A schedule of Annual Meeting sessions and events for each day is provided below. An advance copy of the program will available to view and download the week before the meeting. In addition, NASD will offer an app which will provide direct access to program content, schedules, a list of attendees, and venue information. Attendees will be invited to download and install the app when available.
Please Note:
Registration is required for the Annual Meeting.
Thursday, September 11
8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Annual Meeting Registration
9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Commission on Accreditation
(Commission members only)
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Pre-Meeting Workshop for New Dance Administrators
(Separate fee required and advance registration recommended; click here for full workshop description)
This annual workshop is intended for individuals who are new, aspiring, or in the early years of their administrative careers in dance programs. It is designed to address several of the most important areas of concern for new administrators. The content will focus on principles and approaches applicable to all types of institutions. There will be ample opportunity for questions and answers, interaction, and discussion.
Please note that attendance requires registration and payment of a separate fee of $55. The workshop may be registered for either in conjunction with, or separately from, the NASD Annual Meeting.
11:45 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Pre-Meeting Workshops for Experienced Dance Administrators
(Separate fee required and advance registration recommended; click here for full workshop descriptions)
This workshop is intended for seasoned administrators in dance, with sections for individuals from degree-granting institutions and from professional studio schools. Attendees will explore several of the most important and developing areas of concern for administrators.
Please note that attendance requires registration and payment of a separate fee of $55. These workshops may be registered for in conjunction with or separately from the NASD Annual Meeting.
4:15 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Open Conversation for All Pre-Meeting Workshop Attendees
Facilitators will recap and provide a summary of the day’s discussions. In addition, an opportunity for open conversation will be provided for all pre-meeting workshop attendees, presenters, and facilitators, enabling both new and experienced administrators to meet and discuss topics of shared interest, particularly those pertaining to the administration of dance units and institutions. Attendees of the Pre-Meeting Workshop for New Dance Administrators and the Pre-Meeting Workshops for Experienced Dance Administrators from Degree-Granting Institutions and Professional Studio Schools are asked to attend.
5:15 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Board of Directors New Member Briefing
(New Board of Directors members only)
5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Reception for Pre-Meeting Workshop Attendees
(Cash bar)
All pre-meeting workshop attendees, presenters, and facilitators are invited to this informal reception, which will provide an opportunity to meet, greet, and cultivate valuable professional relationships with other dance administrators. Attendees are encouraged to continue the conversations begun during the day’s workshops and Open Conversation session. All registrants are welcome to attend.
5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Board of Directors Business Meeting and Dinner
(Board of Directors members only)
Friday, September 12
7:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Annual Meeting Registration
8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Orientation for Executives New to NASD
This session will provide an overview of NASD services and its role as an accrediting agency, with special attention to the benefits and responsibilities of accredited institutional membership, and a summary of salient publications. Discussion will emphasize ways the Association and its work can assist administrators to fulfill the many and varied aspects of their local responsibilities. Individuals attending the NASD Annual Meeting for the first time are encouraged to attend.
8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Briefing for Facilitators, Moderators, and Recorders
(By invitation only)
This briefing will offer instructions, expectations, and helpful guidelines to Annual Meeting session facilitators, moderators, and recorders. All individuals who have agreed to serve in one of these capacities should plan to attend this briefing.
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
General Session: Plenary Business Meeting
Call to Order
Determination of Quorum
Minutes
Report of the Commission on Accreditation
Introduction of Newly Accredited Institutional Members
Report of the Committee on Ethics
Report of the Treasurer
Announcements
Report of the Executive Director
Action on Proposed Handbook Changes
Election of Officers
Report of the President
New Business
Adjournment
10:15 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Working Sessions: An Exploration of Leadership and the Dance Curriculum
Responding to the feedback received subsequent to the 2024 Annual Meeting, specifically, the request to explore further the themes of Leadership and the Dance Curriculum, in 2025 attendees will have the opportunity to revisit these themes and in doing so, explore in further depth related topic-focused issues. The first working session will focus on Leadership; the second on the Dance Curriculum. Each working session will include three topic-focused presentations, an open discussion in plenary format, and small roundtable discussions grouped by topic. Attendees are asked to consider the issues informed by the presentations and their own experiences. During the open discussion sessions, attendees may wish to share approaches and good practices that have been implemented and found helpful when facing and addressing local challenges. The roundtable discussion groups are of particular importance, in that they will offer to attendees an opportunity in small group settings to share and discuss insights, successes, challenges, and problems faced. They are intended to assist dance administrators to develop approaches which may enhance institutional efforts, consider options, and contemplate desired outcomes. The discussion groups will be repeated once, offering participants the opportunity to attend two sessions of their choice.
