In the next few blog posts we will be introducing our Operational Committees. Operational Committees work on the short and long-term goals driven by the strategic plan and vision of the organization. Each committee has a specific purpose and works closely with the Board of Directors and IADMS staff to accomplish their goals. We have ten committees, which include the following:

• Dance Educators'
• Dance for Health
• Development
• Physician
• Professional Development
• Program
• Promotion
• Publications
• Research
• Student

We asked each of our committees to share with us information about what their committee is about and what work they get up to. Below you will see responses from the Dance Educators' Committee.

What work within IADMS is the Dance Educators' Committee responsible for?

The Dance Educators' Committee (DEC) provides educational resources for dance teachers, dance students, parents, and dancers; and also promotes healthy discourse between them and the allied health practitioners who provide their care. The committee is responsible for the development of the Annual Conference's A Day for Teachers; oversees the annual Dance Educator Award; and produces IADMS resource papers, blog posts, and posters.

What is the mission/vision statement for the Dance Educators' Committee?

Mission: The DEC aims to be a relevant resource for IADMS and the global dance community by producing dance science materials that are responsive to the current dance climate and applicable to a wide range of dance educators. Further, within the IADMS community, the committee advocates intentionally and purposefully for dance educators. The DEC endeavors to promote the needs of dancers and dance educators with regards to dance education and training while monitoring trends and practices in dance training.

Vision: The DEC aims to increase the profile of IADMS among a broader sector of the dance education community by targeting previously under-reached populations with our resources and events. The committee intends to achieve this by building relationships with individuals and organizations to develop innovative programming and create accessible materials from existing resources.

Who are your current members?

Co-Chair: Joe Bowie, BA, MFA-candidate

Co-Chair: Jennifer Deckert, MFA

Janine Bryant, MA, BFA, SFHEA

Stephanie De'Ath, MSc

Claire Farmer, MSc

Liza Kovacs, MSc

Ellie Kusner, MSc

Elin Lobel, PhD, GCFP, CMA

Andre Megerdichian, MFA

Ana Ramos, MSc

Michelle Schachtler Dwarika, MA, MAS

Astrid Sherman, FISTD

Heidi Hiu Tung Yu, MFA, MSc

What are some of the recent projects your committee has been working on?

• Co-hosted the Safeguarding in Dance Webinar 2023
• IADMS Dance Educator Award
• Reevaluation of resource papers
• Hoping to host our final “Big Messy Conversation” on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging in collaboration with the Intersectionality Task Force.
• Getting ready for our upcoming SIG Luncheon at the annual conference. Looking forward to our “Long Table” discussion format.
• Hosting a dance educator pre-conference networking event.
• Hosting a post-conference debriefing for dance educators who attended the conference.

Read more about the Dance Educators' Committee in our Committee Charter: https://iadms.org/media/6514/iadms-dance-educators-committee-charter.pdf