The application deadline for the 2017 Dance/USA Institute for Leadership Training has passed. Please check back in early 2018 for more information on the next round of the program.
In 2011, Dance/USA launched a national professional dance mentorship program as a pilot, proposed by the Dance/USA Emerging Leaders Task Force. In 2012, with generous lead support by the American Express Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the mentorship grew into the Dance/USA Institute for Leadership Training (DILT) to leverage connections between Dance/USA members and to bolster personal and professional development through one-on-one mentoring relationships.
Based on the applicant pool, a limited number of pairs are matched based on experience, area of interest, personality, geography, and/or professional affiliations by a Dance/USA DILT Selection Committee.
In 2015, the program evolved to focus on shifting patterns of inequity in the dance field by recruiting applicants from diverse communities with a specific interest in supporting emerging leaders of color. The program was open to all, regardless of Dance/USA membership.
Participating members of the dance community will engage in the Leadership Training Institute, held during the Dance/USA Annual Conference, and a 6 month one-on-one mentorship experience. DILT emphasizes regular communication between these established leaders (mentors) and emerging leaders (mentees) to foster self-direction, self-reflection, and embracing challenge. The relationships between mentors and mentees can extend beyond geographic boundaries, explore various areas of interest, and provide exposure to opportunities available in the field.
PRESS RELEASE: Dance/USA Announces Sixth Annual Institute for Leadership Training
Read articles FROM THE GREEN ROOM: Dance/USA's eJournal from past DILT participants:
Questions about the Institute should be sent to Kourtney Ginn, director of programs.
Dance/USA is grateful to the American Express Foundation, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and Management Consultants for the Arts for their generous support of the 2016 Institute for Leadership Training. Dance/USA is also grateful to its ongoing funders who support the program: Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, The Harkness Foundation for Dance, National Endowment for the Arts, and The Shubert Foundation.
