experience are just a few. 

Establishing our on-demand experience has been one of the most extensive projects yet. It entailed creating a streaming platform/partnership that included technical and digital components and frameworks on our site, establishing a delightful and intuitive user experience, visual and design, setting up licensure for our PPR and DSL (Digital site licensing offerings), and incorporating safe and secure paywalls. With this project, there were many moving parts and a lot of work, but users are happy, and this initiative has been successful from end to end. Seeing this initiative from an early vision to launch and every step in between enabling users access to our content has been rewarding but also helped me better learn and effectively use several tools and platforms and processes to stay organized and communicate with my team members/employees along the way. I am well versed in design thinking and other human-centered design methodologies, agile and lean methodologies, excel and google sheets, of course, and using apps like Asana and Trillo and other work management tools like kanban boards to stay on top of projects and timelines. 

Additionally, I completed a project with the Museum Judengasse / Jewish Museum Frankfurt, the oldest independent Jewish Museum in Germany for an interactive exhibition (April 2020) on how social dance (contributing works from our archives and films) was a part of Anne Franke’s and her grandmother’s life. This project included legal agreements, footage clips, transference of huge files, and sourcing from our archives, meeting deadlines in the middle of a pandemic with a company overseas hours ahead (Germany) over several months. I git it done! 

In another capacity, I am the former Design Lead at a Fortune 10 of almost four years while running Dancetime Publications. There, I created, established, and forged the company’s first in-house Design Thinking academy. This academy included a design practice education framework focusing on creative thinking, the creative process, and the implementation of ethnographic protocols and research methodologies to improve user experience of the company’s products and services. I used improvisation and movement in my ideation workshops and trainings to unlock creative potential, teach creativity skills to other designers and business leaders, which was very effective. Dance and movement have so many places in our world for sure! 

Another area I would like to note is my archival work as a digital archivist with Katherine Dunham. I archived for her museum and the digital archives project with the Library of Congress, which is still live today on the LOC website, after working on the project with Ms. Dunham and the Library of Congress during her last year of life (2005-2006). Further, I worked as a digital archivist with Bill T. Jones Arnie Zane Dance Company, just as the company merged with New York Live Arts and now has a live digital archive with the Google Cultural Institute. In this archive, I was a foundational contributor. During my time with the organization, I carried out an exhibition on Jones’ work as the curator for this project installed at the National Museum of Dance in New York, where he was also honored in their Hall of Fame. 

As it relates to committee oversight, I have overseen several committees throughout my career in the arts, including the fundraising committee as a founding member of the Board of Directors for Camille A. Brown and Dancer’s Dance Company and led the fundraising committee, raising funds through several strategies that I developed and implemented for her company’s Joyce Theater Season. I have held executive-level positions overseeing committees for the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) in public schools in the Los Altos School District in Silicon Valley (where I also led a girl scout troop for three years) and in Fairfax county as well as in private schools in the Northern Virginia/DC metropolitan area. Further, I have served on other committees that focus on membership, education, and leadership, working with teens, event planning, scholarship, and awards for organizations like Jack and Jill of America, as an active member. I have also chaired conferences and been a keynote speaker overseeing contributors Artist Talks and presentations at international design conferences, one of which I also serve on the Advisory Board currently. 

I navigate all of my work across dozens of organizations and leadership roles as a dancer and choreographer, scholar, educator and curriculum designer, digital archivist, ethnographer and strategist, and business owner. I am a leader, well-organized, driven, clear communicator, and passionate about having a vision and seeing that vision come to life and thrive!


BIOGRAPHY: Yauri Dalencour, is an interdisciplinary dance and visual artist, digital archivist, and entrepreneur. Her dance training includes study at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Alonzo King Lines Ballet, various dance degrees programs, as well as various dance studios in NYC, San Francisco, Italy, and Spain. She is certified in Horton Technique and Pedagogy by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, a certified Design Thinking educator and facilitator through the Luma Institute, and a classically trained anthropologist and former archivist for Katherine Dunham. She earned a BFA in Dance and Theatre Technology, BA in International Studies, carried a minor in African American and Ethnic and Women's Studies, holds an MA in Dance and Dance Education from NYU, an MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts with a Performance Concentration, and pursued a Ph.D. in Dance Studies, completing course work and preliminary projects and exams. She has performed as a solo artist and with dance companies and musical theatre nationally and internationally. Through the arts, she is a storyteller using dance, visual art, installation, and new media to create multi-sensory performance works that push viewers to engage in critical consciousness through the arts. She is the founder/Artistic Director of Yauri Dalencour Dance.

