Dear Hudson Valley and Capital Region Dance Community:
We are dance educators working to build community for dance artists of all ages. We hope to share ideas, offer resources, and learn from one another. Our goal with this event is to provide young artists with a way to grow their artistic practice and connect them to dance professionals in the region.
On Saturday, November 4, 2023, we hosted the first annual Student Dance Summit at the beautiful Kaatsbaan Cultural Park in Tivoli, New York. This free, day-long event offered students ages 8 – 18 years dance workshops, a community dancemaking experience and a performance. Five student works were performed along with an ensemble dance and a community dance created during the Summit.
On March 8, 2025 the Student Dance Summit returned! 42 students enjoyed a day of dance with workshops, tech rehearsals, and a community dance. Youth artists this year who presented their original choreographic works were paired with mentors from our team for feedback and coaching. With representation from 10 local dance studios and 1 public school, the event brought together dancers from across the Hudson Valley region.
We hope you will join us again in March 2026 (Date to be confirmed) for the third Student Dance Summit. Check this website for updates and deadlines:
Tentative date to submit choreography - December 20, 2025
Final Registration date for the summit - February 25, 2026
We are thankful to Kaatsbaan Cultural Park for hosting us again in their beautiful facility.
This project is made possible with funds from the New York State Legislature and administered by Arts Mid-Hudson.
Why a "Student Dance Summit"?
How do you become a choreographer?
You need to make dances. You need the opportunity to work with bodies in space and time. Just like the practice needed to become a dancer, one needs to practice to become a dancemaker.
How do you build community?
Dance, as an art form, requires community. Whether that community is found at a local studio, or among friends who dance, or in your school, connected communities provide opportunities for creative inspiration and collaboration. Dancing together, learning together, creating together and performing together are all ways we strengthen our bonds as dancers and artmakers.
Advocating for a strong dance community:
We are dance educators and artists working across sectors who want to cultivate a stronger dance community in our region. Some of us own and/or work in private studios, some work in the Elementary/Secondary school environment, and some are itinerant teaching artists. Our mission is to support and nurture young dancemakers in our communities and to provide opportunities for them to learn together and share their work with each other. The Student Dance Summit event offers young dancers a day of learning with Hudson Valley and Capital Region dancers and provides youth choreographers an opportunity to share their work with peers from around the region.
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