Title: Associate Professor, Director of Dance
What classes do you teach?
This semester I teach Advance Modern Dance Advance Choreography and Dance Capstone
What advice do you have for students wanting to take your classes, or in general, classes in the College of Creative Arts?
The advice that I have for student wanting to take my classes or any classes for that matter is to be honest with themselves as to why they want to be in that class. Once in the class they should have a set of their own objectives that they would like to achieve and take from the class by the end of the semester. As with any course or work in the arts, you have to find your passion and purpose otherwise you won't be able to endure the long stretch which is usually part of the creative process, regardless what art you're involved with. My advice here is stay the course, persevere and find the new each time you step into that class, studio or on to the stage - that's the beauty of live arts.
What are your research interests, and are there any projects you are currently working on?
My main research interests are curricula and program development in dance, the arts and in cross pollination between dance and other art forms as well as other disciplines across campus. I am currently working on a new faculty-led dance abroad program for the dance program as well as a new Dance Education certification together with a colleague in the College of Education and Human Services.
Another project is a Dance Science track with a colleague in Health Sciences. I've also just received word that an article I wrote and presented at an international conference on Dance Education in Malaysia this past summer, was accepted to be published in a book with various international dance scholars, on new trends in Dance Education. The book, due to come out this year is titled "The Spirit of Creativity in Dance Education". My article is titled "Teaching Dance in the Digital Age". The book will be published by the Nusantara Performing Arts Research Center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
This past summer I collaborated with my colleague from the school of Music, Professor of flute Nina Assimakopoulos. We worked on and presented a new work that combined live flute and dance en sync, with both myself and Nina performing an original score by Alojz Ajdic. We will be performing the work in the annual Dance Now concert in the Clay Theatre Feb. 28, March 1- 2.