Tuesday, June 17, 2025

9:00 AM (CDT)

to Friday, June 20, 2025 at 2:00 PM (CDT)

HOTEL: Palmer House a Hilton Hotel (17 E Monroe St, Chicago, IL 60603) REGISTRATION: Palmer House, 6th Floor SESSION/PERFORMANCE LOCATION #1: Roosevelt University (430 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60605) SESSION/PERFORMANCE LOCATION #2: Chicago Cultural Center (78 E Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602)

* Registration open until 5/16/25 at 11:59 PM (CST)

Book Your Hotel General Hotel Info. Dance for PD Workshop

Join us in shaping the future of dance as we embrace the theme of sustainability for the 2025 Dance/USA National Conference! This year, we’re diving into the vital conversations that keep our art form thriving—artistically and culturally.

How do we foster equitable and inclusive ecosystems within the dance community? What does it take to ensure that the movements we create today leave a lasting legacy for tomorrow?

Set against the vibrant backdrop of Chicago, the Dance/USA National Conference will provide a dynamic space to explore innovative ideas, actionable strategies, and collaborative opportunities. Through thought-provoking discussions, inspiring presentations and performances, and meaningful networking, we’ll come together to answer these questions and more.

The National Conference will take place across multiple venues to showcase the vibrancy of Chicago, including The Cultural Center, Harris Theater for Music and Dance, Roosevelt University, and the Palmer House. All of our venues are within an easy 10-15 minute walk from the Palmer House hotel.

Thank You to Our 2025 National Conference Sponsors:

Abby McCormick O’Neil & D. Carroll Joynes, Alphawood Foundation, Arts FMS, Arts Insurance Program, Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, Harlequin Floors, Harris Theater for Music and Dance, The Joyce Foundation, Morrison-Shearer Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, TWB Fundraising, Walder Charitable Fund, Walder Foundation, and Wallace Foundation.

Early-Bird

	Credits	Price
Early Bird Member Limited Tickets Available! Don’t Miss Out! Registration Ends 3/19/25 at 11:59 PM EDT		$500.00
Early Bird Non-Member Limited Tickets Available! Don’t Miss Out! Registration Ends 3/19/25 at 11:59 PM EDT		$595.00
Early Bird Member VIRTUAL Please see the agenda to know which breakout sessions are included in your ticket! Please be advised that all sessions included with any virtual ticket option will be live-streamed in real time. There will be no playback or on-demand access to these sessions after they have aired. We encourage you to attend the live sessions as scheduled to fully benefit from the event. Registration Ends 3/19/25 at 11:59 PM EDT		$150.00
Early Bird Non-Member VIRTUAL Please see the agenda to know which breakout sessions are included in your ticket! Please be advised that all sessions included with any virtual ticket option will be live-streamed in real time. There will be no playback or on-demand access to these sessions after they have aired. We encourage you to attend the live sessions as scheduled to fully benefit from the event. Registration Ends 3/19/25 at 11:59 PM EDT		$250.00