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Emily Morgan
Emily Morgan
CANDIDATE STATEMENT:  I am running for Advisory Director of Awards. I have been a member of the Awards Committee since 2014, working successfully with the committee to award NDEO’s many recipients. I enjoy being part of a process that highlights the accomplishments of the membership. I have a clear sense of the awards process and an understanding of the potential for positive changes with NDEO’s awards as we move forward. With NDEO’s large population, we will seek ways to solicit a larger pool of nominees and offer more awards in order to recognize the strong work happening across the dance field.

I envision leading the Awards Committee in the same way I lead as Director of Dance at Colorado State University. We use a collaborative leadership approach, which means I oversee the process, not the people. We make decisions together, sharing and discussing ideas in order to make the best possible decisions for our students and our program. We collectively create reasonable deadlines so our work is doable and our goals are achievable, and I am mindful of the fact that we all juggle multiple roles and activities in our lives. I am a listener at heart and, in keeping with the collaborative leadership, I prioritize hearing all the voices on my team. I continuously seek out multiple ways for everyone to voice their thoughts – in writing or verbally. This model seems to serve us well; in three years, we have successfully proposed and implemented a BFA, edited our existing BA, written and approved new mission and vision statements, and developed program learning objectives, among other activities. I have strong organizational skills and can see the big picture while being mindful of the small details. When I commit to something, I see it through.

As a member of NDEO since 2008, I am committed to NDEO’s mission to advancing dance education for all. I have been a passionate dance educator since my childhood when I was a teacher’s assistant for a pre-school tap class. I have served the organization in a variety of capacities. In addition to my ongoing service on the Awards Committee, I am on NDEO’s Advocacy and Research Committees, and I am a work group member for the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion audit. I spent three years on the Development Committee, reviewed proposals for the 2020 conference, and was an adjudicator for the National Honor Society for Dance Arts in 2017. I have attended and presented at twelve of the last thirteen conferences; they are invaluable. Outside NDEO, I serve as a peer reviewer for several journals and publishers. I am on the board of Kinetic Works, Inc., a Charlotte-based dance company with whom I used to perform. I continue to work with the company because of its education and community-based work. Before moving to Colorado, I served on the boards of the South Carolina Dance Association and the North Carolina Dance Alliance. I am dedicated to continued education, as evidenced by my pursuit of a PhD in dance.

Collaboration is a key tenet of everything I do, beyond my leadership position. Collaboration recognizes the diversity in the room and provides a way to include diverse populations. I do this by learning about and recognizing what people bring to the table, encouraging them to share and providing multiple opportunities to do so, and making decisions together as aforementioned. As is true with a collaborative leadership model, listening is imperative. I am a collaborative choreographer, working with dancers to explore and generate movement. In classes, students work together frequently, whether it’s for one class or over the duration of the semester. I am a strong believer in the cliché, two heads are better than one. It’s also simply more fun to work on projects with others!

Thank you for your consideration. 
 
BIOGRAPHY:  Emily Morgan is a teacher, dancer, and choreographer. She is interested in community-based dance and participatory dance in traditional and nontraditional spaces. Emily has performed and presented her work throughout the United States, and in Norway, Austria, Barbados, and Mexico. She is Director of Dance/Associate Professor at Colorado State University and has taught at Winthrop University, the University of Texas, El Paso, El Paso Community College, University of North Carolina, Greensboro, Elon University, the North Carolina Governor’s School, and at a public magnet arts high school in Winston-Salem, NC. Emily holds an MFA in dance from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro and a BA in dance from Denison University in Ohio and is a doctoral candidate in dance, working on her dissertation on community dance practices, at Texas Woman’s University.  

