The NDEO conference officially opened on Wednesday with presentation of awards to  outstanding educators. Fitting to the NYC conference locale, awards went to several prominent New Yorkers.

“My vision is for sequential dance education for every child,” announced Jody Gottfried Arnold as she accepted the Visionary Award. A tireless advocate for dance education, Arnold may be best known as founder of the Dance Education Laboratory at the 92nd Street Y. Arnold taught in the NYC public schools for 25 years and has been instrumental in the creation of the NYC DOE Curriculum Blueprint for Teaching and Learning in Dance PreK-12.

Joan Finkelstein is a familiar face nationally as Director of Dance Programs for NYC Department of Education. She oversaw the creation of the now legendary NYC DOE Blueprint series: Teaching and Learning in Dance PreK-12, the Arts Education Blueprint for School Leaders, and Dance Education for Diverse Learners. Conference site coordinator, Patricia Cohen, presented Finkelstein with the Leadership Award.

Susan Epstein of Curtain Call presented Outstanding Dance Educator Awards to Nicole LaFleur Amadeo, Director of Education for the American Repertory Ballet in New Jersey, and Tori Rogoski-Rutta, founder and director of the Dance Education Center in Wisconsin.  

Congratulations to all!