Other Registration Options

	Credits	Price
Standard Member Registration Ends 5/16/25 at 11:59 PM EDT		$635.00
Standard Non-Member Registration Ends 5/16/25 at 11:59 PM EDT		$685.00
Standard Member VIRTUAL Please see the agenda to know which breakout sessions are included in your ticket! Please be advised that all sessions included with any virtual ticket option will be live-streamed in real time. There will be no playback or on-demand access to these sessions after they have aired. We encourage you to attend the live sessions as scheduled to fully benefit from the event. Registration Ends 5/16/25 at 11:59 PM EDT		$200.00
Standard Non-Member VIRTUAL Please see the agenda to know which breakout sessions are included in your ticket! Please be advised that all sessions included with any virtual ticket option will be live-streamed in real time. There will be no playback or on-demand access to these sessions after they have aired. We encourage you to attend the live sessions as scheduled to fully benefit from the event. Registration Ends 5/16/25 at 11:59 PM EDT		$300.00
Single Day Single day tickets are only offered for in person events. There is no single day option for virtual ticket types. Registration Ends 5/16/25 at 11:59 PM EDT		$295.00
Independent Artist Designed for self-employed dance artists, choreographers, and creatives, this ticket grants access to core conference programming. If you are a Dance/USA Member and an independent artist, select the Member Ticket instead. It provides expanded access to additional events not included in the Independent Artist Ticket, ensuring you get the full conference experience. Registration Ends 3/5/25 at 12:00 AM EST		$350.00
Student Registration Ends 3/5/25 at 12:00 AM EST		$350.00
Honors & Welcoming Soiree (PRE-REGISTRATION ONLY) If you have registered for the full conference, which includes admission to this event, please DO NOT purchase this ticket. This event is available by online pre-registration only. Please note that no tickets will be sold at the door. Registration ends Sunday June 15th at 11:59 PM CT. A limited number of tickets will be sold. Registration Ends 6/15/25 at 11:59 PM EDT		$100.00