Advisory Board Director of State Affiliates (vote for one)

 
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Anindita Neogy Anaam
Anindita Neogy Anaam
CANDIDATE STATEMENT:  I am Anindita Neogy Anaam, Kathak artist, performer, dance educator, and Artistic Director of Sargam Kathak Classes in USA and India. I am working as an artist for more than two decades and have represented my art at leading national and international art forums and festivals. My work revolves around redefining the traditional boundaries of this ancient art form and creating dance repertoire around themes of socially relevant issues. Since 2018, I have extensively worked with Wisconsin Dance Council and served in their board as a Secretary. I have drafted their BIPOC statement and designed their newsletter and content which reflects the organization's commitment to the principles of Diversity and Inclusion. The statement condemned the racial injustices and reflected solidarity for a more tolerant and racially diverse arts forum.  I have been a spokesperson for IndUS Fox Valley and represented the organization on many diversity platforms like Building of Kids Children’s Museum, Rhythms of the world, Stephenson Public Library, Ferber Elementary, Stephenson School, Peshtigo Elementary School, Celebrate Diversity, Appleton, Lawrence University, Talk Show with Kevin Rompa, Kids Expo Marinette Rec Center, to name a few. I have been working closely with Consulate of India, Chicago for curating cultural shows which shows the vibrancy of South Asia. I also worked as an emcee, curator, and artist reflecting the ideals we learnt during this pandemic and all the things we collectively experience as immigrants. 

In addition, I have been involved with South Asian Arts scene in Chicago, New York, Fox Cities, Memphis, both as an artist of color and cultural consultant, bringing a global perspective to the table. Presently I work as a Communications Head for a district school, and oversee the outreach, diversity, and cultural initiatives of the school. As an artist and educator, I have always strived to introduce the idea of 'inclusive society through arts' to our students and have started many outreach and school initiatives to highlight the concept of multiculturalism for students and young artists alike. 

As an immigrant, I come with an alternative vision for performing arts which focuses on rich work from artist of color and foreign born artist, their understanding of social justice, and various other paradigms of a truly diverse society. My experience shows that there has been a void for international dancing artists in the mainstream primarily due to lack of communications and outreach. I never heard of NDEO before joining WDC and this is the situation with many other artists. 

With all these constraints around, the primary challenge revolves around successful execution of goals set by NDEO Board. However, with my expertise as a communicator and long background as a spokesperson and performing artist for various cultural organizations and art boards, I am confident that I will do justice to this position and would bring positive changes to the organization through diverse and culturally rich programs. 

Presently, I am involved in a range of dance projects for upcoming festivals and I continue to teach, choreograph and create movement vocabulary for upcoming dancers, theater and dance ensembles, and provide active mentorship to the dancers who practice South Asian classical dancing arts. I believe in collaborating, blending and assimilating vibrant styles of dance forms to create a meaningful presentation which highlights the authenticity of the art and reflects the commitment to DEI parameters. 


BIOGRAPHY:  Anindita Neogy Anaam is an internationally renowned Kathak performer, educator, and the artistic director of Sargam School of Kathak in USA, which creates ensemble and new performances for theaters and public spaces. She is known for her thought provoking performances where she uses advanced body techniques and traditional repertoire movements to create a powerful story line that revolves around contemporary stories and socially relevant themes. Recent works include, BAGC: A tribute to our Frontline Heroes, Umeed- A ray of Hope, fighting mental depression-Baat toh karo (Talk to Someone), Lockdown Poem penned by Brother Richards, Social Media vs Reality (a short film by Indian Raga) etc.
Dance Magazine USA, a leading and authoritative journal in the dance world, featured her in length for her work and future projects which caters to worldwide audiences. Her work involves heavily around Diversity and Inclusion campaigns including her presentation in Building for Kids (Fox Cities), Consulate of Chicago, Celebrate Diversity Appleton and so on. She has given performances in New York Kathak Festival (Alvin Ailey) and conducted masterclasses in universities and schools like Lawrence University Dance series, UChicago Arts, Oconto Unified School District, Peshtigo School, Stephenson School, Miles of Music and so on. 

