American dance conventions have a long history, dating back to 1884 or earlier. In that year, the first Dance Masters of America National Convention, the longest-running known convention, was held in Winthrop, Massachusetts. Now, hundreds of conventions, workshops, and conferences are produced annually. I started attending conventions in the early 1970s, taking class from some of the greats, including Gus Giordano, Luigi, David Howard, Beverly Fletcher, and Frank Hatchett. The conventions were a huge inspiration for me, especially taking class with male teachers. I would go home to my small town knowing that there were other guys out there who danced, and I grew up wanting to be just like them.

 

 

Early dance conventions were one of the only continuing-education opportunities for dance teachers; until 1926, when Margaret H’Doubler established the first dance major at the University of Wisconsin, there were no higher-education options for dance teachers. So teachers from all over the country gathered at conventions to learn the latest techniques, styles, and curriculum concepts, taught by the master teachers of the day. Classes were mostly in ballet and tap, as well as routines and variations. At the time, almost all dance schools offered social dancing; it was not uncommon for attendees to learn the latest cha-cha or samba.

 

After the turn of the 20th century, many dance-teacher organizations were established, each holding their own conventions or training schools (also known as Normal Schools). Some of the early organizations were Dance Educators of America (1932), the Chicago National Association of Dance Masters (1912), the Cecchetti Council of America (1939), the Dance Teacher Club of Boston (1914), and the National Association of Dance and Affiliated Artists (1949).

 

The first privately directed convention was created by a group of master teachers who had been teaching for the early organizations. Dance Caravan was established by former vaudevillians Bob Kimble, Danny Hoctor, and Jules Stone. In 1954, in the typical showbiz fashion of the day, the members of Dance Caravan traveled by car from city to city across the United States. These pioneers planted the seed that would grow, 50 years later, into the enormous convention industry that dance professionals now know.

 

Jules Stone’s son, Art, says, “Bob, Danny, and Jules and their small teaching faculty of three or four went from city to city with no days off. They carried all their records, phonographs, and notes stuffed into three cars through heat, rain, and night. They crossed the country and went to cities never before visited by a dance convention or names that were famous in the dance profession. Cities like Cleveland, St. Louis, and Indianapolis welcomed them with open arms. It was a new beginning, and [it marked] the introduction of dance conventions to the whole country.”

 

Until the 1950s, most of the conventions were for teachers only. The National Association of Dance and Affiliated Artists premiered the first convention classes for students, which it described as a youth program. It wasn’t long before most of the other conventions established a student curriculum of their own. Conventions today often present master teachers who are professional dancers working in videos, ballet companies, Broadway shows, and other genres. They offer students unique insights into how to be successful in the professional dance world, and they help teachers learn how to guide their students in the right direction.

 

With some exceptions, conventions have replaced social dance with jazz dance or hip-hop, along with modern, lyrical, and other genres. However, the basic principles remain the same: Dance conventions create opportunities for millions of teachers and students in North America to learn the latest trends and the traditional base that helps create great dancers.

 

The beginning of the 21st century brings with it a huge evolution in the dance world. A new passion for modern dance is emerging, along with new styles like hip-hop. New markets for professionals go hand in hand with developments in technology and the expanding entertainment world. Because of their role in keeping teachers and students up to date about trends, who’s doing what, and the ever-changing opportunities in dance, conventions are needed now more than ever before.

 

 

 

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