Selected Alumni Bios

• Raquel Cavalcanti

  Raquel Cavalcanti is a Brazilian-born dancer, dance educator, and Alexander Technique certified teacher, based in NYC since 1995. She became a certified Alexander Technique Teacher in New York at IRDEAT in 1999 with a full scholarship from the Brazilian Ministry of Culture. She worked as an assistant teacher for the Alexander Technique at NYU (Tisch School for the Arts), Fordham University, and Sarah Lawrence College for both graduate and undergraduate students.

  Raquel graduated from Steinhardt with an MA in Dance Education in 2010. Her Master's thesis “A Way of Thinking: The Implications of the Alexander Technique in Dance Teaching” received the excellence award from the dance department and has been presented in several conferences throughout the US, such as the 21st IADMS Conference (International Association of Dance Medicine and Science), The Alexander Technique AGM by the American Society of the AmSAT, National NDEO Conference - Focus on Dance Education: Creativity, Innovation, and 21st Century Skills, and the 15th Annual Graduate Student Research Conference “Education in the Global Age: Realities and Possibilities,” among others.

  After leaving Steinhardt, Raquel was employed as the afterschool program coordinator at the Brooklyn Waldorf School and taught as a guest teacher at Movement Research. In the Fall of 2012, she was a visiting professor at Knox College, Illinois, where she taught two courses in contemporary dance and somatic practices. She received her full-time tenure-track position as a dance professor in the dance education department at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, in her home town of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, in January 2013.

  Among her future plans is to pursue her PhD and to grow her own organic garden.

   

• Adelheid B. Strelick

  Adelheid B. Strelick, NYU Steinhardt Dance Education MA alumna (concentration in ABT Ballet Pedagogy). An ABT® National Training Curriculum-certified teacher and former professional dancer/choreographer for 14 years with the ballet company of the Theater Ulm, Germany, Adelheid received her BFA in Dance from the University of Music and Performing Arts, Frankfurt, Germany.

  Currently adjunct professor at Adelphi University and its Pre-College Program, she is also on faculty and a teaching artist at Dance Theatre of Harlem’s school.

• Andrea Seidel

  Andrea Mantell Seidel, Doctorate of Art, Dance Education, 1985, recepient of the National Dance Education Organization 2007 Visionary Award, is the founding director of the Intercultural Dance and Music Institute housed in the Latin American and Caribbean Center at Florida International University, and a tenured associate professor of dance in the Department of Dance. Additionally, she serves as executive director of DanceArts Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization supporting historic dance preservation; trustee of pioneer modern dance choreographer Eleanor King's choreographic legacy; and as artistic director of the critically acclaimed Isadora Duncan Dance Ensemble.

  Dr. Seidel has lectured, presented papers, and performed as a soloist in the work of King and Duncan at prestigious national and international conferences and festivals throughout the US, Canada, Latin America, Russia, Europe, and Asia, including the Internationales Tanzfestival in Germany; the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington; Hong Kong International Conference and Festival; NYC Lincoln Center Festival Out-of-Doors; International Festival de las Mujeres en la Danza, Ecuador; and the International Goethe Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia, among numerous other venues. She holds a doctorate in dance from NYU Steinhardt's Program in Dance Education and has published numerous articles on the indigenous cultures and rituals of the Americas; historic roots of early modern dance; and intercultural, interdisciplinary issues in the arts in higher education.
  
  Dr. Seidel is the recipient of over 70 national, state, and local grants, including a US Department of Education's Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education, three-year grant ($225,000) for Dancing Across Disciplines: A 21st Model for Educational Reform in the Academy. She has served as a founding member of the World Dance Alliance; on the national board of directors of Society of Dance History Scholars; the Congress on Research in Dance (CORD); conference and Program Chair for CORD's 30th International Conference, "Dance, Myth, and Ritual in the Americas;" a member of the International Dance Council, based in Athens, Greece; National Dance Education Organization, and Cross Cultural Dance Resources, Inc.

• Stephanie Milling

  Stephanie Milling, M.A. 2002, completed a Ph.D. in Dance and an M.A. in Women's Studies from Texas Woman's University in 2007. While completing her graduate work at TWU, she designed and taught face-to-face and online courses in the Department of Dance and Women's Studies Program. Stephanie also worked as a part-time lecturer at Texas Christian University, as an adjunct at University of North Texas, and as a company teacher for Dallas Black Dance Theatre I and II. Stephanie is currently an Assistant Professor of Dance Education at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina.  She has served on several boards for professional organizations including the South Carolina Dance Association (current president), The South Carolina Dance Education Organization, and the Charlotte Dance Festival.

• Elizabeth McPherson

  Elizabeth McPherson,Ph.D. 2006, Assistant Professor and Coordinator of the BA in Dance Education at Montclair State University,received a BFA from Juilliard, followed by an MA from The City College of New York, and a Ph.D. from New York University. She has been a faculty member of Long Island University-Brooklyn campus, Fieldston Lower of The Ethical Culture Fieldston School, The City College of New York and NYU. Dr. McPherson has written the book The Contributions of Martha Hill to American Dance and Dance Education, 1900-1995 as well as articles and reviews for various publications including  Dance Teacher Magazine, Ballet-Dance Magazine, and Ballet Review.
  
