NCDEO Conference 2026

Rooted and Rising: Building an Inclusive and Resilient Future for Dance Education

Welcome to the NCDEO 2026 Conference: Rooted and Rising!

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Saturday, February 21, 2026

Elon University, Elon, NC

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Presented by NCDEO in collaboration with Elon University Dance Program in the Department of Performing Arts

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Call for Proposals to follow in October '25

Registration opens in November '25

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This day-long conference provides a premier professional development opportunity for North Carolina dance educators from diverse dance teaching and cultural contexts. We look forward to welcoming you for a day of in-person dance and dialogue as we connect, move, and collectively strategize ways in which dance continues to demonstrate imagination and innovation.

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How might dance in NC look different in the next year, five years, ten years? 

How are students changing, and how might our pedagogical approaches evolve to meet their needs in 2026 and beyond?

How will technological advances continue to influence dance education?

How might we maintain a commitment to DEI initiatives in the current political climate?

What is the role of dance/art-making during challenging times?

What is the importance of grounding ourselves in tradition as we look toward the future?

How can we build on the ideas of those teachers who came before us? 

What is the importance of acknowledging the past while envisioning the future?