Pictured, from left, are Annie Petro, Claire Kois, Kristina Collier, MDE, Annabel Parker, Amy Clay, MDE, Deb Collier, MDE, Jeremy Plummer, Madison Stephen, Rosalyn Miller, Eliza Kuhn, Abigail Miller, Tiffany Moore, Alyson Owens, Grace Robison and Greta Parker

WARSAW – Faculty and students from Debra Collier’s School of Dance in Warsaw attended the Chicago National Association of Dance Masters’ annual Ballet Forum, Dance & More, Training School and Convention, held in Oak Brook, Ill.   Studio owner and CNADM Past President, Debra Collier, MDE, all of her faculty members and students ranging from novice to advanced, attended the various workshops to improve their skills in ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, contemporary and modern dance.  The attendees received instruction from a faculty of renowned dance professionals.

DCSD staff member, Claire Kois, was accepted into membership by the organization after successfully completing written and demonstrative testing in three disciplines of dance.  CNADM provides three levels of certifications where a teacher’s knowledge and competence as a dance educator are measured and qualified.  After attaining membership, teachers may then apply to become a Certified Dance Educator by completing 240 hours of teacher training, passing written and oral testing and submitting a DVD of themselves teaching.  Master Dance Educator certification may be acquired by an additional 160 hours of training and submission of a Teaching Portfolio.

“Teacher certification is important in our industry”, explains studio owner Debra Collier.  “It is essential to a child’s success in dance to have instructors that have been trained not just how to dance, but how to teach.  The CNADM certification program assures an instructor has the ability to teach with a progressive curriculum and to develop a student’s skills properly.” 

The CNADM awards banquet is a highlight of the organization’s summer events.  Over 300 teachers and students joined together as they honored choreographer Tom Alexander as the recipient of the 2017 Artistic Achievement Award.  The event opened with a performance by CNADM Dance & More participants, including DCSD students, Annie Petro, Eliza Kuhn, and Tiffany Moore, as well as DCSD faculty Claire Kois and Rosalyn Miller. 

Five DCSD students also attended the CNADM Ballet Forum where they were honored to work with world renowned teachers such as Josh Manculich, Lyn Cramer and Melissa Anderson.  The students presented newly commissioned pieces at the Ballet Gala, where Annabel Parker was selected as an Honorable Mention recipient for a Ballet Forum Merit Scholarship.  Merit Scholarships are awarded based on attitude, ability to work with others, ability to accept corrections and dance ability.

DCSD alumnus, Grace Robison, attended the CNADM Training School and was awarded a $2,000 college scholarship.  Scholarships are awarded to students pursuing a major or minor in dance and is based on in-class observation, academic performance, personal interview, and video submission of individual work.  Grace is currently attending Butler University.