Agenda

June 17
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM	Registration Check in at the Registration Table to pick up your badge and event materials. Nearby, visit the Concierge Desk—your central hub for information! Stop by to ask questions, learn about accessibility services, sign up for Dine Arounds and Informal Sessions, and explore things to do in Chicago. Both stations will be in the same vicinity for your convenience.
5:00 PM - 10:00 PM	Honors and Welcoming Soiree Celebrate the start of the conference at the Honors & Welcoming Soiree, planned by the National Conference Host Committee at the Harris Theater (205 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60601). Enjoy performances by local Chicago artists, light bites, drinks, and a tribute to this year’s honorees. Pre-registration required—badge or ticket needed for entry. No tickets will be sold at the door.
June 18
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM	Registration Check in at the Registration Table to pick up your badge and event materials. Nearby, visit the Concierge Desk—your central hub for information! Stop by to ask questions, learn about accessibility services, sign up for Dine Arounds and Informal Sessions, and explore things to do in Chicago. Both stations will be in the same vicinity for your convenience.
8:30 AM - 3:30 PM	Coffee Service
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM	Quiet Space/Decompression Room
9:00 AM - 10:30 AM	Grounding Keynote
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM	Break and Travel Time Take a moment to recharge, connect with fellow attendees, or prepare for your next session. Check the conference app for your next destination and allow enough time to navigate between venues.
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM	Dance Performances Experience the vibrant artistry of Chicago-based dancers and choreographers in the historic G.A.R. Hall at the Cultural Center. These exclusive performances showcase the city's diverse dance landscape, featuring dynamic works that celebrate innovation, tradition, and the power of movement. Check the conference app for the performance schedule and artist details.
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM	Exhibitor Booths Explore a dynamic range of exhibitors at Roosevelt University. Connect with organizations, services, and partners that support the dance ecosystem. Check the conference app for exhibitor listings and locations.
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM	Creative Responses to Money Matters: Pay Equity, Financial Transparency & More (HYBRID) This session will highlight creative administration responses to resource sharing, financial transparency and pay equity. These strategies counter scarcity mindset and challenge traditional gatekeeping of financial information (which keep the least-resourced of us in that position) and can benefit artists, arts workers, and the entire dance field. This session will be available both in person and virtually.
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM	Artist Residencies: Transforming the Field through Sustainable Support This panel brings together voices experienced with designing, producing, and participating in artists residencies. Session attendees will leave with tools to design equitable residencies to enhance current and future programs.
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM	Human Resourcing Takes More than Money Our field has long been built on transactions between artists and presenters, funders, agents and/or audiences, but this feels like a worn out way to generate progress in resourcing performing arts and artists. What are new ways, different approaches, responsive practices that allow for us to develop economies of mutuality that expand supportive resources to include food, shelter, time, rest, recovery, novelty and play?
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM	The No Boundaries Archive: A Model for Democratizing Dance Legacies The lecture-demonstration will walk attendees through the new digital archive, demonstrating its novel features, and sharing ideas for how the resource can be used. Mason and Salzer will also discuss the project’s multiple strategies to represent the voices currently excluded from the archive - especially those of women and BIPOC dance artists - including the creation of a Dancing Digital data commons
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM	Body as Altar This workshop invites intentional rest and reflection. How can the dancing body be a place for community-building, intention-setting, and imagination? Through guided breath, stretches, and moments of pause, participants will be led through recent queer Fil-Am gatherings, while also asking historical and diasporic questions as it relates to practices of embodiment.
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM	SmArt Bar SmArt Bar sessions are one-on-one consultations between Conference participants and industry leaders (or 'SmArt Bar Bartenders') who give their expertise in service of their fellow dance makers and cultural workers.
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM	Dance/USA Staff Session
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM	Lunch (On Your Own)
1:00 PM - 1:30 PM	Break and Travel Time Take a moment to recharge, connect with fellow attendees, or prepare for your next session. Check the conference app for your next destination and allow enough time to navigate between venues.
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM	Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project: Documenting, Celebrating and Advocating for Chicago's Rich Traditions of Black Dance (HYBRID) The CBDLP is a cohort based model created to support the long-term sustainability of Black dance organizations in the City of Chicago. The CBDLP is a two-year cohort based model with four pillars in mind: Presenting, Advocacy, Capacity Building and Archiving. This panel will explore these pillars and their impact on participating companies. This session will be available both in person and virtually.
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM	Dancing While Being Deaf and Disabled This panel offers a unique opportunity to explore Deaf culture and the experiences of Deaf disabled individuals in the dance world. We will discuss best practices for working with Deaf dancers, dispel common myths, and address the layers of discrimination that Deaf disabled dancers often face. Lead By Antoine Hunter Panelist: Fred Beam, Sean Dorsey, Zahna Simon, Brandy Minns
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM	Dancing Across Borders: Strengthening U.S.-Mexico Cultural Collaborations Over the past two decades, the dance scene between Mexico and the United States has undergone a remarkable evolution, marked by an intense cultural collaboration. Through a short overview, we will reveal the dynamic interplay between these two countries, characterized by diverse artistic influences, choreographic styles, and innovative approaches to movement.
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM	Inclusive Choreography: Utilizing the unique creativity of neurodiverse and intellectually disabled dancers in choreographic process In our workshop, we delve into the dynamic world of choreography, focusing on harnessing the unique creativity of neurodivergent and intellectually disabled dancers. Our session offers insights, strategies, and practical activities to empower choreographers and dance educators on this inclusive journey.
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM	Let's Move! This Movement class will introduce participants to the history and fundamentals of Chicago footwork. The class will begin with the basic steps that are foundational to Chicago footwork. Students will learn how to construct a proper round and build up to a 16-count combination. By the end of the workshop, students will have the opportunity to learn several combo sets.
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM	SmArt Bar SmArt Bar sessions are one-on-one consultations between Conference participants and industry leaders (or 'SmArt Bar Bartenders') who give their expertise in service of their fellow dance makers and cultural workers.
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM	Dance/USA Staff Session
