Illinois Dance Education Organization - ILDEO

The wondrous educators of Illinois in motion. Great to be together. Three cheers for a great 2024 Illinois Dance Education Organization - ILDEO conference. Thanks for having us !

Photos of “Movement + Mndfulness” Workshop by .

Meet the newly elected Illinois Dance Education Organization - ILDEO board members!

You'll be able to meet them at the ILDEO Conference this weekend at the University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign. https://www.ildeo.org/conference-2024

ILDEO invites dance educators from around the state of Illinois to join together this weekend March 9-10, 2024 at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign!

LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER for the Illinois Dance Education Organization - ILDEO state-wide dance education conference!
https://www.ildeo.org/conference-2024

ILDEO invites dance educators from around the state of Illinois to join together this weekend March 9-10, 2024 at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign!

ARE YOU REGISTERED? There's only 1 week until the Illinois Dance Education Organization - ILDEO state-wide dance education conference.

ILDEO invites dance educators from around the state of Illinois to join together March 9-10, 2024 at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign!

REGISTER TODAY!
https://www.ildeo.org/conference-2024

Meet 2024 Conference Presenters, Krishna Thomas and Antoine R. Thomas!

Register Today https://www.ildeo.org/conference-2024

Krishna Thomas considers herself a lifelong learner and tap enthusiast. With over 17 years in higher education, she brings a wealth of experience and a passion for learning to everything she does. As the director of the Center for Teaching & Learning at Parkland College, Krishna is deeply committed to mentoring and learner-centered pedagogy, values that align seamlessly with dance education. Krishna's love for tap and early childhood dance shines through in her role as a studio owner. Her favorite age group to teach is the 2–6-year-olds, where she delights in sharing the joy of dance with her young students. Beyond teaching, Krishna plays a vital role in her studio by recruiting, training, and retaining quality educators. A lifelong love of learning fuels her work, with the goal of inspiring both students and teachers to thrive.

Originally from NY, Antoine R. Thomas has been performing, creating, directing and teaching dance for two decades, and has extensive experience in working with both adults and children. He has owned and operated the DanceLife Center since 2010, with two locations in Illinois, and a third in St. Louis. Despite the demands of managing three studios and a faculty of 16, Antoine remains deeply connected to his art. He still finds time to share his expertise, teaching ballet and hip-hop classes and lending his creative vision to schools and dance communities. For Antoine, dance is more than just movement—it's a transformative experience that has the power to change lives. His mission is to make this experience accessible to all, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to discover the joy and fulfillment that dance can bring. With degrees from Eastern Illinois University and a background in instructional technology, Antoine combines his love for dance with a keen understanding of how to effectively teach and inspire others.

ARE YOU REGISTERED?!?! There’s only 2 weeks left to go until the state-wide dance education conference.

ILDEO invites dance educators from around the state of Illinois to join together for the next State-wide Conference on Dance Education: March 9-10, 2024 at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign! We are looking forward to all of the sessions and to the Happy Hour networking event on the Saturday. This is going to be good!

REGISTER TODAY!
https://www.ildeo.org/conference-2024

ARE YOU REGISTERED?!?! There’s only 3 weeks left to go until the state-wide dance education conference.

ILDEO invites dance educators from around the state of Illinois to join together for the next State-wide Conference on Dance Education: March 9-10, 2024 at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign!

REGISTER TODAY!
https://www.ildeo.org/conference-2024

Meet 2024 Conference Presenter, Rubén Pachas!

Register Today https://www.ildeo.org/conference-2024

Rubén Pachas is a Peruvian Indigenous Dance Teacher, Social Justice Arts performances producer, Choreographer, Dancer, and drum musician. Pachas has been teaching abroad and in the US since 2004. His love of indigenous dance started at age 5 when in Peru his parents showed him their traditions and later, he was dancing in “Matices Peruanos - Folk Cultural institution”. He has been doing dance research and field work since 1993 in different indigenous regions such as the Andes, coast, and jungle. He received a BA in Arts Education from Dance from National Higher Education School of Folklore “Jose Maria Arguedas” Mayor in Peruvian Folk Dance in Minor in Education in Peru in 2002 and recently he obtained his Master of Arts in Arts Education from School of the Arts Institute of Chicago (SAIC) focusing on Teaching Peruvian Indigenous Dance to Non- Indigenous People for cultural values in 2020.

