Artistic director and staff team (in Dutch: kernteam, hereby further referred to as core team) lead the department. Currently the core team consist of six steady members: mentors of SNDO 1, 2 and 3, SNDO Production, SNDO administrative assistant and the artistic director. SNDO 4 mentor and the progam assistant/ PR coordinator are associate members of the core team and participate in bi-weekly meetings when relevant and necessary.
The core team runs day-to day operations, discusses all relevant notions pertaining to the study and wellbeing of the students, short-, mid-, and long-term developments in the school and field, makes curricular and structural changes and supports the artistic director in implementing the school’s vision.
SNDO administrative assistant is the link between students and the department when it comes to all administrative and practical questions from studio scheduling, communication of changes in the programme, students’ dossiers, communication of teachers’ absences, daily cash budgets, coordination of Intensive Course, auditions and different celebrations and communal projects.
SNDO production and PR coordinators are in charge of schedules, budgets and processes around public presentations and performances of all study years. The coordinators set up production and PR timelines and schedules to enable these programmes to be facilitated in optimal ways. A close collaboration is required between production, PR coordinator, each student and each studying class as a group. A particular attention and communal consciousness is needed around the decision- making processes leading up to making of the public programmes and performances curation. These are the times when singular visions and ambitions enter into dialogue with available equipment, technical and production hours and provided budgetary frameworks. Naturally cooperation is the key, which usually leads to beautiful programmes and performances.
SNDO mentors are the key figures and first point of contact between the student and the school. In each study year the group has a different mentor. Mentors are regularly meeting with their students in individual and group setting. Mentor hour is time to bring all relevant questions, feedback, positive and critical developments into the picture.
SNDO artistic director sets up the curriculum and provides guidance to the core team, teachers and students through numerous and different modes of engagement. Besides once per semester meetings with each year group, artistic director also organizes different larger or smaller meetings where curriculum and SNDO culture are discussed. Together with mentors and committee of examiners consisted of teachers, the artistic director is assessing the students study progress and development.
SNDO artistic director practices the open door policy. The office doors are literarily and figuratively open for anyone to seek advice, exchange thoughts or ask questions. The open doors remain unjammed by sending an email couple of days ahead to set up an appointment. However, for urgent matters, be it of serious nature or to bring exciting and great news, the doors are indeed always open.
The artistic director represents SNDO internally and externally in meetings, discussions and decision-making bodies.
Cooperation
Structural consultation takes place between the Academy of Theatre and Dance courses and departments: besides the SNDO, there is regular contact with Expanded Contemporary Dance and the two Master courses DAS Theatre and DAS Choreography. The recent collaborations include a new lab with the Peers group of the 5 o’clock class.
Support departments across the ATD
ATD has a number of general support departments and facilities. From technical department, production office, workshop where one can get help or build their set, costume department, Health and Performance, via ID Lab to library: these are independently managed and have their own protocols, timelines and modes of operating. More information can be obtained on My AHK or by visiting these departments during their opening hours.
Besides the departments, important for the students are student council Timon Hagen timon.hagen@ahk.nl and school psychologist (English) - Sjaña Holloway, sjana.holloway@ahk.nl, or (Dutch) Nancy Hiwat, nancy.hiwat@ahk.nl. Student wellbeing.
Since 2019, there is a Student Desk operating. More info on what the desk provides is here.
Integrity code
The Academy of Theatre and Dance operates under the AHK (Amsterdam University of the Arts) integrity code. All school staff members are required to act in accordance with this code of conduct. The code is available on intranet whereby the list of contacts of confidential advisers is available.
SNDO Care document
Next to the Study Guide and official ATD/AHK protocols, SNDO is working on a communal document outlining the ideas, principles and shred values around creating and maintaining a safe and caring environment. The 1st edition is planned to be available in the school year 2022-2023.