As Head of Dance, I could not be more excited about the year ahead. Over the summer, I worked on the self-study for our upcoming accreditation site visit for National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD). The university received our initial NASD accreditation back in 2014, and due to the Maedgen renovations and the pandemic, our 5-year reassessment visit is finally happening nearly ten years later. It has been interesting to reread our initial self-study when we only offered the B.A. in Dance. As I write our new self-study, I was proud to include our newer programs – the B.F.A. in Dance and the M.A. in Dance Studies. We are proud that the program has grown tremendously in the last ten years.
The self-study has brought up issues that we hope to address as a program to improve how these degree offerings for the B.A., B.F.A., and M.A. can help students find careers post-graduation. The faculty plan to revise and create new curriculum to bring in more students and better serve our current population. Nothing is more exciting than revising and creating new curriculum!
I also witnessed the transformation of the Creative Movement Studio 101 as it was stripped down and redone in time for our NASD site visit and the beginning of the fall semester. The black box studio now has a light and sound lock (to block out outside noise and streetlights) that includes an elevated tech booth to run sound and lights for performances, new curtains, new paint, new sprung floor with Marley, and new retractable seating for performances. We also spruced up the other studio with LED lighting for room ambience, and new computer and monitor system for our classroom space.
And I must take a minute to brag on our dance faculty, who accomplished much this summer:
Dr. Ali Duffy attended a week-long workshop with Liz Lerman at the American Dance Festival. She also helped create the inaugural seminar of the International Parenting and Dance Network convened in Belfast in September 2023 that included presentations, workshops, performances, and panels from parent-scholars and parent-artists all over the US, the UK, India, and Australia. Seminar #2 will be hosted in Canterbury, England in April 2024 and Seminar #3 will be hosted here at Texas Tech University in September 2024.
Melissa Brading traveled to New York to complete the Countertechnique One Body One Career workshop for dancers and later traveled to Amsterdam to complete the Countertechnique Teacher Training. Melissa is one of 19 certified teachers in the U.S. (51 worldwide) and the only certified Countertechnique teacher in the state of Texas.
Kyla Olson, Melissa Brading, and Ali Duffy completed the Stott Pilates Reformer training in May 2023 and are currently working towards certification this December. Students are able to work with these faculty to receive free Pilates Reformer training.
Anthony DeNaro, aka YNOT, traveled most of the summer to teach and perform nationally and internationally – Switzerland, Japan, Tokyo, Los Angeles, New York and Alaska. He is also performing in New York City's Fall for Dance in New York City Center this month.
Erin Harold Alvarado traveled most of the summer to teach and present dance coaching workshops for The Dance Awards, Dance Dimensions of SW Florida, Dance Mania, Streetz Dance Nationals, Crowd Pleasers Officers Camps, National Dance Coach Association Conference & Tribe99 Combine, and DanzTeamProject. She also worked with her pom squad in preparation for the year's games and competitions, as well as their summer intensive and recruit clinic.
Yvonne Racz-Key traveled to teach for Syracus City Ballet, Dallas Black DanceTheatre, and Ballet Hispanico's summer workshop.
Katrina Soricelli attended several workshops, including the Alexandra Bellar Workshop, INSIDE & OUT, and One Body One Career (OBOC) with Anouk Van Dijk (the Founder of the Countertechnique and former Chucky Move Artistic Director). She also led the Choreography Workshop this summer at Ballet Lubbock, choreographed for the Voice of Hope Gala, and served on the evaluation panel for the Texas Commission of the Arts.
Lily Balogh taught for the Ballet Lubbock Summer Intensive and choreographed Creede Repertory Theatre's musical production of Ask a Kid.
The most rewarding aspect of these accomplishments is that each of these professors will bring what they learned back to the classroom, bettering our dance program immensely. We look forward to an exciting year of new discoveries, enhanced facilities, and innovative curricular offerings.