Life as a Modern Dancer

Category: Dance Educators/Teaching Artists

  • A Pulse on Dance in LA Unified School District

    By Shana Habel, Dance Adviser Dance is alive and well in the Los Angeles Unified School District at both the elementary and secondary levels. Our elementary dance program began in 1999 with 7 dance teachers; today we have 41 full-time elementary dance teachers that service hundreds of elementary schools. Our elementary program is a foundational one…

  • Speaking as a Teaching Artist: Jesse Zaritt, Cynthia Oliver, Dawn Stoppiello, and Debra Knapp

    Jesse Zaritt Today you will hear from four artists who have shared their stories on the blog over the past three months and learn about the role of teaching within their careers. Teaching is integral, challenging, and inspiring. From Jesse Zaritt (Brooklyn, NY): In my teaching, I try to critically examine the historical terms of what…

  • Artist Profile #110: Jesse Zaritt (Brooklyn, NY)

    Hometown: Worcester, MA Current city: Brooklyn, NY Age: 37 Attended an arts high school? I went to Walnut Hill in Natick, MA, which is an arts high school. I was a visual art major and only started dancing in college (with the exception of some PE ballet classes my senior year…) College and degree: Pomona…

  • Call for Submissions: 2nd Annual On/Line Teen Dance Film Festival

    2nd Annual On/Line Teen Dance Film Festival Presented by The Hamlin School (San Francisco, California) CALL FOR APPLICATIONS The Hamlin School is pleased to curate the 2nd Annual On/Line Teen Dance Film Festival, showcasing “dance for the camera” films by middle school and high school students from around the world. Students ages 11-18 are welcome to…

  • Artist Profile #109: Abby Zbikowski (Champaign, Illinois)

    Hometown: Cherry Hill, NJ Current city: Champaign, Illinois Age: 31 College and degree: Temple University, BFA in dance Graduate school and degree: The Ohio State University, MFA in dance; I started grad school at 25 Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AbbyZbikowskitheNewUtility?ref=bookmarks How you pay the bills: I’m an Assistant Professor in the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Department of Dance…

  • Deepening our Teaching Practice This Coming Semester: An Online Reflection and Discussion Opportunity

    Q1 Light by Amber Heaton; amberheaton.com For Seasoned Teaching Artists: Reflection Questions and Inspiration for the Semester Ahead A few weeks ago, I posted 23 questions for the upcoming semester. My colleagues Leah Cox (Associate Dean at ADF and Associate Professor at Bard College), Debra Knapp (Director of Dance at New Mexico State University), and Elizebeth Randall (professor at Saint Mary's College of CA…

  • Artist Profile #107: Debra Knapp (Las Cruces, New Mexico)

    Hometown: Vincennes, Indiana Current city: Las Cruces, New Mexico Age: 63 College and degree: BS Physical Education, Dance concentration, Indiana University Graduate school and degree: MS Physical Education, Kinesiology and Choreography concentration (age 35), Indiana University. Ed.D. Educational Leadership and Management (age 55), New Mexico State University. How you pay the bills: Professor of Dance, freelance choreographer and…

  • Artist Profile #106: Cynthia Oliver (Urbana, Illinois)

    Photo: Valerie Oliveiro Hometown: St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands Current city: Urbana, Illinois Age: 54 College and degree: BFA – Adelphi University  Graduate school and degree: MA – New York University; PhD – New York University Website: www.cynthiaoliver.com How you pay the bills: University professor All of the dance hats you wear: Choreographer, dancer/performer, teacher,…

  • Artist Profile #104: Dawn Stoppiello (Portland, OR)

    Dawn Stoppiello    Photo: Cameron Browne (2014) Hometown: I was born in Orange, NJ but left for Arizona then Oregon with my parents when I was 5. I have lived significant chunks of my life in Portland, OR (10 yrs), Los Angeles, CA (9 yrs) and Brooklyn, NY (15 yrs). Current city: I relocated back to Portland,…

  • Artist Profile #103: Adriane Fang (Silver Spring, MD)

    Hometown: Stevens Point, Wisconsin Current city: Silver Spring, Maryland Age: 43 College and degree: University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, BAs in Dance and Psychology Graduate school and degree: George Mason University, MFA-Dance at 34 years old. How you pay the bills: Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland, teaching gigs, choreography gigs, performance gigs. All of the…