Our History
The National Hand Dance Association was organized and founded in the Summer of 1994. There were twenty-one (21) original members. The formal introduction of the Association occurred on Sunday, December 18, 1994 with the culmination of the “Third Annual Hand Dance Competition Ball,” held at the J. W. Marriott Hotel.
Our Purpose
Our purpose is threefold:
- To Preserve
- To Educate, and
- To Promote
the art form of Hand Dancing in the community.
Our Goals
The Association’s programs have a dual focus, i.e., hand dancing as an art form and a as a community service. Hand dancing as an art form will be represented by the creation of a national archive. In so doing, the NHDA will educate the public-at-large. The archive will also preserve materials including tape-recorded oral histories, still photographs, video footage, memorabilia and other items which tell the story of hand dancing. In addition, the Association plans to use these materials in school programs, publications, and exhibits to increase awareness.
