Bustling halls of colleagues, dedicated to bop training identical to you, new studying, and offers and extra abounding…that is the Dance Trainer Internet (DTW) Convention and Expo. What one may even feasibly expertise over the weekend solely scratches the floor of what’s obtainable.
The 2025 convention, to be held July 21-25, in Las Vegas, will present what the occasion has offered for years, in addition to many new and thrilling choices. World-wide neighborhood and attunement to the realities of 2025 – in each challenges and improvements – shall be a guiding gentle by means of all of it.
Dance Informa spoke with DTW Founders Steve Sirico and Angela D’Valda Sirico to be taught extra about all of it. Let’s dance!
What’s constant
As at all times, this yr there are two important tracks of studying: enterprise and pedagogy. Members can combine and match learnings as fits their wants and pursuits. With seven periods taking place concurrently on the convention, lacking issues is inevitable.
Fortunately contributors can catch all convention programming by means of the DTW app, as much as six months after the convention (and, enjoyable truth, DTW was the primary dance convention to launch an app). “At a sure level, attendees hit data overload, even when they’re loving it – and it’s useful to evaluate at a later level,” Sirico explains. They will additionally select explicit lectures or lessons which might be notably pertinent to their present wants, questions, et cetera as educators and enterprise house owners.
As for pedagogy, the convention has at all times supplied programming on each conventional and newer, up-and-coming kinds – and that continues this yr, notes D’Valda Sirico. World-class school will lead this programming. This yr, attendees can practice with Allison Burke, Courtney Ortiz, Faliceano Turk, Cara Dixon and much past. With respect to enterprise, all registrants will obtain a complimentary enterprise audit useful resource – which studios can use to “fine-tune their advertising,” explains Sirico.
The convention’s Dance Trainer College program additionally continues this yr – providing extra specialised coaching (reminiscent of particularly kinds), which registrants can mix with common convention programming. It’s additionally a certificates program; registrants obtain a Degree 1 certification, which they’ll construct to a Degree 2 certification, nearly – on their very own timing.
The convention may also maintain a breakfast for first-time attendees. “First-timers,” particularly these coming alone, is usually a little nervous – and an opportunity to attach over breakfast might help make new pals, D’Valda Sirico believes. A lot of these pals turn into life-long, she provides.
Weissman shall be again with a fancy dress vogue present this yr, providing reductions of as much as 30%. “It’s at all times a convention spotlight,” Sirico says. But fairly than paired with breakfast, their sequins and tulle will include a cocktail blissful hour, he notes. “We attempt to deliver some humor, enjoyable, and levity to all of it as properly,” D’Valda Sirico shares.
…and what’s model new
This yr’s convention theme is neighborhood, and there’s a cornucopia of contemporary choices aligning with that theme. Shows on wellness – that of academics, college students and all concerned in studio life – will tackle rising areas of focus reminiscent of dancer psychological well being.
New additionally this yr is a pre-conference session, led by Terri Mangiarotti and referred to as “Formulate, Facilitate, Consider.” The session focuses on a useful resource that each one convention attendees will obtain: a calendar pre-filled with essential dates and processes all through the dance studio yr, reminiscent of deadlines for gathering costume measurements and recital music from school.
“It’s a blueprint that academics can construct on and edit,” Sirico notes – therefore “consider” (studio house owners can change issues for the upcoming yr in the event that they discover one thing within the calendar didn’t work properly for his or her studio, for example).
DTW can also be beginning a podcast, and there shall be reside episode recordings on the convention, each with reside audiences and within the on-site “Dance Trainer Internet Studio.” These reside recordings will deal with academics reaching significant milestones and/or with notably thrilling issues within the works. That may deliver some nice publicity, visibility, and multi-purpose content material for these people, Sirico notes.
Extra usually, over time, the podcast will launch two weekly episodes, offering informative conversations with all types of friends, from everywhere in the trade. That shall be costume firm house owners to registration software program builders to curriculum consultants…you title it, it’s attainable, says Sirico.
DTW is adapting its choices in these methods, in addition to providing programming that’s attuned to the methods college students are altering on this more and more screen-based world, D’Valda Sirico underscores. The purpose is to assist academics face the methods wherein social issues affect the dance classroom.
Ahead from right here
Dance Informa spoke with Sirico and D’Valda Sirico quickly after their workers’s annual staff assembly. “We’ve got an excellent staff, at all times asking ‘what can we do higher?’” Sirico says. “twelve months a yr, we’re centered on dance trainer growth and dance studio enterprise success…I believe that’s helped propel us ahead, that focus.”
D’Valda Sirico notes that “we’ve got a real persevering with training focus; everywhere in the world, academics can rapidly and simply entry 18 years of content material, at any time…dance trainer life shouldn’t be a 9-5!” On the finish of the day, it’s actually concerning the affect on college students, she underscores. “That’s what’s actually common, and we do our greatest to broaden that affect.”
The 2025 Dance Trainer Internet Convention and Expo shall be held in Las Vegas, from July 21-25 and Dance Informa can’t wait to be part of it. To register and for extra data, go to www.danceteachersummerexpo.com.
By Kathryn Boland of Dance Informa.