  She enjoys staging historical dance works such as Helen Tamiris' Negro Spirituals and Yvonne Rainer's "Chair Pillow Dance"from Continuous Project Altered Daily. In the 1990s, Dr. McPherson performed across the country with Avodah Dance Ensemble, was also a member of Ernesta Corvino's Dance Circle Company, and appeared with The Louis Johnson Dance Theatre. She is currently working on a new book with the working title: Personal Reflections on the Bennington School of the Dance.

• Kate Sedlack

  Kate Sedlack (MA ’11) is a recent graduate of the NYU Steinhardt Dance Education Program. During her time at NYU, she studied abroad in Uganda, was the GSO Department representative and received the award for outstanding academic achievement in dance education. She is a teacher for the NYC Department of Education at New Explorers High School in the South Bronx.

   

   

   

   

• Lisa Herlinger-Thompson

  Lisa Herlinger-Thompson grew up dancing in Hawaii. She earned her BA in Dance from UCLA, freelanced and produced her own work in LA and then moved to NYC where she danced with LIMBIC SIX and Troika Ranch, among others.

  Lisa received her MA in Dance Education from NYU Steinhardt and participated in the first study abroad trip to Uganda. Lisa teaches dance at a NYC high school.

   

• Clarence McDorman

  

  Clarence McDorman graduated in the inaugural class of the ABT Ballet Pedagogy concentration. Upon graduation, he assumed the Interim Ballet Director position for the private studio Dance Vision in Des Moines, Iowa, where he successfully presented intermediate-level ballet students for ABT Exams. In August 2010, he joined Ballet Academy of Texas in suburban Dallas as a full-time faculty member teaching intermediate and advanced ballet technique, men's ballet, pointe, and pas de deux. At Ballet Academy, he has successfully presented intermediate and advanced ballet students for ABT Exams.

  In September 2010, in collaboration with Ballet Academy of Texas director Lisa Slagle, he launched a daytime training program for home-schooled students residing in the DFW Metroplex who aspire toward careers as professional ballet dancers. Since its inception, numerous students of the daytime program have joined professional companies, won top honors at ballet competitions, and been awarded full scholarships to train at the nation’s leading ballet institutions.

  Clarence serves as Ballet Master for Ballet Ensemble of Texas and has recently performed principal character roles in Nutcracker, Swan Lake Act II,Graduation Ball, and Coppelia. From 2010 - 2012, he served as an Adjunct Professor of Ballet for The School for Classical and Contemporary Dance at Texas Christian University. For the 2012 / 2013 school year, he will serve on adjunct faculty at University of North Texas, teaching the advanced level ballet course. In 2012, he was a guest teacher for the ABT National Audition Tour and Interlochen Arts Academy.

• Geneva Manley

  Geneva Manley, MA, is Dance Theatre of Harlem’s Education Manager and is on faculty at alma mater NYU Steinhardt’s Dance Education Program. She received honor as Salutatorian and Initial teacher Certification.

  A corporate healthcare sales background, a BS in Marketing from Depaul University and facility of movement from age seven- Theater Scene.net (2011): “Ms. Manley has an innate sensuality that infuses her lines… Ms. Manley’s mastery was enthralling…” Geneva combines these experiences to expand advocacy and innovative understandings of dance education.

• Rodica Bordeianu

  

  Rodica Bordeianu was born in the Republic of Moldova and graduated Summa Cum Laude from the National Ballet Academy of Moldova. She joined the Moldovan State Academic Dance Ensemble and toured extensively around the world.

  After moving to the United States, Rodica continued to dance professionally and taught master classes in California, Oregon, and in South America. She received a Dance Teacher License from the Oregon Board of Education.

  Rodica holds an MA degree in Teaching Dance in Higher Education and the Professions with concentration in ABT’s Ballet Pedagogy, from New York University. Additionally, Rodica is certified to teach levels Primary -7 and Partnering, in ABT's National Training Curriculum.

  Rodica is currently teaching at the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at the American Ballet Theatre. She is also part of the faculty for the Young Dancer Summer Workshop at ABT.

• Kelvin Cooper

  

  Kelvin Cooper has a Masters Degree in Dance Education from New York University. He worked three years as a full-time dance faculty at the Santa Rosa Junior College in California and a semester teaching Intercultural dance at NYU. He is currently working part time at Bronx Community College and various Art organizations, such as the Ailey in Arts education and the Leadership program. He completed a study abroad program in Uganda as a teacher’s assistant for New York University. He was also a professional development trainer for a partnership program with New Orleans Ballet Association through the University.

  He believes that dance is for everyone and that the power to identify, understand, create and express through movements can open doors to growth in all aspects of life. Kelvin has performed with numerous dance theatre companies including Elizabeth Streps at the Joyce Theatre, Joan Peters and Roots of Brazil at Symphony space and two different projects for Douglas Dunn at St. Marks Church, New York.  He was a featured dancer for the Grammy Award winning band Arrested Development at the Madison Square Garden and has performed in Samson and Delilah at the Metropolitan House.

  Kelvin has also played the main role of Jesus in two films at New York University and has worked as dance director at the Center for Family Life.  He is particularly interested in empowering and building communities through thematic dance works both locally and internationally.