10:15 a.m.
– 12:15 p.m.
Leading During Challenging Times II—Presentations
This working session will focus on three topics—crisis management, the consolidation of administrative units, and futures planning as specifically related to recruiting and retaining students.
10:15 a.m.
Consolidating Administrative Units—Managing Responsibilities and Opportunities
This session will explore the many ways in which departments can function as blended units, and the growing trend to collapse and combine dance units with and into larger units. Attendees will consider both challenges and opportunities these initiatives present. Attendees will explore how those administering dance units can work to anticipate and identify ways in which resultant changes can be beneficial in supporting the education and training of dance students, provide pathways for innovation and improvement, and as well, opportunities for collaboration. Consideration will be given to approaches dance administrators might employ when called upon to streamline budgets and activities, while at the same time prioritizing and protecting the essential elements of both curricular programs and dance departments. Attendees will have the opportunity to share best practices and discuss current and future options, all the while noting that change is ever-present.
10:55 a.m.
Crisis Management—The New Normal
During times of change and challenge, leaders of dance units are called upon to both anticipate and react to urgent challenges. In overseeing the operation of the dance unit and the management of curricular programs, dance administrators work to educate this generation of students, navigate the needs of students and faculty, weather changes in upper administration and therefore approaches; manage resources in changing economic times; employ and deploy evolving technologies and systems that are anticipated to advance the work of the dance unit; advance the profession; support the community; and attend to all with a nimbleness that ensures a necessary and delicate balance. In this session, attendees will work together to explore best practices for how these and other challenges faced might be addressed, including consideration and identification of the resources and expertise that are and will be needed from both within and beyond the dance unit.
11:35 a.m.
Recruiting and Retaining Students—Planning Ahead
As students, dance units, and institutions evolve, so must skills and practices employed to recruit students. This session will provide an opportunity for attendees to share and consider various approaches, in particular, to find ways to reach into local and regional communities and beyond, to discover new ways to communicate the nature and value of their programs and course offerings, and as well, to articulate the benefits of post-secondary dance education. Noting that once students are enrolled, those involved in the operation of the dance unit and delivery of its curricular programs must work to identify ways in which to support students in their educational processes and to evolve approaches which aid in the retention of students, attendees will consider how dance units might find ways to connect students with others in their student community, supportive faculty, and staff and administrators. The effect of these connections will be considered as institutions work to enable students to move through their programs of study with success. This session will open a dialogue that will consider these and related issues.
12:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Luncheon for the Association
1:45 p.m.
– 2:30 p.m.
Leading During Challenging Times II—Open Discussion
Attendees will return in plenary session to delve more deeply into the salient aspects of the morning’s presentations, developing connections between and establishing relationships among topics.
2:45 p.m.
– 3:45 p.m.
Leading During Challenging Times II—Roundtable Discussions
The roundtable discussion sessions will provide an opportunity for attendees to explore in further depth the information shared by the presenters. Roundtables will be repeated, offering attendees the opportunity to participate in two sessions of their choice.
Consolidating Administrative Units—Managing Responsibilities and Opportunities
Crisis Management—The New Normal
Recruiting and Retaining Students—Planning Ahead
3:45 p.m.
– 4:00 p.m.
Break
4:00 p.m.
– 5:00 p.m.
Leading During Challenging Times II—Roundtable Discussions (Repeated)
Consolidating Administrative Units—Managing Responsibilities and Opportunities
Crisis Management—The New Normal
Recruiting and Retaining Students—Planning Ahead
5:15 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
An In-Depth Look at the NASD Handbook: Standards and Guidelines and Responsibilities required of Accredited Institutional Members
This session will offer an in-depth look at the NASD accreditation standards and guidelines and their application, as well as the responsibilities of institutions holding accreditation.
