National Dance Education Organization

What National Dance Education Organization does

The National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit membership association founded in 1997 and headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland. It operates as the largest membership body supporting dance educators in the United States, serving teachers working in K-12 schools, private dance studios, colleges and universities, performing arts organizations, and community centers. Membership spans all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and an international community.

NDEO's product portfolio is anchored by its Online Professional Development Institute (OPDI), delivered through a Sakai-based learning management system that offers asynchronous, cohort-based courses priced between $310 (members) and $625 (non-members), each conferring NDEO-endorsed Professional Development Credits (PDCs). The organization also operates the National Honor Society for Dance Arts (NHSDA) — approved by the National Association of Secondary School Principals — providing chapter management, student inductions, and scholarships; two peer-reviewed journals (Journal of Dance Education and Dance Education in Practice); the DELTA entry-level teacher assessment; the DELRdi research and dissertation database; and Dance Education Standards documents covering K-12, studio, and early childhood contexts. The annual National Conference, featuring 250+ workshops, master classes, and performances, is a flagship member-engagement event, supported by virtual summits, state affiliate organizations, mentorship programs, and webinars.

Revenue is generated across five streams: annual membership dues (individual, institutional, and student), conference and virtual summit registration fees, OPDI course tuition, donations across multiple named funds (NDEO Works!, #DanceEducationforALL, Thom Cobb Memorial, Bonbright OPDI, Living Legacy Endowment), and advertising/sponsorship. Reported revenue grew from approximately $600,000 in 2012 to nearly $1.7 million during the tenure of former Executive Director Susan McGreevy-Nichols, who retired July 1, 2025 after 13 years; membership also doubled over that period. Advocacy is conducted through the Arts Education Alliance (formed 2024) and partnerships with the NAMM SupportMusic Coalition, including a joint federal advocacy agenda released in March 2026. The Board of Directors initiated a national search for the next Executive Director in 2025, with Julie Pentz serving as President during the transition.

Name

National Dance Education Organization

Legal name

National Dance Education Organization

Website

https://ndeo.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) is a non-profit membership association serving U.S. dance educators across schools, studios, universities, and community centers with professional development courses, an NASSP-approved honor society, peer-reviewed journals, standards, and an annual conference.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association / Arts Education Membership Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Fine Arts Schools (61161), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Dance Education (Ballet, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Cultural Dance) (EDAMAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Workshops, Webinars & Live Masterclasses (MPACALAD)

Keywords

• Dance education association
• Professional development courses
• Arts education membership
• Dance teacher certification
• Arts advocacy organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Silver Spring

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from individual, institutional, and student members providing access to resources, professional development, networking, and advocacy services
2. Conference Revenue: Registration fees for annual national conferences and virtual summits including workshops, presentations, and networking events
3. Online Course Tuition (OPDI): Course fees for online professional development courses ranging from $310-$625 depending on membership status and course duration. Includes optional college credits through Oakland University partnership.
4. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable contributions through various funds including NDEO Works!, #DanceEducationforALL Fund, Thom Cobb Memorial Fund, Bonbright OPDI Fund, and Living Legacy Endowment Campaign
5. Advertising and Sponsorship: Vendor and exhibitor opportunities at conferences and advertising in publications

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) is a non-profit membership association that provides dance educators across K-12 schools, dance studios, colleges/universities, and community programs with annual memberships, asynchronous online professional development courses (OPDI) awarding Professional Development Credits, an annual national conference, the National Honor Society for Dance Arts (NHSDA), peer-reviewed journals, dance education standards documents, mentorship programs, and arts education advocacy resources.

Product overview

The National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) is a non-profit membership organization that operates as a comprehensive platform for dance education professionals. The organization provides a portfolio of interconnected programs including: its core membership program offering resources and networking; the Online Professional Development Institute (OPDI) delivering asynchronous cohort-based online courses with NDEO-endorsed Professional Development Credits; the annual National Conference with over 250 workshops and sessions; the National Honor Society for Dance Arts (NHSDA) recognizing student achievement; two peer-reviewed journals (Journal of Dance Education and Dance Education in Practice); Dance Education Standards documents; the DELTA assessment tool; mentorship programs; webinars; virtual summits; national awards; scholarships; online forums; and advocacy resources. NDEO serves dance educators across diverse settings including dance studios, K-12 schools, colleges, performing arts organizations, and community centers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NHSDA: National Honor Society for Dance Arts - honors outstanding dance students for artistic merit, leadership, and academic achievement
• OPDI
• DELTA
• DELRdi
• Dance 2050
• Thank A Dance Teacher Day