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Abigail Agresta-Stratton
Abigail Agresta-Stratton
CANDIDATE STATEMENT:  As the Advisory Director for State Affiliates, I would work to support each state affiliate in the best possible service of dance educators so that every child receives fulfilling, exciting, and multifaceted dance education. I would work to help the state affiliates to learn alongside and from each other so that we may all reap the benefits of a collaborative relationship. I would encourage interaction and cooperative endeavors.

As the Chair of the Mentorship Committee, I have led the charge to write the proposal, form the pilot, create a committee, collaborate on tasks with committee members, build protocol, and more as we move to prepare to accept our fourth cohort this September. As a founding board member of the New York Dance Education Association, I worked to create a functional board. As the second Secretary of NYSDEA, I worked to record the growth and development of the institution. As the third president of NYSDEA, I worked to create directorships for each board member so that s/he would have specific responsibilities and clear goals.

As the K-12 Special Interest Group Facilitator and Forum Moderator, I have designed impactful panels and tackled important issues while including dance educators from different parts of the country, from different backgrounds, and from different types of schools. I have also managed tenuous interactions on the forum while maintaining respect.

As the Advisory Director of State Affiliates, I will lead the state affiliates to grow and prosper in ways that will benefit our members and all the children that we hope to reach every day. I hope to inspire our state affiliates to find new ways to create and collaborate and soar.

BIOGRAPHY:  Abigail Agresta-Stratton (MA, RDE) has taught dance in schools & studios for over twenty-five years. She is a graduate of DEL & has been a member of the Blueprint Writing Committee & Project Manager of the NYCDOE Dance Curriculum Planning Committee, a Scorer, Item Reviewer & Passing Score Reviewer for the NYS Dance CST, Chair of the NYCDE/UFT, & Secretary & President of NYSDEA. Abigail serves as the moderator of NDEO’s K–12 Forum & Chair of the PK-12 Mentorship Committee. In October 2012, she was awarded the Presidential Service Award by NYSDEA. In August 2013, Abigail was honored at the DT Magazine Summit as the K–12 Awardee. In 2018, she was recognized by NDEO’s Executive Director, & she was recognized in 2021 by NDEO's President for her contributions to the Mentorship Program. 


Graduate Student Representative to the Advisory Board (vote for one)
 
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Bradford Chin
Bradford Chin
CANDIDATE STATEMENT:  With the many hats that I wear in my professional life, a key common thread is my specialization in disability/accessibility and inclusion. In my work/advocacy as a dance artist, educator, scholar, DEI/accessibility consultant, and audio describer for dance, I strive to actively center an intersectional lens in collaboration with those most affected by the respective equity issues at hand. Much of my philosophy has been shaped by disabled leaders and peers and how they have modeled disability justice in the world and to me.

I am a former dancer and teaching artist with AXIS Dance Company, the nation’s most acclaimed ensemble of disabled and nondisabled dancers. Through AXIS, I expanded the global reach of my network and the communities with whom I am privileged to work. I maintain numerous mentorship opportunities and professional/organizational relationships, and I also tend to my continued professional and personal development through programs including NDEO’s Professional Development Scholarship program, Dance/USA’s Institute for Leadership Training (DILT), and the Social Justice & Diversity Certificate program at City College of San Francisco.

One of my constant goals is to elevate marginalized communities and expand our narratives so that we can realize a more equitable, just, and inclusive dance future. While with AXIS, I went beyond the scope of my duties to establish two major university outreach engagements – in the middle of the pandemic – with the University of California, Irvine and the University of Southern Mississippi. Before my time with AXIS, I co-directed a multi-year partnership that presented emerging music and dance artists with public arts grant funding and, while in undergrad, secured over $5,000 in university grant funding to present workshops in minoritized dance narratives such as traditional Hula and dance journalism.

Now, as a graduate student, I continue my work and advocacy with my campus community. I work with several campus groups that focus on student housing equity and queer community advocacy, and I am also working to increase the accessibility of campus programming and – in collaboration with the graduate student labor union – improve student labor equity.

It is important to center the fact that I have achieved nothing on my own. Especially as a queer person of color, I owe every opportunity and achievement in my career to collaboration, mutual aid, and the kindness and generosity of others. In everything, I strive to collaborate with others and for others, and I am constantly checking in with my communities to ensure that we are addressing their needs and that I am not centered in the work. This spirit of equitable collaboration is what I bring to the role of Graduate Student Representative at NDEO.

