National Dance Coaches Association
September 2017 NEWSLETTER
WELCOME
Welcome to the very first NDCA Newsletter! We are so excited to share with you all of the great things that are happening within the NDCA.
Inside This Issue:
- Letter from Kevin Mathis, President of the Executive Board
- NDCA Featured Members
- Introducing your High School and College Presidents
- Mentoring Program
- NDCA T-shirts
- 2018 Conference Information
Letter from Kevin Mathis, President of the Executive Board
Dear Dance Colleagues,
On behalf of the National Dance Coaches Association EXECUTIVE BOARD, I proudly welcome you to the NDCA. We are humbled by your decision to join us in our commitment towards creating a responsible national platform dedicated towards advancing your voice in a resolute way. A voice finally united to collectively share our experiences as coaches, choreographers, and advocates for the scholastic, collegiate, and all-star dance team community.
As we move forward, your executive board understands that our success today is measured not only by being at the top of our game in an industry that is constantly evolving, but more importantly by maintaining the core value we started with…a humbled beginning minted in personal relationships. It is these same relationships that will permit us to successfully pair our knowledge and passion of dance together as one.
Today’s publishing represents the inaugural release of our newsletter. We are jumping out of our seats with enthusiasm to have another opportunity to provide value to your membership. As with your teams, NDCA will always be a labor of love. “We are inspired by the vision to promote quality coaching in dance throughout the nation via organization, communication, education, mentorship, leadership, and advocacy.” Inherent in this process is the necessity that each of us graciously accepts that we are the true stewards of our industry.
Thank you for trusting us to unite our voices. We look forward to years of friendship and creating an abundance of positive memories to last a lifetime. Hope to see you in Vegas 2018.
Kevin Mathis
NDCA Executive Board President
“Be strong, be fearless, be beautiful. And believe that anything is possible when you have the right people there to support you.” Misty Copeland
NDCA FEATURED MEMBERS
Gretchen Noack
If you have taken your team to competition, chances are highly likely you have received a thoughtful, constructive, and spot-on-the-money critique from our next NDCA Featured Member of the Week, GRETCHEN NOACK. She has been selected to the judging panel for countless prestigious competitions including Worlds and USA Japan Nationals in Tokyo.
Gretchen received her degree from CSU Fullerton and was a coach before joining the United Spirit Association. She has choreographed for dance/drill teams and pro teams such as the Clippers, Kings, and Warriors. Half-time shows, international large-scale parades, and the first NFL international cheerleading auditions in Japan have Gretchen’s stamp.
Gretchen currently works full time coordinating Educational Dance Trips for Dance Teams and Studios. Her job allows her to work with dance coaches and “take some of the work load off their shoulders and provide them the opportunity to expose their dancers to the world of dance travel.” Gretchen’s favorite part of her job is researching destinations and finding the dance opportunities that exist there. Her trips motivate and inspire dancers because they provide unique opportunities to do such things as tour a college dance program, watch a college team rehearse, compete at a national level, or learn choreo from a Broadway show.
Gretchen is a firm believer in the mission and vision of the NDCA. “I believe dance enthusiasts always want to know what other states are doing, discovering, changing, etc. to continue to grow and share.” She appreciates that the NDCA is bringing professionals together on a national level, and encourages all parties to get on board asap!
We asked Gretchen for one piece of coaching advice for this time of year. She responded with, “Plan your calendar for the year, and set your goals. A plan of action will always keep you focused on what you want your end results to be.”
Jodi Maxfield
16 NDA National Collegiate Dance titles, 12 Most Innovative Dance Choreography Awards, Dance Spirit Magazine’s Outstanding Director twice, cover of Dance Teacher Magazine, top 25 Collegiate Dance Teams, (2) 1st place in the New Prague Dance Festival Grand Prix, (4) 1st place awards at the World Dance Movement Competition in Italy, and over 30 years coaching. Wow!
Jodi Maxfield is the Artistic Director of the Cougarette Dance Team at BYU. She has dedicated the majority of her life not only to teaching and coaching dance, but to helping dancers develop skills through performing and dancing that benefit them throughout their lives. We all know that coaching dance is less about the “5, 6, 7, 8” and more about dancers learning responsibility, commitment, and perseverance. Jodi is most proud when her former members are “performing, teaching, choreographing, and serving as dance mentors themselves.”
Jodi believes that the NDCA is the best way for coaches to unite through idea sharing, uniform credentialing, and supporting one another. “It is a fabulous resource for professional development, which has either been not available or difficult to find.”
What is one thing Jodi is doing this summer to set her year up for success? “Taking advantage of other members of the NDCA who are offering online coaching classes and inspiring social media blogs and posts.”
