Committees​

Our members can contribute to a healthy Canadian dance community and connect with dancers, educators, health professionals and researchers by joining one of our committees or working groups:

• Continuing Education Committee
• Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Accessibility Committee
• Membership Committee
• Outreach & Communications Committee 
• Sustainability Committee

We welcome members from around the globe. Not a member? Click here to join.

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​Continuing Education Committee

The Continuing Education (CE) Committee shares evidence-informed knowledge and practice with HDC members and the global dance community including dancers, educators, researchers, and healthcare professionals originating in diverse dance milieus. Objectives include: 1) to offer accessible and diversified research-based publications, tools, and activities on dancer health and safe practices, and 2) to identify effective strategies to make our services known within the dance and healthcare communities in Canada and abroad. Two sub-committees support these objectives. 

​The Conference CE Sub-Committee plans, promotes, and delivers the annual conference. Activities include: 

• ​selecting the conference theme and venue, and organizing food, beverages, and accommodations;
• soliciting and coordinating the blind peer-review of lecture, workshop, performance, and poster presentation proposals;
• promoting conference sponsorship and attendance, and supporting attendee registration;
• assisting during the conference.

The Educational Resources CE Sub-Committee organizes virtual webinars and in-person workshops, and develops and updates educational papers, videos, and dancer screening tools to improve communication and collaboration among dancers, dance educators, researchers, and/or healthcare professionals. Activities include: 

• developing, evaluating, peer-reviewing, and regularly updating print and video resources;
• translating new and updated resources;
• developing and providing virtual webinars and in-person workshops;
• disseminating educational material and activities through email, social media platforms, and on the HDC website;
• conducting a periodic needs assessment of members, the dance community, and existing resources i) to choose appropriate topics for new resources and ii) to evaluate the effectiveness of existing resources.

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Accessibility Committee

The Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility (EDIA) Committee champions equity within the organization and broadly within the dance community. Objectives include: 1) to bring an equity lens to the efforts of HDC and to respectfully engage with individual and systemic complexity, and 2) to develop the knowledge, skills, and capacities needed to address inequities within the organization and the broader dance community by engaging with, reviewing, strategizing, and supporting the implementation of EDIA considerations and efforts. Activities include:

• regularly conducting an equity audit of the organization’s policies, programs, and practices;
• intentionally connecting with underrepresented and equity-deserving communities i) to ensure we understand, represent, support, and serve diverse needs and interests and ii) to diversify our leadership, membership, and community participation;
• planning and providing opportunities for intra-committee, inter-committee, organizational, and community-based collaboration and responses to equity issues;
• arranging the board’s annual equity training and overseeing scholarships, grants, and funds for equity-deserving dancers and groups.

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​Membership Committee

The Membership Committee promotes and manages membership within HDC’s organization. Objectives include: 1) to promote current and future membership with the organization, 2) to connect current members, and 3) to increase representation and sociocultural diversity within HDC’s membership. Activities include:​

• ​promoting membership with the organization;
• receiving and processing memberships;
• keeping the Member Directory up to date;
• connecting and communicating with current, potential, and past members about their activities and the benefits of membership.

Outreach & Communications Committee

The Outreach and Communications (O&C) Committee shares dance health information and initiatives with the HDC membership and broader dance community. Objectives include: 1) to have a strong national and international presence in the global dance community, and 2) to responsibly elevate the work of HDC, our partners and supporters, and other healthy dance initiatives. Activities include:

• ​presenting and promoting the work and services of HDC at dance events across the country and internationally;
• bringing awareness of dance health information and initiatives to our international audience via our website and social media platforms;
• designing, editing, and distributing a quarterly HDC newsletter for the membership that shares information, articles, and members’ news.

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Sustainability Committee

The Sustainability Committee is responsible for ensuring the long-term operation of HDC. Objectives include: 1) to maintain financial stability within the organization, and 2) to manage human resources. Activities include:

• ​sourcing relevant funding opportunities at provincial and national levels that will financially support dancer health-related projects as approved by the board;
• identifying opportunities for fundraising and sponsorship
• co-designing a Long Term Development Framework for dance;
• human resource activities related to transitioning HDC from a working board to a governing board. 

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Photographs by Char G Photography and Luca Papini Photography