I am privileged to have utilized many of NDEO’s offerings: the National Conference, SIGs, Professional Development Scholarships, job postings, and JODE/DEiP (both as reader and submitting author). One of my goals is to better realize NDEO’s current resource potential to serve graduate student members and attract new graduate student membership. I understand that this is a “both/and” – rather than an “either/or” – relationship. NDEO cannot better serve its graduate student population if there is no input regarding our needs. I plan to continue leveraging my extensive networks to help NDEO understand how its resources and programming can better serve graduate students.

Based on some of my preliminary work with this, I know that some graduate student needs include seminars and workshops about crafting their CV for the dance education job market, taking advantage of their graduate student experience for optimal job market preparation, and discovering and connecting with established professionals/academics who specialize in their interests but are at other institutions.

Another goal I have is to help increase the accessibility of NDEO’s programming, both virtual and – eventually – in-person. I am encouraged by the growth that I have witnessed on this front since joining NDEO. However, I know that there is still much work to be done to make our space accessible, inclusive, and actively anti-ableist, especially after my participation in NDEO’s JEDI Audit process. I hope to bring my unique experiences with DEI/accessibility work to NDEO’s continued improvement, and I am excited to bring more of my disabled peers into the fold to continue this work. 
 
BIOGRAPHY:  Bradford Chin (he/him; they/them also okay) a San Francisco native is a dance artist, scholar, DEI/accessibility consultant, and audio describer for dance. Based in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Florida, he is a 2021 fellow with the Dance/USA Institute for Leadership Training. Described by LA Dance Chronicle as “conceptually fun,” his collaborative works have been presented at festivals, museums, galleries, and schools. Formerly with AXIS Dance Company, he has performed works by choreographers including Arthur Pita, Jennifer Archibald, and Robert Dekkers, and has danced with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Contempo Ballet, Laurel Jenkins, and others. Specializing in physically integrated dance and inclusive teaching methods, Chin has taught ballet, contemporary modern, improvisation/composition, and jazz techniques in ten states and internationally. For two years, he co-directed stART in partnership with ARTX and Arts Council for Long Beach. A research consultant for Dance Data Project®, his research interests are aesthetics, pedagogy, disability, race, gender, and ballet in Western concert dance culture. He earned a BFA in Dance from California State University, Long Beach and a Social Justice & Diversity Certificate from City College of San Francisco. He joins the Dance MFA Program at the University of California, Irvine on full fellowship in 2021. 
 
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Vera Rose Musgrove
Vera Rose Musgrove
CANDIDATE STATEMENT:  Currently, I am serving as a committee/department chair in two different organizations. While the committees/departments are very different in their objective, I find that I am an effective leader because I focus clear communication, responsibility delegation and setting small goals toward the big picture.

As a graduate student representative, I would bring my current focus of Arts Integration into the roles. This is an area I want to grow in my personal teaching practices and I enjoy collaborating with teachers outside of the arts. My vision for this position is to create more integrated content for the arts and make the integration more accessible for teachers. In the field, I collaborate with teachers in different school settings and in different content areas. These collaborations have helped me developed a diverse point of view to instruction. It has also been critical for me to visit schools that are effectively teaching arts integrated lessons. As a department chair, I encourage all of the Enrichment teachers at my schools to complete school observations and write lessons that challenge their normal practices. While I have shared resources and best practices, I hope I can continue to develop these methods to share with teachers.

My graduate work with be in Curriculum and Instruction but my role as a dance teacher will be an important part of my studies and a part of my position as a graduate student representative. I believe graduate students need the change to explore arts integration so it becomes a normal part of their instructional practices.
 
BIOGRAPHY: Vera Rose Musgrove is a Maryland native who has been training as a dancer since the age of four. Vera moved to Georgia to attend Spelman College with a major in French and a minor in Dance. Vera danced with the Atlanta Hawks for seven seasons, coached the Atlanta Dream dancers for four seasons, owned a mobile dance business for five years and toured the United States and abroad as a dancer in a live production for almost two years. In May 2021, Vera completed a Masters degree in Educational Leadership from Kennesaw State University and will start a Doctoral program at Columbus State University in August 2021. Vera is currently an elementary dance teacher and loves to share her passion for dance and fitness with dancers of all ages! As she begins her sixth year in this role, she looks forward to an arts integrated classroom that brings core content into the dance space.


