dancepulse

I’ve been to four conferences in the past 8 or 9 years:   NDEO in Providence, Rhode Island (was that 2001?); NDEO 2003 in Albequerque, New Mexico;  daCi 2006 in The Hague, The Netherlands; and NDEO 2009 in New York City.   That’s not often enough that I know many people when I get there, but enough so that I have some strategies:

• If you’re going, do a session.  Doing a session is the part that takes most of the time, trouble & energy, but the returns are huge. It’s the difference between feeling invisible & being visible, between listening & discussing, between receiving favors & exchanging gifts.  The process of pulling yourself together is always worth your time & trouble, and the energy you put out comes back in the response you receive from others. For example, in New York City I spent a lot of time, even up to the last minute, honing my powerpoint in order to keep it focused & unhurried; in return, I really enjoyed talking with the folks who attended, during & following the session — and even throughout the rest of the conference.
  
• Don’t try to do it all. Focus your energies on what interests you the most, and plan some hours or days of respite. You will get tired — plan so you save your energy for the best parts.  For example, the workshops presented by faculty from the Dance Education Laboratory at the 92nd Street Y provided some great glimpses into their curriculum. However, much as I might have enjoyed seeing the 92nd Street Y itself, I skipped their open house & tour in order to see Keigwin + Company at the Joyce Theatre in Chelsea on my own.
• Take along someone to play with.  You’ll find your attention a bit divided, but you’ll have a built-in excuse for recuperating. I did Rhode Island with a dear friend; Albequerque & NYC with my husband; and in the Hague, I rented a bicycle…
  
• Go to conferences in places you want to be & plan a little extra time, so you’ll really get to visit. I spent 7 days in NYC for a 3-day conference — which meant I had a fabulous time eating hot dogs in lawn chairs in Times Square, seeing the Tony-winning musical “Next to Normal,” walking the Brooklyn Bridge to Manhattan during a thunderstorm, visiting my old stomping ground in the West Village, visiting galleries in Chelsea & the Upper East Side, and walking through Central Park, as well as doing a conference.

Eating hot dogs in lawn chairs

Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge

The Pride Parade

Back to my old stomping grounds