Dance Pros Debbie Allen And Carrie Ann Inaba Inspire Arts Educators At National Arts Schools Network Conference

In a STEM society, how can we help children who love the arts best contribute to the needs of a 21st-century economy - and therefore ensure them a successful future?

Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) hosts more than 250 arts school leaders and arts educators who will explore this question and others at the national Arts Schools Network (ASN) Annual Conference on October 23-26 in collaboration with the University of Southern California (USC), Chapman University, Disneyland Resort and Segerstrom Center for the Arts. This year's theme, "Arts in Motion" focuses on the intersection of dance and film technology as an example of cross-disciplinary collaboration.

An impressive caliber of speakers includes dance professionals such as Debbie Allen and Carrie Ann Inaba ("Dancing with the Stars"), leaders from the National Endowment of the Arts, Americans for the Arts, arts high schools and colleges, and special guest Todd Shaiman, who is the team lead for the Immersive Arts Team responsible for creating virtual reality and augmented reality content at Google.

Breakout sessions address the areas of leadership, marketing and development, innovative programming and partnerships, film and television, digital media, dance, equity and inclusion, and college and career readiness. Attendees also participate in exclusive tours of local renowned arts and educational institutions.

For the student experience, ASN is bringing together more than 120 dance students from arts schools across Southern California to learn from and work with professional dancers, in addition to presenting an innovative dance and film showcase. These schools include California School of the Arts - San Gabriel Valley, Huntington Beach Academy for Performing Arts, Idyllwild Arts Academy, Los Angeles High School for the Arts, Orange County School of the Arts, and San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts. Additional opportunities for students include the Orange County School of the Arts Garn Jazz Studies concert with professional trumpeter and Yamaha Performing Artist Wayne Bergeron, and a student film showcase taking place in the Folino Theatre at Chapman University.

Registration is open until Oct. 8. Southern California locals can receive 20% off daily registration by using promo code ASNLOCAL20. To review an overview video, registration information and a detailed schedule for the conference, please visit https://www.artsschoolsnetwork.org/annual-conference.

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