“You won’t realize how prepared you will be until after you start teaching and talking to other teachers in the field.” Oscar Franco, B.F.A. Theatre Studies 2014
Through College of Fine Arts and its departments and units offer many ways for future arts educators, faculty and the community to engage with the arts through student chapters of national professional organizations. as well as interdisciplinary collaborations and outreach activities that closely examine the processes of knowledge acquisition and skill development.
National Honor Society for Dance Arts (NHSDA) is a student chapter of the National Dance Education Organization at UT Austin. The aim of the NHSDA is to recognize outstanding artistic merit, leadership, and academic achievement in students studying dance and to foster an appreciation for dance as a true art form and one worthy of recognition and prestige. tinacurran@austin.utexas.edu
National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) is a non-profit, membership organization dedicated to advancing dance education centered in the arts. NDEO provides the dance artist, educator and administrator a network of resources and support, a base for advocacy and research, and access to professional development opportunities that focus on the importance of dance in the human experience.
Texas Dance Education Association is dedicated to the advancement of dance education throughout the state of Texas. TDEA provides opportunities through a series of events that take place during a four-day convention. Professional workshops, technique classes, exhibits, master classes, performances, and acknowledgment dinners. In addition to cutting edge dance curriculum, workshops also incorporate information about Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), Center for the Educator Development in Fine Arts (CEDFA), and Legislative breakthroughs in the area of fine arts/dance. Attendees will share educational resources and tools, network with other professionals, and create business partnerships. The Texas Dance Educators Association is committed to providing a professional learning community where innovative ideas in the field of dance are celebrated.
Texas Music Educators Association (UTTMEA) is the UT Chapter of the Texas Music Educators Association offers students professional support for quality musical experiences, growth opportunities and encourages interaction with music education professionals as well as the ability to develop and maintain productive working relationships other professional organizations. Students are encouraged to participate in many activities, events, workshop and state-wide activities.
American Choral Directors Association (UTASCDA) is a student chapter of the American Choral Directors Association at Butler School of Music at UT Austin. Students participate in selected performance events and receive career and academic advice while building their professional networks, participating in programs and events of the Texas Choral Directors Association.
UT Artists in Action (UTAIA) is a student chapter of the National Art Education Association. Our mission is to advocate for quality arts education through collaborative partnerships between the UT Department of Art and Art History, art educators, and community organizations throughout Austin. We believe that anyone interested in the arts will benefit from our activities; membership is open to all UT students. The group provides information on career, internship and other opportunities.
UTAIA has sponsored some terrific events, including Empty Bowls (proceeds from homemade bowls go to support local food pantries), the Memory Project (creating portraits of children in orphanages and sending them to them as gifts), and Spray and Clean (picking up trash at the local graffiti park). They have many great events planned. Madalin Beavers and Tanya Gantiva were co-presidents Spring 2017.