Particular attention will be given to operational and curricular requirements found within the Handbook, including distinctions among standards, guidelines, recommendations, benchmarks, and norms. Attendees will review procedures which address preparation and submission requirements as related to the preparation of self-study dossiers, Plan Approval and Final Approval for Listing applications, Substantive Change applications, Optional Responses to the Visitors’ Report, and Responses and Progress Reports.
In addition, presenters will provide an overview of annual reporting requirements for accredited institutional members of NASD, including a discussion of the Accreditation Audit, Affirmation Statement, Supplemental Annual Report, and the HEADS Data Survey. A brief look at the NASD website, highlighting the location of various online resources, will be offered.
Please note: This session is designed for 1) new dance administrators; 2) representatives of institutions scheduled for NASD comprehensive accreditation reviews within the next three years, as well as for individuals who will have the responsibility for leading the accreditation process and/or writing Self-Studies; 3) currently trained NASD visiting evaluators; 4) individuals attending the 2025 NASD Workshop for Visiting Evaluators; and 5) individuals attending the 2025 NASD Workshop for Experienced Evaluators.
5:15 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Open Hearing: Professional Degrees in Dance
This hearing will provide an opportunity for attendees to review and exchange views regarding current standards as they pertain to professional baccalaureate degrees in dance. Those interested in attending are asked to review in thorough detail the standards now found in the NASD Handbook, specifically Standards for Accreditation VIII.A.-D. Attendees will discuss the current standards and their application, considering their ongoing effectiveness to assist students to develop competency, and acquire knowledge and skills appropriate to their course of study. All attendees are welcome regardless of the type/level of curricular program administered by the dance executive.
6:30 p.m. – 7:45 p.m.
Reception for the Association
(Cash bar)
Saturday, September 13
7:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Annual Meeting Registration
7:45 a.m. – 8:45 a.m.
Continental Breakfast for the Association
8:45 a.m. – 2:15 p.m.
Working Session: Curricular Considerations II
During today’s working session, attendees will have the opportunity to once again roll up their sleeves and consider and delve deeply into issues pertaining to the dance curriculum of today and tomorrow. Consideration will be given to the impact technology is having and could have on the work of the dance unit and how technology may be used as a teaching and learning tool. In addition, attendees will explore the role of new genres in the dance curriculum and how student success is achieved and evaluated. Consideration will be given to how the dance unit might assist students to approach and manage the opportunities and challenges they face in the classroom and post-graduation. Each of these three topics will be introduced by presenters who will frame the issues and begin the conversation. Subsequent to each presentation, the presenters will open the floor for questions and discussion. Following a short break, attendees will gather once again in plenary session to explore connections and relationships among topics. The afternoon sessions will provide an opportunity for attendees to divide into small roundtable discussion groups organized by the three topics, during which the conversations begun during the morning session will continue.
8:45 a.m.
– 10:45 a.m.
Curricular Considerations II—Presentations
8:45 a.m.
Considering the Place of New Genres in the Dance Curriculum
The field of dance is becoming more expansive and sophisticated as each day passes. Genres well-established and in place for decades stand as pillars beside the new, the developing, and await the yet to-be-discovered. The opportunities this expansion presents to institutions and their dance units today are boundaryless—if we accept and embrace the idea that we individually and collectively share the responsibility to advance the field and its various forms. Recognizing this responsibility, we might begin our conversation today considering questions such as: What are these new forms? Should they be incorporated into the curriculum? If so, how? How might competency expectations specific to these forms be developed? What expectations exist regarding the development of movement skills in each new genre and how students are expected to progress through various levels of defined accomplishment? What skills must students acquire if they are to successfully transition from the academy to the creative economy? Many factors influence institutional considerations and pursuits in this regard, such as student demand; the participation of faculty with dedicated expertise; the availability of resources necessary to support curricular initiatives and time-honored traditions; and an institution’s interest in maintaining these traditions, including the receptivity of upper administrators to embrace new dance forms and their inclusion in the curriculum. Many factors guide decisions regarding how dance training is scaffolded to ensure that students progress through each form in fashions that enable them to gain expertise specific to the dance form. Attendees will consider these factors and issues, as well as practices that might assist them to advance various forms of dance.
