In January, Kim Jones will be leading a residency in the School of Theatre and Dance, creating a new work with the students who will perform in DanceTech 2020 in addition to teaching several masterclasses. A choreographer, dancer and native New Yorker, Kim Jones is an Associate Professor of Dance at UNC Charlotte and a régisseur for the Martha Graham Resource Center. She danced with the Martha Graham Dance Company (2002-2006), Metropolitan Opera Ballet (1998-2003), and served as a principal dancer in the US National Tour of The King and I (2005). We are excited that the students will better understand the Graham technique and its role in the evolution of Modern Dance.

Also in January, Kyla Olson and I will take eight TTU Dance students to New York City for four days, supported by a generous grant from the Bohny Family Fund. The faculty had the difficult task of narrowing the applicants down to eight. In New York, the students will see productions (such as West Side Story, with new choreography by iconic Belgian choreographer: Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker), visit museums, and take classes. We are encouraging the students to engage with diversity, architecture, design, and art throughout the city to better develop their creative expression.

During the New York City trip, students will experience dance artists working professionally within a competitive environment. Professional artists must embody a rigor and a flexibility in their work, and witnessing their practice will inspire both students and faculty members. In addition to honing technical skills with multiple dance artists, we hope the students will discover a potential career direction and/or spark a future creative partnership.

For TTU Dance, this trip to New York is a significant draw for both the BA Dance program and the upcoming BFA Dance program, ultimately contributing to their artistic growth. We are very grateful to the Bohny Family Fund for providing this incredible opportunity.