RDA goes national.

Perhaps the largest conclave of young dancers ever will take place in Houston June 3-8 when Regional Dance America (RDA), the grass roots organization of preprofessional companies, will hold National Ballet Festival '97, its first national festival. Planning began in September 1996, when artistic directors of companies from across the United States met to plan the event. The monumental task of organizing has been in the able hands of Glenda Brown, Peggy Giroux, and Vanessa Brown of Allegro Ballet of Houston.

RDA consists of approximately 100 companies in five regions: the Mid-States, the Northeast, the Pacific, the Southeast, and the Southwest. Each region has an annual festival, sponsored by one of its member companies. Festivals are the high point of the year for the young dancers, giving them the opportunity to take master classes with some of the world's renowned teachers, to perform for the public and for one another, and to be judged by outstanding personalities in the dance community. They also are given the opportunity to meet and to exchange ideas with peers from their region, to "see what's out there," to measure their skills, to learn their strengths and weaknesses, and to be exposed to new and different choreography.

Such stimulating exposure has also proved an invaluable asset to the growth of quality dance companies and schools across the country. RDA and its predecessor, the National Association of Regional Ballet (NARB), have played a significant role in the development of many professional companies and in the decentralization of dance in the United States. Such renowned professional companies as Boston Ballet, Sacramento Ballet, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, and Atlanta Ballet had their start as members of RDA or NARB.

National Ballet Festival '97 is expected to bring together approximately 1,500 devoted dance students and 500 artistic directors, teachers, chaperons, company board members, balletomanes, and friends. The event will occupy two hotels and two theaters and will last a full five days. Matinees, which will be open to festival participants and charitable organizations, will be held in Houston's 3,000-seat Music Hall. Evening performances, open to the general public, will take place in Jones Hall for the Performing Arts.

Each region has selected a judge to choose which works will appear on each of the nine different programs. The judges, who will also teach classes at the festival, are Robert Barnett (Southeast), Sally Brayley Bliss (Mid-States), Bill Evans (Southwest), Maria Grandy (Pacific), and Jeffrey Gribler (Northeast). The faculty will also include Laura Alonso, Thom Clower, Armando Duarte, Lyn Elam, Luba Gulyaeva, David Howard, Sara de Luis, John Magnus, Bruce Marks, Les, Je Jane Pessimier, Jon Rodriguez, Ben Stevenson, Violette Verdy, and Gennadi Vostrikov. RDA company members from across the country will take two classes a day together and perform in a concert. A Texas-style barbecue and rodeo will cap the five days of stimulating, fun-filled activity.

In the words of RDA president Glenda Brown, "We are looking forward to having the national festival in Houston and hope many of you will take advantage of this historic occasion. We particularly welcome representatives of the many RDA alumni companies that now form the backbone of the nation's dance. Come celebrate this exciting time with us. You all come to Houston!"

The excitement generated and the sheer energy of the event are wonders to contemplate. American dance is alive and well.

Muriel Topoz is a senior editor of Dance Magazine.