The International Dance Council CID, Paris

CID is the official umbrella organization for all forms of dance in all countries of the world.

It is a non-governmental organization founded in 1973 within the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, where it is based.

It brings together the most important international, national and local organizations, as well as select individuals active in dance.

CID cooperates with national and local governments, international organizations and institutions.

Its members are the most prominent federations, associations, schools, companies and individuals in over 170 countries.

CID is official partner of UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

Main characteristics

CID is an umbrella organization, in the sense that it evolves on a different level from its members. It is not connected to any particular dance school, company, federation or other institution.
CID does not organize festivals, workshops, competitions or other events - its Sections and its members do.
Being strictly non-commercial, it sells no products or services. Its only resource is membership fees. It is independent of any government, political ideology or economic interest.
CID treats all forms of dance on an equal basis. It does not promote a particular view of dance, recognizing its universal character as an art form, as a means of education and as a research subject.
It is non-discriminatory. Reflecting the principles of the United Nations and UNESCO, it is open to all approaches to dance, without prejudice for race, gender, religion, political affiliation or social status.
CID is governed democratically - its leadership is elected every four years. Elected officers receive no emolument.
Membership increases constantly; in 2014 it included more than 1100 institutional members (federations, schools, companies, competitions, festivals etc.) and over 8,000 individual members (choreographers, educators, dance historians, administrators, critics and others) in 170 countries.
It is open to membership, accepting organizations, institutions or persons with sufficient credentials.

Being a Member of the CID

Besides the prestigious title of Member of the International Dance Council CID, the highest body for Dance, as a Member you will be entitled to:

  1. Receive certificates and parchments, CID badges, stickers, posters, and other material, always free of charge.
  2. Present your work at world congresses, international festivals, workshops, competitions and other events organized by Members of the CID. Publish events at the CID Panorama, the official website for dance events, with the largest visibilty: www.panorama.cid-portal.org
  3. Be informed about opportunities such as scholarships, jobs, invitations to perform, to teach or to lecture, new publications etc. The CID Circular is mailed to 100,000 dance professionals in 200 countries.
  4. Be listed with your full profile in the Global Dance Directory (over 300,000 addresses, by far the largest in the arts): www.cid-portal.org/directory
  5. Address inquiries to the CID Secretariat, which is staffed by several full-time experienced members and has a huge archive of resources.
  6. Meet other members and be part of a network including thousands of specialists in more than 170 countries who are eager to cooperate with other CID members.
  7. Have a discount on services (workshops, competitions, festivals etc.) or publications (magazines, books, CDs, video, DVDs, albums etc.) by member organizations.
  8. Apply to your country's National Commissions for UNESCO, other government agencies or private sponsors to fund your travel abroad in order to represent your country.
  9. Support applications for a visa to attend congresses and other events held under the auspices of CID.
  10. Share the prestige of "the United Nations of Dance", as CID is usually called.
  11. Offer to your students International Certification of Dance Studies, a validation of teaching applicable all over the world.
  12. Nominate dance professionals for CID membership - your students can become Student Members of CID.
  13. Found a Section of CID in your city, thus representing it officially.
  14. Obtain legal advice on professional matters, free of charge, as all services by CID.
  15. Obtain electronic books free of charge; see program CID Bookself at http://www.cid-portal.org/2017/bookshelf/