Undergraduate Student Representative to the Advisory Board (vote for one)
 
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Riley Marshall
Riley Marshall
CANDIDATE STATEMENT:  NDEO has provided abundant resources and support for dance educators internationally over a period of twenty-three years. Being a program-assistant for NHSDA in DEAW has given me a new perspective into the dance world. Seeing dance as a non-linear commodity and coming to understand the business aspect and appeal of an artform such as dance has been eye-opening. As lock-down comes to an end and the world around us blossoms, the push to grow this organization and spread the strong communal bonds of this art from has never been more apparent. Through a position such as the Undergraduate Student representative, I would be making it apparent that the plans for NDEO's future and expansion is aligned with the teachers and especially students who are eager to engage with such an endearing community. I have viewed the dance community in many lights, as student for over a decade, as an entertainer for large audiences, as someone who appreciates watching the artform. And now, a multifaceted student representative who can utilize each and everyone of these perspectives. I also spent time with an NHSDA chapter in Seattle Washington, offering dance classes to places such as Ronald Mcdonald house, which caters to families undergoing health care journeys and assists them, "physically, economically, and emotionally" during these hard to navigate times. And especially through my Eagle scout journey, I developed many project management and leadership skills throughout those years that have continued to pay dividends in my school, dance, and personal life. I learned the skill of delignating through boy scouts and the lesson that not any one person can accomplish everything. As a running-start student through my later years of high school I earned an associates degree before graduating with my High school diploma, and the differences between my community college and high school made me realize something very important to me. Those who do not tap into their resources rarely succeed. It was a necessity for me to schedule appointments with my school counselors to succeed in the way I did, and get into the college I am currently attending. I did not spend my years of high school surrounded with people that either did not want to be there, or were toxically obsessive with looks, but instead entered the most diverse community college in my area. I took classes with lawyers, pharmacists, grandparents, and even high schoolers. But what tied everyone together was the fact that these people wanted to be here, my classmates were not forced to attend these classes, and were passionate (usually) about the subjects. The people surrounding our hobbies, passions, and even schools are not there to put us down. Each of these experiences has molded me into the person I am today, someone who looks as problems with a large tool box that keep expanding. Not backing down and void of any disclaimers, for I take responsibility for every success, and yes failure, that I endure. My goals for this position is to create a welcoming and accepting environment within NDEO while supporting and expanding upon the innovation of our group. And finally, as I stated before, I am an eagle scout, and as one it was my honor to head an Eagle scout project in partnership with Seattle Childrens Hospital. I have been a patient there all my life and I remember coming to the MRI and cardio department as excited as could be, for I could pick a movie to watch during these procedures. But this list of movies soon became outdated, and for my Eagle Scout project, I headed a DVD donation dive to update their catalogue. In 2020, their most recent DVD was Megamind from 2010. After weeks of the donation drive being active, I raised enough and collected enough DVD's for them to revamp their collection and bring more smiles to those young children who desperately needed a break. 
 
BIOGRAPHY: Riley Marshall, 19 , is a student at the University of Washington pursuing a Bachelors of Science in Economics. Riley is ecstatic to be working with DEAW for his first year as a NHSDA program assistant. Hobbies include professional yo-yo and Rubik's cube, hiking and camping, and socializing with friends.
 
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Samantha Oliver
Samantha Oliver
CANDIDATE STATEMENT:  When I first learned about the undergraduate position from the dance coordinator, Lynda Fitzgerald I knew I wanted to apply. As a sophomore at Indian Creek Upper School, I helped create the Official Dance Team. I went to the Head of Indian Creek and wrote a proposal to create a competitive team that can compete, perform at games, and open other opportunities to the team. I became co-captain as a sophomore and captain as both a junior and senior. Before I went any further, I always kept the dancers in the conversation as I met with different people to help make this team happen. I communicated with the Head of the Performing Arts and the Athletic Department to make sure this was possible for our school. I also was the main communication between the heads of the different departments and the dancers. For our team to succeed, I also maintained communication with the Athletic Training Department and trainers. During my sophomore year, we took four dancers to compete in our first competition, which we placed in the top ten. My junior year, we took more dances, one of which I choreographed and we placed first. To help the team prosper, I also communicated with the Head of the Performing Arts about different coaches for the team and performance opportunities that will help the students know about our Dance Team. As a new sophomore to the school, I took this opportunity seriously and I am so grateful I did. This boosted my confidence in voicing my opinions and discussing change that would help my school’s performing arts grow for the years to come. 

