Regional Dance America/Northeast (RDA/NE), a 501(c)3 organization, is an association of dance companies in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington, D.C.

RDA/NE is one of the Regions of Regional Dance America, successor organization to the National Association of Regional Ballet.  This organization is synonymous with the regional dance movement in America and has played a significant role in the development of many Companies to full-fledged professional status.

RDA/NE is a source of support, encouragement, experience, knowledge and advice from other member Companies which vary from more significant groups with budgets of several hundred thousand dollars to smaller groups with more modest budgets.

The Annual Festival, first held in the Northeast in 1959, provides:

  • Exposure for dancers, choreographers and Companies.

  • An important exchange of ideas that work.

  • A chance to see what others are doing.

  • A chance to meet many others in the field.

  • A great place to have fun with fellow colleagues in the world of regional ballet.

 

Our Mission

  1. To recognize, appraise and promote the work of dance companies from various states of the Region.

  2. To generate public interest and appreciation for dancers: to provide incentives and opportunities for dancers, choreographers and dance companies; to encourage the growth of dance and stand for the highest quality in performance and administration.

  3. To require the highest of ethics among member companies and the representatives thereof.

Banner photo: Southern New Hampshire Youth Ballet. Photo credit: Richard Calmes

“Our membership to Regional Dance America has not only elevated the artistic level of our company, it has provided our dancers with scholarship opportunities, performance opportunities and exposure to a much broader dance world. ... it has transformed us into a more professional company and organization.”
— Trisha Lavoie, Artistic Director, Southern New Hampshire Youth Ballet

What We've Achieved

  • Awarded more than $5 million in program scholarships to students at the RDA NE Regional Festival in 2023.

  • Provided a high quality annual festival for the past 57 years to dancers in the northeastern United States.