9:25 a.m.
How Technology Might be Used to Advance the Education and Training of Dancers
Advancing conversations begun during the 2024 Annual Meeting, presenters will provide an in-depth look at changes, advancements, and challenges that have unfolded during the last year as technology has continued to evolve. Attendees will explore ways in which technologies such as artificial intelligence, virtual learning platforms, and other tools are being and can be used to advance the education and training of dance students, with particular focus on dance performance. Considering the ever-evolving nature of technology, attendees will explore choreographic applications; identify potential learning collaborations; and carefully consider important issues such as the attribution of ownership as it pertains to thought, creativity, and innovation. Attendees will have the opportunity to share examples of challenges as well as successes and consider benefits as well as drawbacks as they may relate to the implementation of technology in dance, in the classroom, studio, and in performance.
10:05 a.m.
Personal Responsibility vs. Expectation and Entitlement—Assisting Students to Close the Gap
It is not uncommon today to encounter students who are disappointed with the realities they face in class or post-graduation. The gap between personal responsibility and expectation and entitlement develops over time and may result from conditions such as a student’s lack of engagement in their academic journey, distraction in the classroom, absenteeism, failure to complete assignments, and the like. Such gaps can become chasms once behaviors are established as commonplace. In such cases, the disappointments which arise due to unfulfilled expectations can derail a student’s interest in the artform and pursuit of work in the field altogether. In this session, attendees will discuss how faculty and administrators can communicate expectations to students, foster student agency, and encourage students to accept personal responsibility for their own progress.
10:45 a.m. –
11:00 a.m.
Break
11:00 a.m. –
11:45 a.m.
Curricular Considerations II—Open Discussion
Remaining in plenary session, attendees and presenters will delve more deeply into the salient aspects of the morning’s presentations.
11:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Box Lunch for the Association
(Attendees should feel free to take their box lunch to the afternoon sessions.)
12:30 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Curricular Considerations II—Roundtable Discussions
The roundtable discussion sessions will provide an opportunity for attendees to explore in further depth the information shared by the presenters. Roundtables will be repeated, offering attendees the opportunity to participate in two sessions of their choice.
Considering the Place of New Genres in the Dance Curriculum
How Technology Might be Used to Advance the Education and Training of Dancers
Personal Responsibility vs. Expectation and Entitlement—Assisting Students to Close the Gap
1:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Break
1:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
Curricular Considerations II—Roundtable Discussions (Repeated)
Considering the Place of New Genres in the Dance Curriculum
How Technology Might be Used to Advance the Education and Training of Dancers
Personal Responsibility vs. Expectation and Entitlement—Assisting Students to Close the Gap
2:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Workshop for Self-Study: Specifically Designed for Representatives from Degree-Granting Institutions
This session will provide information and guidance concerning the Self-Study and on-site visitation processes for individuals representing degree-granting institutions with programs in dance whose institutions are to be visited in the next two to three years, institutions planning to begin the NASD evaluation process, and those formally engaged in the process. A step-by-step walk-through of the accreditation process will be provided, including confirmation of timelines and deadlines, and information regarding Self-Study formats, on-site reviews, the Visitors’ Report, the Optional Response, and Commission action. Questions may be posed during this nuts-and-bolts session. All interested individuals are welcome.
Please note: Individuals attending this training session are asked to attend the session entitled, An In-Depth Look at the NASD Handbook: Standards and Guidelines and Responsibilities Required of Accredited Institutional Members on Friday, September 12 from 5:15 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
2:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Workshop for Visiting Evaluators
This annual workshop will provide training to dance administrators interested in becoming visiting evaluators for NASD. Fundamentals of the accreditation process will be described in detail. Considerable time will be spent discussing expectations with regard to Self-Studies and Self-Study documentation. An overview of the Handbook and its constituent parts will be presented. Standards and guidelines and their application to applicant institutions will receive considerable attention as potential evaluators are guided through the process of on-site review and Visitors’ Report preparation.
Please note: This session is by invitation only. Institutional representatives from accredited institutions interested in becoming NASD evaluators are encouraged to contact the National Office staff for consideration for training in 2026.