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM	Access Guide to Presenting and Touring the Performing Arts (HYBRID) Intended for venues and presenters specifically, this guide is meant to address long overdue work to make dance spaces accessible to disabled artists, venue workers, administrators, and audiences. It serves as a valuable resource to empower venues to make the necessary changes that foster an increased inclusive and vibrant artistic community. This session will be available both in person and virtually.
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM	DEMBOW RELOADED, a Latinx social expressionist movement Through the exploration of different Latin American aesthetics, participants will be guided through an agile warm up, soft stretching and shared choreography while simultaneously experiencing a “mezcolanza” (or mix) of traditional, modern and contemporary Latin American soundscapes.
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM	Dance/USA Staff Session
4:00 PM - 4:30 PM	Break and Travel Time Take a moment to recharge, connect with fellow attendees, or prepare for your next session. Check the conference app for your next destination and allow enough time to navigate between venues.
4:30 PM - 5:00 PM	Grounding Keynote
June 19
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM	Registration Check in at the Registration Table to pick up your badge and event materials. Nearby, visit the Concierge Desk—your central hub for information! Stop by to ask questions, learn about accessibility services, sign up for Dine Arounds and Informal Sessions, and explore things to do in Chicago. Both stations will be in the same vicinity for your convenience.
8:30 AM - 3:30 PM	Coffee Service
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM	Quiet Space/Decompression Room
9:00 AM - 10:30 PM	Grounding Keynote
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM	Break and Travel Time Take a moment to recharge, connect with fellow attendees, or prepare for your next session. Check the conference app for your next destination and allow enough time to navigate between venues.
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM	Experimentation in Performance: Hip Hop, Blk Arts and Chicago An hour long conversation and sharing on experimentation, Blk Arts Movement, and Elastic Art's Dark Matter Residency program in Chicago. Through individual, cross-collaborative and organizational endeavors the panelist are part of the weavings of Futurity and Tradition in Hip Hop and in Blk Radical Arts in Chicago.
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM	Machine to Body: Digitally Archiving Black Diasporic Dance As dancers and dancemakers address artificial intelligence’s place in their creative process, Black dance artists are also exploring artificial intelligence as a means of archiving their work. Preserving Black diasporic dance through artificial intelligence opens a greater debate about developing transferable job skills in artists, and even what qualifies as Black dance, alongside ethical quandaries around attribution, institutional bias, respectful preservation, and erasure.
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM	Seeing, Listening & BEing Together as Black Femme Praxis Join us for a listening session to be with curiosities of artist sustainability, living, and survival for Black girls. How are we nurturing the self and community? What are our tools for sustainability, through listening and embodiment? This will be a space for recalibration, restoration during the conference; a dreaming studio; playground. Through improvisational sounds, this will be a moment without expectation. Just pull up.
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM	DounDance with Ayodele Drum and Dance Does African drumming make you move? Learn West African dance technique and play rhythms on a doundoun drum. This class is 90 minutes of pure energy for all levels that combines West African drumming and dance for a full body workout.
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM	SmArt Bar SmArt Bar sessions are one-on-one consultations between Conference participants and industry leaders (or 'SmArt Bar Bartenders') who give their expertise in service of their fellow dance makers and cultural workers.
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM	Dance/USA Staff Session (HYBRID) This session will be available both in person and virtually.
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM	Lunch (On Your Own)
1:00 PM - 1:30 PM	Dance Performance Experience the vibrant artistry of Chicago-based dancers and choreographers. These exclusive performances showcase the city's diverse dance landscape, featuring dynamic works that celebrate innovation, tradition, and the power of movement. Check the conference app for the performance schedule and artist details.
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM	Joy & Juneteenth One Foot on Stage and the Other in the Street: Navigating Black Identity in Dance and Activism (HYBRID) This session seeks to delve into the potent role of Black dancers and choreographers who utilize their artistic platforms for activism, focusing on how dance can catalyze social change and embody decolonized narratives. This session will be available both in person and virtually.
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM	When Black Women+ Speak UBW’s Choreographic Center Initiative (CCI) and CCI 2.0 Producing Program for Women+ of Color. It's a landmark talk series that will convene women+ of color leaders to explore the nuances of identity, community, values, support, and success among BIPOC women+ producers. We will dissect questions such as: Who are we? What do we want to say? What do we need? How are we asking for it? How do we move forward? Most importantly, how far we have come and how far we can go?
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM	Steps in Time: Weaving Cultural Memory and Urban Space This session will explore Dance Educator Cristin Carole's and Urban Planner Jenna Pollack's trust-based partnership, research methodologies, and the importance of centering Black perspectives through practices of deep care. Together, they reveal the histories and counterhistories of Chicago dance woven through SDST's living legacy.
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM	Welcoming Refugees and Immigrants Into the Local Dance Ecosystem In this panel, individuals from Dance Peace and its affiliates discuss what support can look like for refugees and immigrants in dance. What can integration look like in dance education, festivals, and professional dance ecosystems? With Chicago as an example, panelists explore the importance of opportunities in dance across the refugee and immigrant experience.
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM	Dance/USA Staff Session
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM	Embodying Shared Leadership Participants will engage in movement, but previous dance experience is not required. The workshop focuses on the wisdom of the body with activities that can help reveal patterns and behaviors in leadership from an embodied perspective, giving an alternative viewpoint regarding relationships, communication, and diverse leadership styles.
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM	SmArt Bar SmArt Bar sessions are one-on-one consultations between Conference participants and industry leaders (or 'SmArt Bar Bartenders') who give their expertise in service of their fellow dance makers and cultural workers.
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM	Break and Travel Time Take a moment to recharge, connect with fellow attendees, or prepare for your next session. Check the conference app for your next destination and allow enough time to navigate between venues.
3:30 PM - 4:30 PM	Dance Performances Experience the vibrant artistry of Chicago-based dancers and choreographers. These exclusive performances showcase the city's diverse dance landscape, featuring dynamic works that celebrate innovation, tradition, and the power of movement. Check the conference app for the performance schedule and artist details.
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM	Dance/USA Exchange Circle for the Member Community
June 20
9:00 AM - 2:00 PM	Concierge Desk Visit the Concierge Desk—your central hub for information! Stop by to ask questions, learn about accessibility services, sign up for Dine Arounds and Informal Sessions, and explore things to do in Chicago.
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM	Council and Affinity Group Meetings

