Rarely do we, as busy dance educators, get the chance to connect with our colleagues. But on Tuesday, October 7, you’ll have the opportunity to not only network with your peers but also celebrate four incredible dance luminaries—Lori Belilove, Roger Montoya, Dianne Walker, and Sylvia Waters—at the 2025 Dance Teacher Awards.  Click here to RSVP to attend an unforgettable celebratory luncheon at The Loft at City Winery in New York City. Doors open at 11 am, and the event will run from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. Light refreshments will be served. We hope to see you there! Speaking of […]

The financial challenges of becoming a dance artist today can be frightfully numerous. But in the next few years, student loan debt—and college tuition in general—may no longer be of concern for the students of The Juilliard School’s prestigious dance division, as the institution has announced its intentions to go tuition-free with the launch of a $550 million fundraising drive. The timeline for when, exactly, this plan will take effect is unclear, and will depend on when fundraising goals are met. (As of the announcement, the school had already received $180 million towards the effort.) Damian Woetzel, the school’s president and a former […]

Senior Bharatanatyam artiste Radhika Shetty warns against the trend of turning the dance into a marathon.

Choreographed and conceptualised by Jayachandran Palazhy, founder and artistic director of Attakkalari, it will be a site-specific, transdisciplinary performance.

When you move to a new city, your job hunt might look a little different from the average person’s. Sure, there are some job boards out there. But they’re not the way most dance educators get hired. “When you’re a creative, one of the blessings and curses is that you have to do life creatively,” says Pat “Planet” Opran, a dancer and teacher in Boston.  For dance teachers, getting plugged into the local scene is often the only way to find out what opportunities exist, who has openings, and how to put your name in the hat. This can take […]

India sees festive fervour as garba revellers and others bring in the festive spirit of Navaratri.

Creative Movement classes exploring space with scarves. Teenaged students competing in groups to test their knowledge of ballet body positions and other terminology. Adults experimenting with pirouette tricks in independent class time. These are all ways that “play” can contribute to ballet pedagogy.  Play-based approaches can encourage experimentation, engagement, and self-discovery—and not just for the youngest dancers. Here are some reasons why you might consider incorporating play into your ballet classroom, as well as some ways to get started.   Why Use Play in Ballet?  Deborah Damast, clinical associate professor and director of dance education at New York University’s Steinhardt School […]