Pachas began teaching indigenous dance to his classmates in his last year of high school. His students won the Peruvian Folk Dance National Champion three consecutive years 1999, 2000, 2001. When he arrived in the USA, he taught in the Chicago Public Schools for 13 years teaching and producing the Intercultural Latin-American Dance program for many elementary schools, a project from National Louis University and America Baila Arts organization having 150 students on the stage with different cultures from Latin-American. He also was Dance Professor in Symposiums and Continuous Training Courses as Waukegan Public School, ARTECH and COHORT projects ( Arts and technologies projects) from 2004 until 2019, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign at the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies 2022 and 2023, Oak Park District 97 at Dance Training to Music Department Staff and Dominican University Performing Arts Center. Pachas is Fine Arts and Spanish teacher at St. Roberts Bellarmine school in Chicago and Spanish teacher at St. John Brebeuf school in Niles. He is the founder together with Jessica Loyaga of the Center of Peruvian Arts which was previously the Peruvian Folk Dance Center.

Meet 2024 Conference Presenters, M.K. Victorson and Elisa Foshay!

Register Today https://www.ildeo.org/conference-2024

M.K. Victorson is the Dance Content Specialist for the Chicago Public Schools Department of Arts Education. M.K.’s arts education career extends from dance studios to arts organizations to 15 years in the pre-K–8 classroom. At Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, M.K. worked in the education and youth programs and helped to develop the Autism Project. She is a two-time recipient of the Fund for Teachers Fellowship for professional development. Her passion for continuing education has led her to the National Dance Institute, Luna Dance Institute, and the Dance Education Laboratory (DEL). M.K. is a recent graduate of the DEL Institute and a certified DEL facilitator. She holds an MFA in dance from Smith College, and an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Elisa Foshay (she/her) discovered her passion for dance in her teens through competitive ballroom dancing. Through Ballroom Elisa found Modern dance, and went on to earn a BA in Dance from Columbia College Chicago and a MFA in Choreography with K-12 licensure in Dance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Elisa spent over a decade balancing her career as a performer and choreographer while teaching in studio, community and residency-based school settings. She has shared her love of dance with students aged 18 months-98 years. Since diving into teaching full-time in 2014, Elisa has established the dance program at Jones College Prep and cultivated partnerships with local and national arts organizations. Elisa has sought further avenues to support the growth of dance education through her service as an Arts Instructional Specialist for CPS and a new teacher mentor for the National Dance Education Organization and IAHPERD. She was honored to be the IAHPERD Dance Teacher of the Year in 2020 and the SHAPE America Midwest District Dance TOY in 2022. In the summers, you can find Elisa teaching at Interlochen Arts Camp, spending time with her family and enjoying the outdoors.

Meet 2024 Conference Presenter, Emily Stein!

Register Today https://www.ildeo.org/conference-2024

Emily Stein is a veteran of Chicago’s dance scene, dancing, choreographing, and teaching. She is currently on the faculty of the Dance Center of Columbia College where she teaches Ballet Technique, Experiential Anatomy, and Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement®, and she teaches in the Adult Open Division of the Joffrey Academy of Ballet. Her teaching career has encompassed professional and private studios, as well as higher education. Her ongoing interest in the evolution of ballet inspired her choreographic series “Secret Experiments in Ballet,” which plays in the intersection of ballet and improvisation. In 2012 she co-founded BalletLab Chicago with Paige Caldarella, to share their research and dialog with the broader dance community. From 1993 to 2011, she danced and choreographed with Zephyr Dance, performing and presenting her choreography locally and nationally. She holds BA from the University of Iowa, an MFA from Smith College, and is a Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner.

Meet 2024 Conference Presenter, Garley 'GiGi Tonye' Briggs!

Register Today https://www.ildeo.org/conference-2024

Garley 'GiGi Tonye' Briggs, a Nigerian-American, is best known for her infectious energy and joyful expressions. A woman of faith, mother, and lover of movement arts, health, and wellness, GiGi has been featured on CBS News, Fox 32 News and more. She is the Founder | CEO of GiGi Tonye' Arts & Fitness - a revolutionary mobile dance and fitness studio, as well as the creator of the first Dance and Wellness™ Hub and Fitness and Wellness™ Hub in Chicago.

