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 Many
Dancers,
One Voice
By Debbie
Werbrouck
UNITY brings the dance world together
What do
dance teachers have in common with publishers, manufacturers,
and special-event managers? Much more than they realized
before August 1995, when the earliest incarnation of UNITY was
formed. UNITY, a 501(c)(3) corporation, is a coalition of
dance education and associated organizations that promotes
cooperation and dialogue within the dance profession and
speaks as one voice on dance education and other related
issues.
Dance
organizations had existed for many years, but there was little
interaction among them and no clearinghouse. They viewed each
other as competitors rather than allies. All that changed in
1995 when, at the invitation of
Rhee Gold
and with the support of Dance Masters of America, a small
group of these representatives met to talk. As happens with
most open dialogues, everyone came away with a better
understanding of the others.
From that
first gathering, member organizations hosted meetings in their
respective cities, allowing attendees to become acquainted
with the hosts, their cities, and other members. Sharing a few
meals often changed new acquaintances into friends, and so the
network of the dance world became closer. The meetings
continued and participation increased until ultimately,
representatives from 19 organizations met in January 1998,
forming the permanent coalition we know as UNITY.
At first
membership was limited to dance-teaching organizations, with
associate memberships available for those with other missions.
Recent changes to the bylaws allow for even broader
participation; membership is now open to all areas of the
dance world, allowing everyone to hear and be heard on a range
of dance issues.
In its ten
years of existence, Unity has survived growth pains, enjoyed
significant success, and evolved into a mature organization
that is beneficially inclusive. Among its accomplishments are:
• a mission
statement that evolved from an intensive strategic planning
retreat;
• a
philosophy and set of goals for early childhood education;
• a
document to aid parents in choosing a quality program that
meets their needs;
• a paper
supporting the benefits of dance, for distribution to national
parent/ teacher organizations;
• expanded
cooperation to promote National Dance Week;
• a website
to make all information easily available.
At the
January 2006 meeting in New York, a celebration acknowledged
the growth of the organization. New member organizations
joined with founding members to address issues important to
the dance world. “No one knew at the time that the idea of
unity among dance-education organizations would lead to a
formally established 501(c)(3) organization. It was very
satisfying to join founding members and more recent members
attending the tenth anniversary celebration to toast the
history and the future of UNITY,” said founding co-chair
Rosanne Bootz.
Although
the meeting’s tone was reflective as members looked back on
past accomplishments and cooperation, the degree of excitement
about continued achievements was palpable. In an effort to
expand outreach, the United Dance Merchants of America will
host the fall meeting of Unity at its Costume Preview Show in
the New York City area on October 14 and 15, 2006. This
cooperative event will enable a greater number of people to
experience and explore the workings of Unity.
For more
information about Unity and its activities, visit
www.unitydance.org.
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