Now, answers to the question we all want to know – How has she survived in this dance team coaching business for so long? Here are some of her key points:
- Do it because it is your passion.
- Never become set in your ways as a coach. Always look for ways to improve yourself.
- Expect no more from your dancers than you are willing to put into the program yourself.
- A “successful year” is about more than trophies. Have your dancers grown? Have they made lasting relationships? Have they discovered the impact their influence has on the younger generation? Are they leaving the program as a better, well-rounded person? Have they learned from life lessons (especially the hard ones)?
- When thinking about walking away from the job, think not about the few that have made your job hard, but about the many who have made it worth every minute.
Karl Mundt
In an interview, we asked Karl about his upcoming projects. In addition to working with teams across the U.S., this fall he is looking forward to teaching at a leaders’ summit in Mexico at The Dance Revolution’s Dance Congress and teaching an intensive in Puerto Rico.
Karl said that he became a member of the NDCA because he feels it is important for all of us to join forces and share ideas. He recognizes that coaches and choreographers work hand-in-hand to create the best possible experience for dancers. Often, people move between the jobs of coach and choreographer. Working with each other through the NDCA allows us to inspire each other, grow as coaches, and influence others in the dance team world.
Karl’s one piece of advice for coaches during this time of year?
“I think the summer is a great time to set expectations for your team. It’s also a great time to work on new skills and improve technique as well. My advice to coaches is to have a clear plan on what your summer will look like with your team and to hold your dancers accountable for making progress. Set the tone early and then be consistent in follow through. This will be the catalyst to a successful season.”
INTRODUCING your High School and College Presidents
High School President: Kevin Mathis
Kevin Mathis has been the owner and artistic director of M2 Dance Center in Schererville, Indiana since 2001. He began his career in 1980 as a choreographer for numerous championship school programs throughout the midwest. His choreography has won numerous state and national titles. In 1989 he began teaching the dance team at Lake Central High School. Under his leadership, Lake Central has won 22 consecutive Indiana State Championships and 9 national titles with NDA and UDA.
In 2000, he founded Indiana Danzforce Allstars. Danzforce has won over 20 NDA and UDA national dance titles. In 2011 he began coaching Purdue University’s Dance Team in West Lafayette. PDT quickly rose to become a national contender in the jazz division. In 1994 he founded the Indiana High School Dance Team Association (IHSDTA), where he has been President since its inception. Kevin has served on NDA's National Advisory Board and as judge for multiple high school state, national and collegiate national championships.
Kevin feels blessed to have found his passion in dance and wishes to express his gratitude to the many dancers, parents and instructors who have become part of his extended family. Kevin is married to his best friend of over 20 years Dana Mathis and has 2 wonderful children in Miles and Jessica.
College President: Todd Sharp
Mentoring Program
We are excited to introduce our mentoring program to you all. Whether you're a new coach, or someone who has been coaching for a long time, it's always nice to have a strong support system and others to turn to when you're trying to build a strong foundation for your team. Though we are in the early stages of developing this program, below is some information on the direction that our mentoring program is going in, and a great way for you to find out what avenue you would like to take within this program. Chelsea Pierotti is the head of our mentoring program and is able to answer any questions you may have, so please feel free to email her: cppierotti@gmail.com
Becoming an NDCA Mentor
- Complete the Google form covering areas of expertise and background
- Application will be reviewed by NDCA mentoring director and confirmed
- You will be matched with a men-tee as soon as there is a good match
·
Finding a Mentor
- Complete the Google form covering your competitive level, geographic region, and hope for mentor-ship focus.
- You will be matched with an available mentor so that you can hopefully establish the mentor-ship relationship you’re looking for
Mentors who are ‘Grandfathered in’
- There will be a round of mentors who are original members of the NDCA that are grandfathered into becoming a mentor based on their resume and participation in the inaugural meeting of the NDCA
- After this initial round of mentors are established, new mentors must complete the full application
Future of the program
- In future years as the educational program within NDCA improves and grows, mentor-ship hours will become a requirement of higher-level certification. More details to follow.
NDCA T-SHIRTS - Order your shirt today!
What better way to show your pride in being a part of the NDCA than with an official logo t-shirt!
Available in unisex sizes S-XL for just $20 (including shipping) it is a must have for all. Email Jill @ jlamey926@gmail.com to place your order (please include size requirement and mailing address) and receive payment instructions.
Once you've ordered and received your t-shirt please send/post a picture of yourself repping your NDCA swag!
2018 NDCA COACHES CONFERENCE
Location: Las Vegas, NV, United States
NDCA
Email: nationaldancecoaches@gmail.com
Website: nationaldancecoaches.org
Phone: (509) 539-3036
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalDanceCoachesAssociation2016/