During 2016, we will publish stories about leaders in the field – artists, activists, innovators, mentors, and teaching artists. Who is inspiring you? If you would like to suggest a person to be featured in this column, please email Blog Director Jill Randall at randalldanceprojects@gmail.com.

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Ashley Thorndike-Youssef is a Washington, DC based artist with an extensive array of skills and lots of innovative ideas. I know that I can always bounce ideas around with her – whether it is a dance education question or a broader question about the overall field of dance in the United States. She is an artist, educator, administrator, writer, Pilates instructor, and mother. She can work with young people, college students, or lead a conversation with professional artists. Ashley is all about building bridges, making connections, and about the absolute belief in dance for all of us. She's the executive director of the Washington, DC-based Now Next Dance, an organization that cultivates creativity, leadership, and wellness in and through dance.

Teach high school students? Ashley wrote a great piece for Dance/USA – for high school students as they look at college programs. Read it here:

https://www.danceusa.org/ejournal/2015/03/17/how-pick-college-dance-program-will-work-you

Curious about the intersection of college students, teacher training, and dance for middle school and high school students? Ashley’s program, Now Next Dance/Moving Mentoring, is a summer program at several locations each year. It brings together professional dance artists and college students, mentoring and supporting their journeys as teaching artists. At the same time, the summer program serves middle and high school students with a rich and exciting summer program in dance, community building, and self-reflection. 

http://www.nownextdance.org/

New in 2016, Ashley continues her passion with a new 3-day Leadership Institute launching in June in the DC area. College professors, artists in the field, and K-12 teaching artists will be able to take classes, dialogue, and participate in working groups. This Leadership Institute is a great new offering in the United States for dancers looking for opportunities outside of the NDEO conference to meet, connect, and get inspired.

http://www.nownextdance.org/leadership/

Ashley Thorndike-Youssef is an artist to follow in the United States. I continue to get inspired by her work, and am honored to have her as a colleague on this journey.

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Related posts:

Leadership in Dance 2016: Kathryn Humphreys

Artist Profile #8: Ashley Thorndike-Youssef (Washington, DC)

A Modern Dancer's Guide to……Washington, DC (Written By Ashley Thorndike-Youssef)

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