As a college student at Anne Arundel, I have been highly involved in the performing arts. I came to Lynda Fitzgerald about an idea, having the NHSDA at AACC. I took this opportunity to research and help the dance program grow as a sophomore, the semester I am graduating with my AA in Dance. I wanted to leave my mark on the dance program and believed this opportunity would help our dancers.

I have also been a Girl Scout of Central Maryland for over 16 years, earning both my Bronze and Silver Awards. One opportunity I had through the Girl Scouts was the Girl Scout Travel Group, which plans events for other Girl Scouts to attend. I had to plan the day which the event would be held, manage the money we needed for supplies, renting out the venues, figuring out the amount of food, and working with the girls during the event. I started this in 6th grade and continued until my junior year. Once I started 8th grade, I began going to the meetings with the troop leaders and speaking on my own opinions. This allowed me at a young age to be on a committee and I continued this as I went into high school. There were only a few of us chosen to come to the meetings to talk about money, topics for the events, amount of people, and supplies needed. I communicated with my fellow Girl Scouts within the Travel group to make sure their voices were being heard as well. I became the main communication between the leaders and the girls. Through Girl Scouts, I have also had many experiences with servicing my community. I believe helping your community and connecting people is one of the most important things one can do. As undergraduate representative, I would take the lessons and skills I have learned with these positions to help with project management and oversight of a committee. I have worked on project management since middle school for dance and Girl Scouts. The position of being the undergraduate representative would allow me to also network which will help me in the future. I know I will use my communication and organizational skills while I have this position. Speaking to other students has always been my focus to help make sure everyone is feeling heard and confident. I feel this position will help me grow as a person and teach me more skills within management as well as being an oversight on a committee. 
 
BIOGRAPHY: Samantha Oliver a sophomore dance major at Anne Arundel Community College. I am graduating this May with my Associate of Arts in Dance. I will be planning to transfer to a four year college or university to complete my Bachelors of Fine Arts in Dance. I am currently employed at Dancer's Dreams Dance Studio in Pasadena, Maryland as a dance teacher. I teach lyrical, hip-hop, ballet, tap, musical theatre, jazz, and assist in acrobatics classes. I also help my studio with organizing and cleaning the studio. My educational goals include earning my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance with a concentration in Performance and Choreography along with Business Administration. After I complete my undergraduate degree, my goal is to earn my Master's of Fine Arts in Performance and Choreography and Masters of Arts in Education. I also hope to earn a Doctorate Degree in Dance. My professional goals are to performance in the commercial dance industry. After I perform in either a company, in Disney, on tour with an artist, or on a cruise, I hope to open my own dance studio. I enjoy teaching and choreographing different ages of students.

Additional Item for Vote:

NDEO Private Sector Special Interest Group (SIG) Name Change to Independent Sector (approve/reject)

 

The NDEO Special Interest Group (SIG) Private Sector Committee Members have been reflecting on a name change since Pre-Conference Session 2020 that thoughtfully captures the essence of the members that populate this SIG.  In order to capture the expansive range of members within this SIG and be inclusive of the widening dance ecosystem, a name change to Independent Sector came forth. 

The rationale for this change is the following: The word “Private” alludes to privileged and restricted accessibility. We are not private. We are a collective of independent, creative entrepreneurs, working artists, and dance educators that are not typically overseen, funded or given resources by institutional organizations and/or government entities.

We are independent contractors, independent choreographers, independent dance teachers, independent teaching artists, independent dance adjudicators, independent studio owners, independent artists and we are ALL independent dance educators.

2021 NDEO Board Election Nominees Evening | Aired: 9/29/21