Products and services

• NDEO Membership Annual membership organization providing dance educators, artists, and administrators with access to resources, professional development, advocacy, research support, networking opportunities, and benefits across all dance education settings.
• Online Professional Development Institute (OPDI) Asynchronous online courses for dance teachers featuring pedagogy, teaching methods, history, assessments, and research, with cohort-based instruction, graded assignments, and NDEO-endorsed Professional Development Credits (PDCs). Course fees range from $310 to $625 depending on membership status and duration. Optional college credits available through Oakland University partnership.
• NDEO National Conference Annual in-person conference for dance educators featuring over 250 workshops, master classes, panel and paper presentations, social events, and performances. The 2026 SYNERGY conference is scheduled for September 24-27 in Albuquerque, NM.
• National Honor Society for Dance Arts (NHSDA) Honor society program recognizing outstanding dance students in grades 6-12 for artistic merit, leadership, and academic achievement. Includes online chapter management, student inductions, and awards. Approved by the National Association of Secondary School Principals.
• Journal of Dance Education (JoDE) Peer-reviewed academic journal publishing research on dance education topics, accessible to NDEO members.
• Dance Education in Practice (DEiP) Practical journal providing resources and guidance for dance educators on classroom implementation and teaching practice.
• Dance Entry Level Teacher Assessment (DELTA)

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Arts Education AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Five major U.S. arts education organizations formed the Arts Education Alliance in 2024 to coordinate advocacy efforts and expand access to arts programs nationwide. On March 31, 2026, the Alliance released a shared advocacy agenda and funding report in partnership with the NAMM SupportMusic Coalition, calling on Congress to increase investment in arts education.
• NAMM SupportMusic CoalitioncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) SupportMusic Coalition to release advocacy agenda and funding report calling on Congress to increase investment in arts education. Coalition represents music educators and manufacturers advocating for music and arts education.
• Oakland UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Oakland University to offer college credits for NDEO's Online Professional Development Institute (OPDI) courses. Students can earn 2 college credits through Oakland University by registering before the April 15 deadline and completing additional requirements.
• National Association of Secondary School PrincipalscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNHSDA is approved by the National Association of Secondary School Principals, lending credibility and recognition to the honor society program for dance arts students in grades 6-12.
• DELTA PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships supporting the Dance Entry Level Teacher Assessment (DELTA) program, an assessment tool for evaluating entry-level dance teachers.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Dance/USA: Dance/USA is the national service organization for the professional dance field, offering advocacy, research, and member services. It overlaps directly with NDEO on national-level dance advocacy, member-based governance, and serving the broader dance ecosystem across the United States.
• National Dance Council of America: NDCA is a US-based governing body for dance education and competition, focused on dance teacher credentials and standardized syllabi. Like NDEO, it supports the dance teaching profession with structured training pathways, though its emphasis is more on competitive dance.

Others

• Dance Magazine: Dance Magazine is a long-running dance media publication covering performance, education, and the dance profession. It is comparable to NDEO as a channel for dance educator audiences and a curator of dance education content, though it is media rather than a membership association.
• National Guild for Community Arts Education: The National Guild supports community-based arts education organizations through accreditation, advocacy, and professional development. It is comparable to NDEO as a membership association serving community arts educators, with overlap on dance programming within its broader arts scope.
• American Dance Festival: American Dance Festival is a renowned summer training and performance festival for dance educators and professionals. Its professional development programming overlaps with NDEO's conference and OPDI offerings for advanced dance educators, though ADF is event-driven rather than membership-based.

Regional players

• International Dance Teachers' Association: IDTA is a UK-based membership and qualification body for dance teachers across multiple genres. It mirrors NDEO's professional development and certification model for dance educators but serves primarily the UK/European market rather than competing directly in the US.

Broad incumbents

• Americans for the Arts: Americans for the Arts is a large national advocacy organization for the entire arts sector, including dance. It shares NDEO's federal arts advocacy agenda but operates across all art forms rather than specializing in dance education.
• Royal Academy of Dance: RAD is an internationally established dance education organization offering graded examinations, syllabi, and teacher training across ballet and other genres. It overlaps with NDEO on dance education standards and teacher credentialing but operates at a larger global scale with a broader ballet-centric portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NDEOdance
• Facebookfacebook.com/ndeopage
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ndeo
• Instagraminstagram.com/ndeodance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Dance Education Organization