daCi connects best practices. (The Teach-Learn Connection).

Dance and the Child International (daCi) USA's "Connecting--Collaborating--Creating: Best Practices in Dance Education!" was held June 27 through July 1 at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. Just over 100 people ages 6 to 90-something from the United States and Canada attended this first intergenerational gathering, which brought together many ages, cultures, and styles of movement and dance. The annual was unique in that it was process-oriented and did not follow a more traditional conference model.

Daily workshops focused on exploring the elements of dance and dancemaking through both individual and group movement experiences. Some classes were grouped by age and others were intergenerational. Daily classes for all ages were offered in forms that included Caribbean and South American, classical Indian, and flamenco. Adults could create flexible schedules that included taking classes with other adults and observing or participating in the youth and world dance offerings.

The opening session was a collaboration by Amherst-area dancers from The Dance Generators, an intergenerational dance company, with students from Pioneer Valley Performing Arts High School. Their presentation reinforced the theme of the event and involved the audience in the creative process of dancemaking. Other communal dance events were folk and square dancing and a creative-dance activity incorporating different types, textures, and sizes of fabrics, from parachutes to scarves.

Keynote speaker Pamela Paulson, Ph.D., president of the National Dance Education Association (NDEA), used the topic "Best Practices in Dance Education" to generate thought and discussion on clarifying goals and standards, student involvement in the learning process, and the importance of tapping into current research on learning. The dialogue initiated by the keynote continued during mixed-age roundtable sessions focusing on identifying the qualities of a memorable teacher and telling personal stories about specific teachers. The roundtables generated further discussion on individual teaching practices. The week culminated in an "informance" (a performance during which information about the process of creating the work is given) that included work from each of the dance-making groups and classes. Accompaniment for the pieces ranged from recorded music to student-created live percussion, spoken word and sound, and music created and performed by composer Eric Chappelle.

Co-chairs of the conference were Ranjanna Devi and Jannas Zalesky. Faculty and staff were drawn primarily from daCi members from around the United States: Sam Baumgarten, Joni Urry Wilson, Pat Debenham, Mary Ann Lee, Margot Faught, Roy Fialkow, Anne Green Gilbert, Dionne Kamara, Elizabeth Fernandez O'Brien, Ranjanaa Devi, Ines Arrubla. The resource room coordinator was Maxine DeBruyn. DaCi USA is a member of the Conseil International de la Danse (CID) UNESCO, Paris, France. For more information about daCi USA, contact: Anne Green Gilbert, 7327 46th Avenue NE, Seattle, Washington, 98115; 206/363-7281, agilbert@ creativedance.org.

The Ninth daCi conference will be held August 2003 in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. For more information on that event, email [e-mail].