HOTEL: Palmer House a Hilton Hotel (17 E Monroe St, Chicago, IL 60603)

REGISTRATION: Palmer House, 6th Floor

SESSION/PERFORMANCE LOCATION #1: Roosevelt University (430 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60605)
SESSION/PERFORMANCE LOCATION #2: Chicago Cultural Center (78 E Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602

Health and Covid-19 Policy

The health and safety of all in-person attendees is of great importance to Dance/USA. Prior to any in-person event, we strongly recommend that all eligible attendees receive the most updated COVID-19 vaccines and boosters per current CDC guidance. Attendees should engage in social events to the extent of their own comfort in doing so and should recognize that there are inherent risks when traveling to and participating in in-person events.

For Dance/USA’s 2025 National Conference June 17 – 20 in Chicago, IL, we highly recommend attendees are fully vaccinated; however, being vaccinated is not required for attendance. Wearing a mask is optional. If you feel safer with a mask, you may wear one. Please note that Dance/USA will not provide masks, so if you plan to wear one, be sure to bring your own.

If you do not feel well for any reason and/or have exhibited symptoms of COVID-19 in the previous 7 days, and/or have been in contact with someone with COVID-19 in the previous 7 days, please take care of yourself, stay home, and do not attend any Conference related events.

If you develop COVID-19 symptoms while at our event, test yourself. We recommend packing at home rapid tests. If you test positive, please do not return to any events. Caring for the collective health and safety of everyone in attendance at an in-person event and mitigating risk is highly imperative.

Should a positive case be detected during our event, attendees will be notified. Scheduled sessions and events will continue to take place as possible, but attendees should take appropriate precautions that prioritize their individual health and safety.

We deeply appreciate your adherence with these protocols to prioritize the well-being of everyone in our community.

Dance/USA closely monitors the CDC’s travel guidelines as well as state and city guidelines. These protocols may be revised, at any time, as Dance/USA deems appropriate or advisable based on local or national conditions.

If you have any COVID-19 protocol questions or need assistance, please email nationalconference@danceusa.org.

Cancellation and refund requests for the Dance/USA 2025 National Conference must be submitted, in writing, by email to nationalconference@danceusa.org by May 5, 2025. A $75 cancellation fee will apply to each individual registration. For example, If you are registering your team and need to cancel each registration, a $75 fee will apply to each team member registered. Online registration fees will not be refunded after May 5, 2025.

