Art Chowder January | February, Issue 25 | Page 37

B
ut the endowment is only part of it. Now
the 2020 Northwest Regional Conference
of the American College Dance Association
(ACDA), a national organization dating back
to 1971, is coming to Spokane.
According to its mission statement, “The
American College Dance Association
exists to support and affirm dance in higher
education through regional conferences,
the adjudication process, and national
festivals. The educational mission of the
Association is to foster creative potential;
to honor multiple approaches to scholarly
and creative research and activity; to
promote excellence in choreography and/or
performance; and to give presence and value
to diversity in dance. The Association acts as
a national membership service organization
to strengthen the educational network for
students and faculty within the academic
dance community.”
Its members are divided into 13 regions
comprising all 50 states. From March
11to14, 2020, the Northwest Region (Alaska,
Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah,
Washington, and Wyoming) will hold its
annual conference at Gonzaga University,
the first since 2005 in Washington State
and first time ever in Spokane. The
conference, representing 25 universities,
offers opportunities for mutual exchange
between students and professors through
master classes, scholarly presentations,
feedback sessions and hands-on studio work.
Lending their expertise as guest artists and
adjudicators are some pretty big players in
professional dance — and their public service
record is pretty impressive, too!
Mark Morris, acclaimed choreographer
and artistic director, returns to his native
Washington State with the Mark Morris
Dance Group, a company of touring dancers
and musicians, to open this year’s Northwest
ACDA conference.
Dance Presents! Gonzaga University Repertory Dance Company dancers performing a work
by Forthun+Rome that they will present at ACDA Conference in March
photo: Brett Bean
Mark Morris Dance Group
Scenes from “Grand Duo,” which will be presented at the ACDA Conference.
photo: Nan Melville Photography
January | February 2020
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