A Dance/USA Council is a peer group generally denoted by a membership category (e.g., Service Organizations Council, Presenters Council, etc.) or job function (e.g., Managers Council, Agents Council, etc.). The Councils, also referred to as “Standing Councils” because they have representation and voting rights on the Board of Trustees, usually gather during a Dance/USA Annual Conference and/or informal meeting in various locations across the country. Council meetings give members of Dance/USA regular opportunities to meet and discuss current issues and trends in the field and how these affect their business.

The Council sessions are not used as a marketplace, but as a gathering of industry professionals engaged in peer-to-peer networking, career development, and building a collaborative environment. The meeting agendas are designed by the Council Chair in consultation with his/her members and facilitated by the Council Chair. During the year, Council members connect with each other through the member-exclusive Dance/USA Listservs and/or other timely methods, such as quarterly conference calls hosted by Dance/USA. Non-members of Dance/USA can participate in a Council meeting at the Council Chair's discretion. 

A Forum is a group of individuals whose professional affiliations and job descriptions fall into a category outside of Standing Councils (described above).  During Annual Conferences, Dance/USA will provide space and time for various Forums to meet (either together or separately, depending on interest and numbers of participants) to discuss topics of current relevance to them. There are no elected or appointed chairs of Forums, and therefore any structure or organization of a Forum is the prerogative of participants. If individual Forum participants wish to forego meeting as a group during any part of the designated Council Meeting time, their participation in a Standing Council is at the discretion of the Council's Chair.

Standing Councils:

• Agents/Artists Representatives
• Artistic Directors
  • Artistic Directors of member companies with budgets $3 million and greater
  • Artistic Directors of member companies with budgets below $3 million
• Managers
  • Managers of member companies with budgets of $15 million and greater
  • Managers of member companies with budgets between $3 million-$14.9 million
  • Managers of member companies with budgets between $750,000-$2.9 million
  • Managers of member companies with budgets of $749,000 and less
• Presenters
• Service Organizations

Forums:

• Dancers
• Development
• Educators
• Independent Artists/Choreographers
• Marketing
• Students
• Task Force on Dancer’s Health

Upcoming Council Meetings
The Standing Councils and some of the Forums met during the 2009 Annual Conference. For information on upcoming Council meetings, contact your Council Chair.

Council Election Procedures
Each Standing Council elects a Council Chair to serve as their representative on the Dance/USA Board of Trustees and to coordinate Council Meetings. A Council Chair’s term lasts for one year, from July to June, and Council Chairs may serve up to three consecutive terms. If a Council Chair has not reached their three term limit and wishes to remain as Council Chair for a second or third term, their intentions should be made clear prior to the election or nomination period.  A Council may also choose to elect a chair elect or co-chair for the council. The chair elect does not serve in an official capacity (i.e., on the Board) and is not subject to term restrictions, but does assist with council activities and is often designated to take over as Council Chair when the current Chair finishes his/her term.

The current Council Chairs will contact members of their Councils by February to prepare for an electronic election process over the member listservs. Council Chairs should be selected no later than March 15. This electronic election allows council members who cannot attend the Council Meeting to vote for a Council Chair. If you have any questions about the election process for Council Chairs, please contact your Council Chair.