History of the Black Dance Exchange (BCDE) College

For numerous years, Norfolk hosted a successful High School Dance Festival in which high school dance groups participated in morning master classes and an afternoon performance.  Inez Howard, who formulated the idea for the High School Festival, suggested using the same approach at the college level to Jean Braxton of Hampton University and Cora Saltzburg of Virginia. The three met and discussed the possibility of such a venture in the summer of 1981. The first meeting was called the CIAA Dance Festival and was held in the spring of 1982 at Virginia  State University.

At that meeting, a decision was made to continue the concept at annual meetings. The Black College Dance Exchange (BCDE) was founded as a result of this decision. Initial guidelines were drafted at that time. The four  schools in attendance  were Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina Central University and Virginia State University

The Black College Dance Exchange continued as a one day festival until 1984. In that year, a decision was made to increase the annual meeting to a weekend of dance activity.

The Conference now meets the second weekend in April each year with an ever-growing membership of Historically Black Colleges and Universities and provides a link between college dance groups, which are traditionally housed in the Physical Education Departments on Black campuses.

The exchange provides opportunities for Black College dance groups to come together for learning, social and performance experiences. The exchange is open to all Black dance companies, performing groups at other colleges,  private studios, community groups and other organizations.  

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Last updated on 3/19/08 10:09 am CST