Higher-Education Association
American College Dance Association
The largest network for dance in U.S. higher education
Best For
College and university dance programs presenting concert work and connecting nationally
Overview
ACDA is the only nationwide service organization specifically for college and university dance programs. It runs eleven regional conferences each year and a biennial National College Dance Festival, where student-choreographed work is adjudicated by leading professional artists and the strongest pieces are invited to perform at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
History
Founded in 1973 as the American College Dance Festival Association (ACDFA) by a group of college dance educators seeking a national forum for student work.
Rebranded to American College Dance Association (ACDA) in 2014 to reflect its broader year-round mission beyond the festival itself.
The National College Dance Festival has been hosted at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts since 1981 — every two years, the regional adjudicators' top picks perform there.
Now serves 400+ member institutions in the United States across eleven geographic regions (Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, East, South, Southeast, North Central, Central, Mid-States, West, Northwest, and Pacific).
Governance & Structure
501(c)(3) nonprofit governed by a national Board of Directors elected by member institutions.
Each of the eleven regions has a Regional Director who coordinates that region's annual conference.
Adjudication panels are typically three professional dance artists per region, rotated annually to prevent insular judging.
Competition Structure
Eleven regional conferences run annually (spring semester), each hosted on a member-institution campus.
At each regional, member colleges submit student-choreographed pieces for adjudication; top pieces are selected for the regional Gala Concert.
Every two years, regional adjudicators nominate the strongest works to the National College Dance Festival at the Kennedy Center.
ACDA is an adjudicated festival, not a competition with rankings — feedback and exposure are the awarded outcomes, not placements.
Key Programs
Regional Conferences
Annual three-to-four-day conferences hosted on college campuses, featuring adjudicated student work, master classes, panel discussions, and the regional Gala Concert.
National College Dance Festival
Biennial gathering at the Kennedy Center showcasing pieces nominated from the eleven regional Gala Concerts.
Membership Programs
Institutional and individual membership tiers supporting faculty development, student travel grants, and choreographic commissions.
Membership & Access
Institutional membership is open to U.S. colleges and universities offering dance programs. Individual memberships are available to faculty and students at member institutions. Annual dues fund regional operations and the national festival.
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