Bringing together her passion for dance, health, and wellness, GiGi fuses these elements through a lens of clinical care. With a Masters in Health Care Administration and over 15 years of experience in health administration and clinical patient care, she also holds certification in Creative Dance from Luna Dance Institute. As a professional dancer, choreographer, and dance educator with over 10+ years of experience, GiGi is a multi-year member of the National Dance Education Organization, International Sports Sciences Association, Medical Fitness Association and more! Her talent has graced many stages as a lead dancer and Zumba® instructor, including the Millennium Park Summer Workouts 2019-2023, Chicago Parent Conference, American Diabetes Association, and Bantu Fest, among others.Her leadership achievements include being the recipient of Bapson College's Black Women Entrepreneurial Leadership Award and being an alumni of Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program. But GiGi's impact goes beyond just dance and fitness - through her multi-year partnerships with clients like Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, Chicago Public Schools, and Forest Preserves of Cook County, she is making a unique positive change in the arts, health and wellness of organizations, communities, families, and individuals globally.

Meet 2024 Conference Presenter, Dyanna Daniels!

Register Today https://www.ildeo.org/conference-2024

Dyanna Daniels received her MFA in Choreography from Jacksonville University. She is an adjunct professor at North Central College, Dominican and Aurora University as well as a teaching artist at The Paramount School of Arts. Dyanna teaches Hip Hop, Dance for Social Justice, Hip Hop Philosophy, Musical Theatre Dance, Jazz, Somatics, Dance History, Choreography, and Contemporary. In addition to teaching, she has choreographed musicals and co-directed devised dance productions at the university level. Dyanna is also the owner of DLD Dance Center, a primarily Hip-Hop studio in the suburbs of Chicago. Educating dancers on the history, culture, and technique of Hip Hop dance is of the utmost importance to her pedagogy.

Meet 2024 Conference Presenter, Erica Hornthal!

Register Today https://www.ildeo.org/conference-2024

Erica Hornthal, a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and Board-Certified Dance/Movement Therapist, has many years of experience working with clients from all walks of life. Erica attended graduate school for Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling, where she was inspired to bring somatics, movement, body awareness, and mindfulness into the psychotherapeutic relationship. While Erica has a passion for somatic work, she is also trained and well versed in traditional psychotherapy interventions. Her style is person-centered, cognitive behavioral, experiential, and trauma-informed. Erica tailors her approach to each client and understands that each individual has unique circumstances that bring them into treatment. She has experience in working with anxiety and mood disorders, cognitive and movement disorders, as well as challenging life transitions, attachment wounds, trauma, caregiving, grief and loss. Erica recently published the award-winning book, Body Aware, and is releasing another publication in March 2024.

Meet 2024 Conference Presenter, Shireen Dickson!

Register Today https://www.ildeo.org/conference-2024

Shireen Dickson has worked in dance and arts education for over 20 years – as a performer, teaching artist, lecturer, curriculum developer, and NYC Dept of Education classroom teacher. Her performance experience spans from a teen National Tap Ensemble member to professional cheerleading for the NBA to Equity, Off-Broadway and ‘experimental’ and improvisational theater. She performed with and assisted award-winning choreographer Dianne McIntyre for 10 years, performing and teaching at such venues including the National Black Arts Festival, The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, The American Dance Festival, and Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, among numerous other theaters, festivals and universities. Shireen was the founding Community Engagement Director for both MacArthur winner Elizabeth Streb’s SLAM and Dance Parade NY, and currently consults on culturally- and community-responsible arts-based projects nationwide. Since 2010 Shireen has directed OKRA Dance, which presents African and American diasporic dance and world rhythmic forms in schools, libraries, museums and festivals throughout the US. Shireen is a founding executive board member of the Collegium for African Diaspora Dance based at Duke University and directed their bi-annual conference for 10 years. Shireen moved to Chicago in fall 2022 and is currently a full-time research associate at Northwestern University managing SLIPPAGE Lab (an anti-racist, proto-feminist and queer-affirming interdisciplinary performance research group that explores connections between performance, history, theater, and emergent technology) and mentors classroom teachers in arts integration via the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago.

As we say farewell to the year on 123123, it’s a great time to waltz into 2024 with a refreshed commitment to our students and our teaching practice.

ILDEO invites dance educators from around the state of Illinois to join together for the next State-wide Conference on Dance Education: March 9-10, 2024 at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign!

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!
https://www.ildeo.org/conference-2024

ILDEO is excited to invite dance educators around the state of Illinois to submit proposals for the next ILDEO State-wide Conference on Dance Education: March 9-10, 2024, graciously hosted by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign!

Submission Deadline EXTENDED: Friday, December 15, 2023 at 11:59pm CT

https://www.ildeo.org/conferenceproposals

SAVE THE DATE🗓🖊

ILDEO’s Inaugural Conference is happening March 18th & 19th in 2023!💥

Come meet and greet with statewide professionals and walk away feeling refreshed and motivated to teach what we love most… DANCE.

This year, Elmhurst College has graciously offered to host this event.

