Deirdre Towers

Deirdre Towers has been associated with Dance Films Association since 1983, first as the editor of Dance On Camera News, then as the writer of Dance Film/Video Guide published in 1991 by Princeton Book Company, as a member of the DFA's Board of Directors since 1991, and as the director of the Dance On Camera Festival from 1994-present. She has instigated many changes during her years with DFA. Deirdre was the first to secure a publisher for the guide which had been compiled by DFA several times before her edition in 1991. She also initiated the three-year collaboration with Lincoln Center's Film Society. Deirdre was invited repeatedly to attend the Grand Prix de Video Danse and Dance Screen as a panel moderator, participant, and jury member. She directed Dance On Camera Night for the 1997 New York Expo of Short Film and Video. In 1998, she initiated the Dance on Camera Showcase at Hunter College, a series produced in collaboration with Dennis Diamond of Video D Studios, Inc.

Her background combines a mix of journalism, administration, choreography, and teaching. From 1985-1989, Deirdre was a staff writer and photo editor for Dance Magazine. She wrote a monthly column on dance video, weekly scripts for National Public Radio, and speeches. Her performing and choreography credits include Surflight Theatre, Syracuse Ballet Theatre, Syracuse Symphony, New York Lyric Opera, Off-Off Broadway, the Rainbow Room, as well as industrials, concerts and special events. As an administrator, she worked for the Theatre Guild during their Broadway production of A Musical Jubilee starring Lilian Gish, the National Artists Management Company headed by Broadway producers Fran and Barry Weissler. As manager of Bond Street Theatre Company, Deirdre helped establish the Palenville Summer Arts Colony.

In 1991, Deirdre founded Dance Media, Inc whose wholly owned subsidiary Alegrias Productions distributes videos and books specializing in flamenco. Deirdre sold over $230,000 of product, released new titles, directed/produced children's events, lectured on flamenco across the country and wrote or placed articles in over 20 publications. She also worked with the music division of the Organization of American States, as a fundraiser/researcher for youth symphony orchestra and arts school in Panama, 1981-83.

She has been invited to lecture on flamenco history for the last six summers at: Institute for Spanish Arts (New Mexico), on American dance video at the Gulbenkian Foundation (Lisbon, Portugal) and the Grand Prix de Video Dance (France). Her writing credits include editing the book And They Danced On, researching the videos produced by Peter Rosen entitled The Golden Age of the Piano (Volume I & II), Jan Peerce, and Christmas at the Vatican.

She has a masters in Arts Administration from New York University, a BA from Hamilton College, with one semester studying music and dance in Ghana.