CORE + ME | 2026 ICONS Meet

Choreographers Open Roundtable on Education + Mentorship

2026 International Conferencing Online and Networking Symposium Meet

November 6-8, 2026

Online Headquarters – Washington, DC, USA

Dance ICONS, Inc. USA

www.danceicons.org

CHOREOGRAPHIC MENTORS AND DANCE COMPOSITION EDUCATORS WORLDWIDE

FROM THE INDEPENDENT, ACADEMIC, AND PROFESSIONAL SECTORS

MEET ONLINE TO ADDRESS KEY QUESTIONS AND DISCUSS CREATIVE TRAINING:

HOW DO WE CULTIVATE FUTURE DANCE CREATORS?

HOW DO WE MENTOR AND EDUCATE ASPIRING CHOREOGRAPHERS?

HOW DO WE TEACH DANCE COMPOSITION AND CHOREOGRAPHIC CRAFT?

 DATES AND TIMES OF THE ONLINE CONFERENCING

The conference will take place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday November 6, 7 and 8, 2026, during  a 3-hour period simultaneously in three world time zones, so Presenters and Attendees worldwide will be able to attend at the same time. These are:

9:00 AM and 12:00 noon (EDT) –  Washington DC, New York

3:00 PM and 6:00 PM  (CEST) –  Vienna, Rome

9:00 PM and 00:00 midnight (CST)  –  Hong Kong, Beijing

Conference will take place in a Google Meet online digital conferencing with special invitations send in advance to Presenters and Attendees.

MISSION AND GOALS OF THE SYMPOSIUM:

Knowledge Exchange — Mentors and educators in choreography composition from around the world share their creative practices, approaches and innovations.

Enrichment and Inspiration — Progress in the field is made not only by single artists, but also by team contributions of members of the global community who inspire one another.

Networking and Collaborations — Connecting educators and mentors working internationally leads to knowledge sharing, new partnerships and program exchanges.

For a press release and contact information click HERE or to acces a PDF click HERE

MAIN SUBJECTS AND SUB-TOPICS FOR DICCUSSION:

1) CHOREOGRAPHY CRAFT, FUNDAMENTAL SKILLS, AND CREATIVE TECHNIQUES:

- Originating movement material: improvisation and creative experimenting

- Sequencing and phrasing: structuring and restructuring, constructing and deconstructing

- Navigating developmental devices:  traditional, innovative, and personalized tools

- Defining content, concept and context: references on the aboutness of a dance work

- Physicalizing dramaturgy: narrative, semi-narrative, plotless, linear, non-linear, eclectic

- Developing unique movement expression: choreographic individuality and artistic identity

- Inter-, cross-, multi-, and trans-dicsiplinary: Integrating choregeorhy with the other arts and science disciplines such as music, visual art, theater, digital technologies, AI, etc.

2) CHOREOGRAPHY TALENT DEVELOPMENT AND CREATIVE TRAINING :

- Perspectives for training in conventional craft or uniquely individual creativity

- Teaching approaches in academia versus the independent and professional sectors

- Curriculum and syllabus building to incorporate creative theory and artistic practice

3) CHOREOGRAPHY MENTORSHIP, ADVISORY, AND SUPPORT:

- Methods of mentorship and feedback for creative growth

- Strategies for further professional development, cultivating collaborations, and networking  

- Processes of artistic support and career advisory

SESSIONS FORMAT AND LENGTH OF PRESENTATIONS

The symposium is free of charge for attendees and presenters .

The conference is limited to 100 total selected participants, including 25 to 30 Presenters and 60 to 70 Attendees, due to current digital space capacity.

Each of the three curated days will include up to 8 or 9 different Presenters, while the admitted group of Attendees will remain the same throughout all three days.

Each presentation will last up to 20 minutes with short breaks in between, and the structure of each presentation will include:

1-2 minutes of introduction of the presenter

10-12 minutes of presentation content

2-5 minutes of questions and transition to the next presenter.

The format of each presentation could include:

- Verbal Presentation only

- Verbal presentation with Power Point diagrams illustrating the approaches used

- Verbal presentation with short video excerpt demonstrating in-studio work

CONTENT OF PRESENTATIONS AND CONFIRMED PRESENTERS

We're still coordinating  on programming the entire conference, we have confirmation of several presenters end the sessions and content  that will be shared.

A complete list of Invited Presenters will be listed on this website one month before our event.

 A lsit of a few confirmed presenters and their brief descriptions of sessions can be foudn HERE.

A detailed schedule of  sessions breakdowns with days and times,  will be listed later please stay tuned and we appreciate your patience.

ACCESS & SIGN UP  APPLICATION PROCESS FOR ATTENDEES

The symposium is free of charge to global Attendees and Presenters .

The symposium attendance is limited to up to 100 total, including 25 to 30 Presenters and 60 to 70 Attendees, due to available digital space capacity.

All Presenters at the current symposium are by invitation only, and pre-selected by our Content Curating Committee and Advisory Board.

All Attendees at symposium must obtain an online Google Meet personalized invitation to participate.

To sign up and participate as an Attendee, please fill out the following Application FORM,  which will open on September 9, 2026 and close on October 9, 2026.

Space is limited; therefore, make a reservation soon and you will receive online confirmation if space is available.

Due to limited accommodation, the content of the symposium will be captured as a video recording  and will be shared with the public online via our website at a later point.

Final schedule of the conference with the breakdown of presenting sessions each day and logistical details will be announced on October 10 2026.

CONTENT CURATING COMMITTEE AND CONFERENCE ADVISORY BOARD

(List of names will be published Which in the next two weeks)

For any questions please contact Charles Scheland, Programming and Content Manager at Dance ICONS, Inc. at charles(at)danceicons.org

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We welcome you to join our global community

of dance composition educators and choreographic mentors!