MCA's

The National Honor Society for Dance Arts™ (NHSDA) is a program of the National Dance Education Organization, created to recognize outstanding artistic merit, leadership, and academic achievement in students studying dance in public and private schools in K-12 education, dance studios, cultural/community centers, performing arts organizations, and post-secondary education. The NHSDA offers three levels of induction: The Junior Program for grades 6-8, The Secondary Program for grades 9-12, and The Collegiate Program for students in college or university dance programs.

The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts established Junior, Secondary and Collegiate NHSDA chapters as a way that you can honor our students and help advance the field of dance education in 2018.

Benefits for students include:

• recognition of their achievement.
• Certificates at each level of introduction (including the opportunity to wear the gold honor pin and white honor cord during graduation ceremonies)
• Mentorship from Chapter Sponsor and networking with peers
• Leadership and development opportunities within their NHSDA Chapter, as they assist the Chapter Sponsor with Chapter administration, record keeping, fundraising, and event planning.
• NHSDA Secondary Program members who are current juniors and seniors in High School are eligible for the NDEO Artistic Merit, Leadership and Academic Achievement Award, the highest student dance award in the nation in 2020 the National Winner will receive up to a $1,000 scholarship and a certificate.
• Opportunity to submit a poem, story, article, or photo for publication in NHSDA’s official news letter, Dance Arts Now

Induction into the NHSDA Programs are earned through the accumulation of at least 15 for the Junior Chapter and at least 30 points for the Secondary program awarded for dance activities such as rehearsals, performances, research, workshops, or community service activities, alongside a GPA of at least 3.0. Students should track their points and provide the Chapter Sponsor with a record of points earned through worksheets, portfolios, or other agreed-upon methods. For points earned outside of chapter activities, verification of points earned should be provided to the Chapter Sponsor through playbills, registration forms, photos, or other agreed-upon methods. The Chapter Sponsor will keep a record of points earned on file. In addition, the prospective student’s demonstration of collaborative teamwork, motivation, and leadership in the many aspects of dance (e.g., choreography, performance, mentoring, production) are factors in the determination of eligibility for induction.

The only fee to be inducted into the Junior & Secondary NHSDA program is a one-time fee of $8. There are no other fees associated unless a student decides to purchase a pin and or chord for a graduation ceremony.

The Collegiate program open to MCA & SMUMN is a little more in depth requiring similar participation as with the other chapters, but requiring at least 45 points earned, submission of an essay and a student membership in NDEO. MCA is proud to be the first collegiate NHSDA chapter in Minnesota.

Induction tracking forms maybe picked up at the front desk. More information about the program can be found here or you may talk with MCA Director of Dance and NHSDA sponsor, Tammy Schmidt at 507-453-5502 or tschmidt@smumn.edu. The next induction ceremony will be in April or May 2021. ​The point submission deadline for a late April/early May induction is Friday, March 26, 2021