Five College Dance Department : Faculty

Faculty

The dance faculty at the five colleges work together as members of a single department, coordinating the courses offered to ensure broad coverage of study and striving for a critical balance among technical training, performance, historical, theoretical, and scientific studies.

The distinguished faculty, enhanced by the presence of the University's Fine Arts Center, attracts some of the world's leading guest artists, who come to perform and offer master classes, lectures, workshops, or semester-long courses.

Instructors
Rodger Blum, Coordinator of Dance, Smith: ballet technique and repertory, composition, floor-barre, and dance theory bio

Billbob Brown, University: jazz and modern technique, composition, contemporary and Renaissance/Baroque dance history bio

Jim Coleman, Chair of the FCDD, Mount Holyoke: choreography, modern technique, dance aesthetics, video and dance and performance/repertory bio

Paul Dennis, University: modern technique, composition, New York Professional Outreach Program bio

Charles Flachs, Mount Holyoke: dance history, ballet technique, partnering, and repertory bio

Rose Marie Flachs, Mount Holyoke: ballet technique, variations, repertory, tap bio

Terese Freedman, Coordinator of Dance, Mount Holyoke: modern technique, kinesiology for dancers, repertory, and composition bio

Constance Valis Hill, Hampshire: dance history theory bio

Daphne Lowell, Hampshire: modern dance, dance and culture, composition, sources of creativity bio

Marilyn Middleton Sylla, Smith: West African dance technique bio

Rebecca Nordstrom, Coordinator of Dance, Hampshire: modern technique, composition, improvisation and Laban Movement Analysis bio

Peggy Schwartz, Director of Dance , University: dance education, approaches to improvisation and composition, introduction to dance, yoga bio

Thomas Vacanti, University: ballet technique and repertory bio

Susan Waltner, Smith: modern technique, composition, 20th-century dance history and experiential anatomy for performers bio

Wendy Woodson, Coordinator of Dance, Amherst: modern technique, improvisation, interdisciplinary performance, composition, choreography studio, issues in contemporary dance, video and performance bio

Affiliated Artist
Ranjanaa Devi, University: Odissi and Kathakali styles of classical Indian dance bio

Musical Directors
Paul Arslanian, University bio
Peter Jones, Mount Holyoke bio
Mike Vargas, Smith bio

FCDD Staff
Betty Thurston, Administrative Assistant bio
Jean Baxter, Production Manager bio

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	Faculty The dance faculty at the five colleges work together as members of a single department, coordinating the courses offered to ensure broad coverage of study and striving for a critical balance among technical training, performance, historical, theoretical, and scientific studies. The distinguished faculty, enhanced by the presence of the University's Fine Arts Center, attracts some of the world's leading guest artists, who come to perform and offer master classes, lectures, workshops, or semester-long courses. Instructors Rodger Blum, Coordinator of Dance, Smith: ballet technique and repertory, composition, floor-barre, and dance theory bio Billbob Brown, University: jazz and modern technique, composition, contemporary and Renaissance/Baroque dance history bio Jim Coleman, Chair of the FCDD, Mount Holyoke: choreography, modern technique, dance aesthetics, video and dance and performance/repertory bio Paul Dennis, University: modern technique, composition, New York Professional Outreach Program bio Charles Flachs, Mount Holyoke: dance history, ballet technique, partnering, and repertory bio Rose Marie Flachs, Mount Holyoke: ballet technique, variations, repertory, tap bio Terese Freedman, Coordinator of Dance, Mount Holyoke: modern technique, kinesiology for dancers, repertory, and composition bio Constance Valis Hill, Hampshire: dance history theory bio Daphne Lowell, Hampshire: modern dance, dance and culture, composition, sources of creativity bio Marilyn Middleton Sylla, Smith: West African dance technique bio Rebecca Nordstrom, Coordinator of Dance, Hampshire: modern technique, composition, improvisation and Laban Movement Analysis bio Peggy Schwartz, Director of Dance , University: dance education, approaches to improvisation and composition, introduction to dance, yoga bio Thomas Vacanti, University: ballet technique and repertory bio Susan Waltner, Smith: modern technique, composition, 20th-century dance history and experiential anatomy for performers bio Wendy Woodson, Coordinator of Dance, Amherst: modern technique, improvisation, interdisciplinary performance, composition, choreography studio, issues in contemporary dance, video and performance bio Affiliated Artist Ranjanaa Devi, University: Odissi and Kathakali styles of classical Indian dance bio Musical Directors Paul Arslanian, University bio Peter Jones, Mount Holyoke bio Mike Vargas, Smith bio FCDD Staff Betty Thurston, Administrative Assistant bio Jean Baxter, Production Manager bio