Code of Conduct

Dance/USA is dedicated to making all members of the dance community feel welcome and safe during all of our programming, whether in person or virtual. Dance/USA is committed to honoring, nurturing, and advancing dance through the lens of diversity, inclusion, and equity in all aspects of its programming, services, and organization. We encourage creative workers and dance professionals attending Dance/USA events and programs to be sensitive to and aware of issues related to equity, inclusion, and diversity.

We are dedicated to providing a safe and harassment-free experience for ALL involved in Dance/USA programming. This includes but is not limited to members of the Dance/USA team, Dance/USA board, those apart of our member community, program participants, presenters and host venue. Harassment or offensive behavior (which may include slurs, epithets, sexual advances, discrimination, demeaning comments, exclusion from participation, comments on appearance or disability and threats) will not be tolerated. If you find yourself in a situation where you feel your safety is at risk, or you bear witness to harassment or offensive behavior, please immediately visit the registration table or seek out a member of the Dance/USA team. Dance/USA will investigate all incidents reported with discretion, confidentiality, and urgency. Dance/USA reserves the right to revoke, without refund, access to all future programming and/or access to Dance/USA’s member community.

We invite you to participate in our programming with an open-mind, integrity, honesty, curiosity, and respect.

Cancellation Policy

Join us for a Dance for PD® Introductory Training Workshop

For dancers, dance teachers, students, therapists, and allied health professionals. Friday, June 20 and Saturday, June 21, 2025. Joffrey Ballet studios, Chicago, IL.

presented by Mark Morris Dance Group, in partnership with The Joffrey Ballet and in association with Dance/USA and the Dance/USA National Conference

Workshop highlights

Receive training in an acclaimed global program that helps people with Parkinson's experience the joys and benefits of dance.

► Learn best practices and evidence-based methods from expert Dance for PD teaching artists.

► Hone your teaching skills.

► Deepen your knowledge with our specially-created modules and acclaimed interactive sessions.

► Become part of a global network of passionate instructors in 30 countries.

► Participate in a live Dance for Parkinson's community class with members of the Chicago Parkinson's community.

This workshop is specially scheduled in tandem with the Dance/USA 2025 National Conference in Chicago - attend the conference and then stay on for the training workshop.

"A dynamic workshop and a fabulous life experience. I could not have been more pleased with time well spent.”—Dance for PD workshop trainee

"Dance for PD® is a hands-down success. It’s one of the most important programs for Parkinson’s disease in the country."—Mary Ellen Thibodeau, RN, RI Chapter of the American Parkinson Disease Association

We invite you to apply via the button on the homepage. When you register for the conference, you'll receive a special coupon code for $50 off Dance for PD training!

In June 2025, Dance/USA’s National Conference will return to Chicago for the first time since 2011. Over 500 cultural workers will gather to hear from leaders from across the dance ecosystem.

The 2025 Conference is designed to connect the nation’s dance community through engaging and illuminating sessions and workshops. Attendees participate in challenging conversations, address shared problems, and leave with practical skills and innovative ideas that help advance their work.

The Dance/USA Conference attracts a broad range of dance professionals, including:

Independent Artists
Dance Presenters
Agents and Artist Representatives
Education and Service Providers
Executive Directors
Artistic Directors
Company Managers
Fundraisers
Marketing Staff and more!

A sponsorship with Dance/USA for the 2025 Conference offers robust benefits, including:

• Unparalleled access and exposure to over 500 of the dance field’s administrators, artists, representatives, and service providers

• Enhanced brand awareness though alignment with the nation’s premiere dance service organization

• Extensive visibility, including logo placement on digital and print conference materials

• Complimentary tickets to the Honors and Welcoming Soiree and complimentary registration for the Conference

By partnering with Dance/USA, you are supporting the dance ecosystem.

To enroll as a 2025 Conference Sponsor, please contact Director of Advancement Raechel Hofsteadter at 202.595.6822 or rhofsteadter@danceusa.org.