Regional Dance America

Regional Dance America is a national organization of pre-professional dance companies from across the United States  and Canada. Member companies enter the organzation through an adjudication process and must maintain a certain level of artistic standards created by the National and Regional Board of Directors.

RDA's Mission is to Elevate the future of dance in America - giving dancers experience and directors perspective.

RDA's Vision:  We envision a future with increasing opportunities, exposure, and connection for pre-professional dance companies around the United States. RDA will inspire a growing community of excellence in dance education, choreography, and performance. 

Each year, the 5 RDA regions hold educational festivals that consist of three days of master classes and three nights of adjudicated performances by member companies. (This is not a competition).

In 2017, RDA held its fourth national festival in Phoenix, AZ with 1,275 students from 75 companies in attendance. Twenty-three classrooms were filled for four blocks of classes per day for 5 days with up to 17 companies performing per evening.

Dancers from member companies have the opportunity to audition for scholarships and artistic acceptance into extra-curricular learning programs such as:

• Regional Dance America National Choreography Intensive
• Colleges with Dance Programs
• The Glenda Brown Choreography Project
• National Ballet Company Summer Intensives from companies including ABT, Joffrey, and Houston Ballet
  
• At the 2017 RDA/SW Festival, SAMB Dancers earned $9,500 in scholarships to summer intensives and Senior Company member, Kaben, was artistically accepted to two college dance department programs.

Member companies may adjudicate works by student and pre-professional choreographers for admittance to the Emerging Choreographers Showcase in the regional festival performances. Previous Emerging Choreographers from SAMB who have had works performed at Festival were Rowan Casillas, Jodi Trevino, Priscilla Martinez and Karin Connally Heiden.

SAMB Company Members have the opportunity to work with professional choreographers throughout the season. Works set on SAMB are presented to the RDA Adjudicator for Festival consideration. Works presented may be up to 12-minutes in length. SAMB accepts resumes from nationally renowned masters in the field for local residencies.

Regional and National Festivals include seminars that explore cross-training methods, the latest in dance wear and accessories, injury-prevention, nutrition, audition techniques and much more. These seminars serve as continuing education for member directors and dancers.

Dancers and Directors also engage in networking events and gatherings in a festival atmosphere bridging the gap between our regional communities, strengthening the bond of the dance community.