Art Chowder January | February, Issue 25

Mark Morris Dance Group Scene from a recent performance of “Sport” at Jacob’s Pillow, Massachusetts, 2019 photo: Christopher Duggan The conference is open to a maximum of 600 participants and volunteers. The schedule includes a wide variety of classes held by faculty members from participating schools, but the core of the conference is the adjudication process. From a total maximum of 44 pieces, each school may submit two dances for adjudication, one of which must be choreographed by a student. Each dance must not be longer than 12 minutes. Each of these is later followed by Feedback sessions, which allow performers and choreographers to hear analysis by the adjudicators and insights on the strengths and weaknesses of their work. In an effort to keep this as objective as possible, the adjudicators are given minimal information in advance; they are not told if the choreography is by a student or faculty. Only students may perform. The ACDA “Dance as Service” adjudicators will select 12 pieces to be performed again at a Gala Concert on the final night of the conference, this time allowing contestants to have had a chance to refine their works. From these, two will be chosen to perform among some 30 schools at the biennial ACDA National Dance Festival, normally held at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Because of booking conflicts, the 2020 Festival will be held at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center at California State University, Long Beach. The adjudicators are Stefanie Batten Bland, a choreographic artist, film maker, and artistic director of Company SBB; Zvi Gotheiner, violinist, choreographer, ballet teacher, and artistic director of ZviDance, and Robert Moses, faculty member at Stanford Dance Center and founder of the RMK Dance Company. Attendance at the Northwest Regional American College Dance Association Conference is open to ACDA members and non-members. The Northwest “Dance as Service” Conference runs from mid-morning Wednesday, March 11 through Saturday evening, March 14 and ends with a Gala Concert and reception. Classes are offered each day along with both informal and adjudicated concerts in both theater tech and dance performance; however schedules may change as the date draws near. Cost for non-member registration before December 16 is $180. Cost for non-members after December 16 is $205. A processing fee of $10 will be applied to each registrant. For an overview of the conference, scheduling, and registration information, please visit the Gonzaga University website at https://www. gonzaga.edu/american-college-dance-association- conference/ January | February 2020 39

Art Chowder January | February, Issue 25 | Page 39