Dance 493D - S- NYPOP

This course is designed to address the critical issues students face in their transition into the professional world. The underlying vehicle of the course consists of small group projects as well as individual case studies. The course culminates with each student compiling a personalized file of essential resources, ideas, trends, strategies and people unique to their dance career aspirations. This "map" will empower students as they navigate their journey from campus to the real world.

Open to DANCE and BFA-DANCE majors only. This course is designed to address the critical issues students face in their transition into the professional world. The underlying vehicle of the course consists of small group projects as well as individual case studies. The course culminates with each student compiling a personalized file of essential resources, ideas, trends, strategies and people unique to their dance career aspirations. This `map? will empower students as they navigate their journey from campus to the real world.

Students will meet (remotely) with various discussion groups and have opportunities to workshop their next steps as well as to practice industry scenarios. Panel discussions include choreographers who will share the realities of the creative career; young professionals who recently graduated from college themselves, telling about their victories and challenges; various well-established dance service organizations; Students will take class and speak with nationally and internationally recognized artists and take advantage of available career resources.

Professor Cox is a graduate of San Francisco State University with a B.A. in Sociology. She has just joined the UMass Dance Faculty from a ten year professional life in New York City. Her choreography has been commissioned by TEDx Asbury Park, Joffrey Ballet School, The Ailey School, Columbia University and more. Her performance credits include Saturday Night Live, Black Girls Rock with Alicia Keys, Gwen Stefani, Pharrell, Off Broadway and national commercials with Samsung, Apple and NYU. Her personal research has led her to collaborate in Brazil, Trinidad & Tobago, India, Hong Kong, Spain, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia and Mozambique. As a published storyteller and poet she has been featured in Vogue Magazine and has produced and hosted several showcases benefitting the NYC dance and storytelling communities.

Professor Dennis is a graduate of the Juilliard School, Purchase College Conservatory of Dance and a former soloist with the Jose Limon Dance company. His creative activities include an internationally touring solo concert and guest artist with Dance International, adjudicator for Certamen Internacional de Coreografia, and at International Dance Association in Ravenna, CivitanovaDanza. His current research blends studies in movement analysis with neuroscience to examine the effects of dance on the functional and cognitive symptoms in individuals with neurodegenerative disease.