Teach-Learn Connection: Across the Floor
Awards & Honors
In October, the National Dance Education Organization presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to Daniel Lewis at NDEO’s national conference in Tuscon, AZ. Lewis founded the dance division at Miami’s New World School of the Arts in 1987 and has served as dean since then. He steps down from that position in June. NDEO’s award for Outstanding Leadership went to Julie Kerr-Berry, director of dance at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Deborah Damast, master teacher of dance education at NYU Steinhardt, received the award for Outstanding Dance Educator (Post-secondary).
New Positions
Dr. James Frazier and Gerri Houlihan have been appointed co-deans of the American Dance Festival School, following the departure of longtime dean Donna Faye Burchfield. Frazier, chair of the dance department at Virginia Commonwealth University, and Houlihan, on faculty at Florida State University, plan to share the position for one to two years before Frazier assumes the role of dean. g Renowned ballerina Cynthia Gregory was named artistic advisor and coach to Nevada Ballet Theatre and its affiliated academy in September. The new Cynthia Gregory Center for Coaching, at the company’s headquarters in Las Vegas, will serve as Gregory’s home for coaching professional dancers. She plans eventually to work with pre-professionals as well.
Classes & Events
Movement Research packs nine workshops into three weeks for its annual MELT Winter Intensive, with a faculty culled from the who’s who of downtown dance. The class schedule reads like poetry: “Ineffable Intangible Sensational” with Miguel Gutierrez, “Horizons” with Irene Dowd, and “Touch Move Talk Write” with DD Dorvillier. Jan. 3–21. Register at www.movementresearch.org. g The first Boston International Ballet Competition, founded and directed by Valentina Kozlova, will be held May 12–16, 2011. Apply by Feb. 1. See www.bostonibc.org.