Keep a look out👀 for proposal and sponsorship opportunities.

Have questions? Email [email protected] to learn more.

Come visit the ILDEO table and meet Chicago’s vibrant dance community today!

https://bit.ly/chidancesummit

🔅TOMORROW🔅

Join us tomorrow at Incite Dance Center in Skokie, Illinois at 5pm for our next event: TEACHING METHODS FOR GENDER NEUTRAL SPACES

Reserve your ticket here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/teaching-methods-for-gender-neutral-spaces-tickets-300752016377?ref=estw

Meet one of our facilitators, Kaitlin Webster of Incite Dance Center:

Kaitlin Webster (she/they) is a Chicago-based choreographer, teacher, dancer and new studio owner! She founded Incite Dance Center less than a year ago with her wife Kayla Ginsburg and currently boasts 185 students with 9 of the best faculty around. Kaitlin holds a BFA in Performance and Choreography from Cornish College of the Arts where she performed works by Robert Battle and Merce Cunningham. Highlights of her professional career include assisting commercial classes in LA, seven years as a Company Member for Chicago Dance Crash (Rehearsal Director for the last two), and touring internationally in Kobe, Japan. She is now a director of Boulder Dance Workshop and continues to choreograph on Chicago companies. Her vast experience of the dance world has helped develop her athletic, powerful, and distinctive style. As a dance educator for over 10 years, Kaitlin teaches her students to have deep respect for the history of dance, themselves, and each other. She is passionate about training the next generation of dancers to change the world!

Don’t miss our next event THIS Friday at 5pm at Incite Dance Center 🗓

Tickets are pay what you can (FREE for ILDEO members)
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/teaching-methods-for-gender-neutral-spaces-tickets-300752016377?ref=estw

Meet one of our facilitators, Wade Schaaf of Chicago Repertory Ballet.

Wade Schaaf (they/them) hails from the Chicago area and graduated Cum Laude from Northern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in theater arts (emphasis dance performance). During their professional career Wade danced for multiple companies including the Ohio Ballet, State Street Ballet Santa Barbara, The Omaha Theater Ballet, Thodos Dance Chicago, and River North Chicago Dance Company. During their time dancing, Wade worked with numerous choreographers like Septime Weber, Stephen Mills, Frank Chaves, Laurie Stallings, and the Tony Award winning choreographer Ann Reinking. Wade had the privilege to dance such roles as Tybalt in Robin Welche’s Romeo and Juliet, Snow King in Welche’s The Nutcracker, and Jonathan in Kennet Oberly’s “Dracula” as well, had the role of Mayor Carter Harrision set on him in the Thodos/Reinking collaboration, The White City.
After retiring from the stage, Wade went on to open Chicago Repertory Ballet in November of 2011. The company premiered to the headline review, “A Bright Debut for Chicago Repertory Ballet.” (Sid Smith, The Chicago Tribune). Since the debut of CRB Wade has created such exceptional works as, Le Sacre de Printemps, The Four Seasons and their full length ballet adaptation of Shakespeare’s MACBETH. Mx. Schaaf continues to steer the company through their vision of challenging our concept of ballet both in form and structure to create ‘dance that defies labels’.
Outside of the studio, Wade has a variety of interests ranging from visual art to health and wellness. Wade is certified in both the Pilates method (through Power Pilates) and RedCord, and is happy to enrich the lives of many through fitness.

Join us on Instagram Live today at 12:30pm for a sneak peek into our upcoming event, Teaching Methods for Gender Neutral Spaces, on April 29th.

Instagram.com/ILDanceEdOrg

Tickets for April 29th: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/300752016377

➡️HURRY⬅️

You only have until tomorrow night to fill this survey out AND be entered to win one of two $50 giftcards from Chicago Dance Supply (online orders available!).

It takes only 3 minutes!
Click the link below to start:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd0fyn6Z6BVnh6vrT0_gyIdGEpyHmmZFm74fy5OHehePdDoDw/viewform

➡️THANK YOU⬅️

A huge shout out and thank you to our amazing hosts tomorrow, The Puzzle Box and Silent Threat The Ultimate Dance Team. We are incredibly grateful to both hosts and the work they do to inspire dancers in Chicago’s vast and passionate community.

Please take a moment to check out, follow, and like both locations and we’ll see you tomorrow!

Still need tickets?
Buy them here: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/29458980407

We’re going live at 3pm today on Instagram.com/ILDanceEdOrg 🎉

Join us on Instagram THIS Saturday at 3pm for a sneak peek into our upcoming event on March 27th!