Please note: Individuals attending this training session are asked to attend the session entitled, An In-Depth Look at the NASD Handbook: Standards and Guidelines and Responsibilities Required of Accredited Institutional Members, which will be offered on Friday, September 12 from 5:15 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
2:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Workshop for Experienced Evaluators
This workshop will provide training to dance administrators who have been trained previously as evaluators and who have served as members of visitation teams. The role and responsibilities of the visiting team chair will be discussed. Detailed expectations regarding the review of Self-Studies, the on-site visit, and the Visitors’ Report will be reviewed. Attendees will have the opportunity, using case study materials, to consider various scenarios that may arise during on-site reviews.
Please note: This session is by invitation only. Representatives from accredited institutional members interested in becoming NASD evaluators are encouraged to contact the National Office staff for consideration for training in 2026.
Please note: Individuals attending this training session are asked to attend the session entitled, An In-Depth Look at the NASD Handbook: Standards and Guidelines and Responsibilities Required of Accredited Institutional Members on Friday, September 12 from 5:15 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Briefing for NASD Evaluators
This annual briefing is offered by invitation for individuals currently trained and serving as NASD visiting evaluators. It provides an opportunity for evaluators to refresh their knowledge of NASD procedures, protocols, and standards, with particular focus on the Procedures and the Handbook. Helpful reminders regarding the format, preparation, and required content of Visitors’ Reports will be provided. The potential impact of the activities of external constituencies, such as the federal government, states, and other review bodies, which may impact the accreditation process, will be discussed. Documentation required of institutions and evaluators will be highlighted, as well as sources and uses of helpful and informative publications aimed to assist institutions in the preparation of Self-Studies and evaluators in the preparation of Visitors’ Reports.
Please note: This session is by invitation only. Institutional representatives from accredited institutions interested in becoming NASD evaluators are encouraged to contact the National Office staff for consideration for training in 2026.
Please note: Individuals attending this training session are asked to attend the session entitled, The NASD Handbook—An In-Depth Look at the Standards and Their Application on Friday, September 12 from 5:15 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Workshop for Self-Study: Specifically Designed for Representatives from Non-Degree-Granting Institutions
This session will provide information and guidance concerning the Self-Study and on-site visitation processes for individuals representing non-degree-granting institutions with programs in dance whose institutions are to be visited in the next two to three years, institutions planning to begin the NASD evaluation process, and those formally engaged in the process. A step-by-step walk-through of the accreditation process will be provided, including confirmation of timelines and deadlines, and information regarding Self-Study formats, on-site reviews, the Visitors’ Report, the Optional Response, and Commission action. Questions may be posed during this nuts-and-bolts session. All interested individuals are welcome.
4:15 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Briefing on Federal Issues for Dance Administrators
Under the law, the federal government does not control higher education. However, the federal government does play a major role in developing conditions for the work of higher education, primarily through laws and regulations defining conditions for institutional participation in grant and student loan programs, and tax policies that influence economic conditions affecting education and the arts. Issues to be addressed include economic realities and projections; public and private funding sources and trends; and prospects for new policies, laws, and regulations concerning higher education, P–12 education, and the arts. This briefing will take a non-partisan policy analysis approach, looking at the ramifications and effects of various options and probabilities.
4:15 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Forums
These discussion-based sessions will provide an opportunity for individuals to consider in further depth the issues raised during Annual Meeting sessions, as well as those of common interest. Discussion comments and issues noted by session recorders that have the potential to inform the future work of NASD will be provided to and considered by the NASD Board of Directors.
Non-Degree-Granting Programs
This forum will provide an opportunity for representatives from both professional studio schools and precollegiate dance schools to connect and discuss issues of common concern.
Institutions with Small or Developing Dance Departments
This forum will provide an opportunity for attendees from small or developing dance departments to connect and discuss issues of common concern.
Public Institutions
This forum will provide an opportunity for attendees from public institutions to connect and discuss issues of common concern.
Private Institutions
This forum will provide an opportunity for attendees from private institutions to connect and discuss issues of common concern.
4:15 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Board of Directors Seminar Meeting
(Board of Directors members only)
6:30 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.
Reception for the Association
(Cash bar)
7:15 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Annual Dinner
9:15 p.m.
Adjournment of the Forty-Fifth NASD Annual Meeting