Instagram.com/ILDanceEdOrg

Join us on Instagram THIS Saturday at 3pm for a sneak peek into our upcoming event on March 27th!

Instagram.com/ILDanceEdOrg

🔴we need your help🔴

ILDEO will have it's first conference in the Spring of 2023. We would love to know what dance educators in Illinois would like to experience at the conference. Please help us create an amazing IL state conference.

Everyone who fills out the survey will have the opportunity to be entered in a drawing for a $50 gift certificate from Chicago Dance Supply. (Online orders accepted!)

Contest closes Sunday, April 3, 2022 at 11:59pm CT.

Eligibility: Contest is open to all dance educators based in Illinois, age 18 and over. ILDEO Members and Non-members are both eligible. One entry per person. Winners will be selected by random draw.

ILDEO Conference 2023 ILDEO will have it's first conference in the Spring of 2023. We would love to know what dance educators in Illinois would like to experience at the conference. Please help us create an amazing IL state conference. Everyone who fills out the survey will have the opportunity to be entered in a drawing...

Join us for our first event of 2022!🎉

Meet with fellow Illinois dance educators in discussion of the latest research, considerations, and best practices for competitive dancers.

Three Workshop Options:

🔹10am-12pm Northwest Side (Hosted by The Puzzle Box, 3360 N. Elston Ave., Chicago, IL 60618) with Michelle Loucadoux of Danscend: Mental Wellness for Dancers

🔹3-5pm South Side (Hosted by Silent Threat The Ultimate Dance Team, 460 E 75th St, Chicago, IL 60619) with Darius Parker.

🔹Recording Only - purchase access to the recording with any handout materials

Please email [email protected] for sliding scale tickets.

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/261490654587

Raffle ends 🔹tomorrow🔹 night!

Enter here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdpgtjL1L8pCZkt9ruXIGdtWlDFXUjSNPX2pU15m29jF-rvGQ/viewform

Don’t forget to enter our latest raffle!

The Illinois Dance Education Organization (ILDEO https://www.ildeo.org/) supports dance educators throughout the state of Illinois. To launch the new year, ILDEO is partnering with Youth Protection Advocates In Dance - YPAD to offer an exciting drawing.

Contest closes Monday, February 21, 2022 at 11:59pm CT.

1st Prize: FREE Registration to YPAD LIVE Certification! (worth $399)
2nd Prize: FREE Registration to YPAD Self-Paced Online Certification Course (worth $349)
3rd Prize: FREE ILDEO Annual Professional Membership - Individual (worth $50)

Eligibility: Contest is open to all dance educators based in Illinois, age 18 and over. ILDEO Members and Non-members are both eligible. One entry per person. Winners will be selected by random draw.

Enter here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdpgtjL1L8pCZkt9ruXIGdtWlDFXUjSNPX2pU15m29jF-rvGQ/viewform

Wait- We have a new president? Yes! Evelyn Sanchez has graciously been our President Elect for the past year to learn the in’s and out’s of the job from our former President, Laura Migas.

All of us here at ILDEO would like to take a moment to thank Laura for her time and dedication to this organization as both a founding member and a phenomenal leader. Your calming and consistent presence has created such a loving and growing community. We thank you immensely for all that you have done and continue to do for this organization and beyond.

Don’t worry! You will still see Laura involved in many aspects of ILDEO; including our 2023 Conference! But for now let’s give a warm welcome to Evelyn!

🔸2022 President’s Address🔸

Happy Lunar New Year ILDEO!

I wanted to first express my deepest gratitude for the opportunity to serve you as President of the ILDEO board. As we start off the new year and confront one of the greatest health challenges the world has ever seen, it's important to reflect on what we've lived through and the goals we'd like to accomplish in the year ahead. I want to share that one of the board's goals is to be a valuable part in the evolution of your professional careers while strengthening our dance community. I encourage you all to reach out to us if there's anything you feel we could improve on or that you would like to see of us this year. I also would like to thank Laura for her leadership, time, dedication and support by serving and building ILDEO. She is ensiling a smooth transition and I am excited to see her continue work with our board.

Best,
Evelyn

[Image Description: 1) Dark Teal backdrop with a dark red box and yellow line in the background. A woman with black hair and purple tips pushed to her right shoulder. She’s wearing a red top and black blazer while smiling with her teeth. Text reads: Evelyn Sanchez (in white), President’s Address (in yellow). 2) Dark teal backdrop. Presidents address typed in white with a smaller picture of woman described above. ILDEO Logo in white on right bottom corner.]