Dance Education Alumni Perspectives Video
Alumni of NYU Steinhardt's Dance Education program discuss their experiences in the program and the paths their careers have taken since graduation.
Dominique M. Fontenot
NYU track of study: Teaching Dance in the Professions: ABT Pedagogy
Year of graduation: 2022
Thesis/ Curriculum topic: Reimagining arts integration with a concentration in Dance: A Conglomeration of Visual Art and Dance Pedagogy
What you are up to now: I am the founding Dance teacher and Arts Coordinator at Achievement First Ujima High School | Artistic Director of the dance company called The R.E.A.C.H. Collective.
Career highlights so far: I am ABT certified in Levels Pre-Primary through Level 7 and Partnering. I took the training 3 times and passed it last summer. I finally passed!!!!!! AMEN!! :)
How did the Dance Ed program prepare you for what you are doing now? The programs I attended through ABT and NYU equipped me with valuable tools to effectively teach diverse demographics. From ABT, I gained a strong structural model, while NYU provided me with a creative framework. I recognize that each environment is unique, and adapting to the needs of the students requires skill and flexibility.
Biggest take away(s) from your time in grad school/ in MPAP: Community is at the heart of our journey, and it is important to remember that you do not have to navigate it alone. I encourage you to express your needs openly, as doing so allows us to support one another in our pursuits. My experience in graduate school taught me that our path is not a competition; rather, it is one where we can all succeed together. Our diverse backgrounds and experiences enrich our collective exploration, creating a stronger and more vibrant community.
Pamela Levy
NYU track: Teaching Dance in the Professions/ABT Ballet Pedagogy
Thesis and/or curriculum topic: Review of literature: The need for an American National Training Curriculum
What she's up to now: Steps on Broadway's Director of Youth Programs and Examiner for ABT’s NTC
Biggest takeaway from graduate school: The most exciting part about being a dance educator is that there is always something new to learn. Graduate school gave me an opportunity to connect with and learn from others. Through that, I’ve found a network of other dance educators who I continuously learn from. This has greatly enhanced and strengthened my teaching! Graduate school at NYU also provided so many amazing connections for me in terms of work and progression in my career.
Nyasia Fraser
NYU track of study: Dance Education K-12
Year of graduation: May 2020
Thesis/ Curriculum topic: Self-Awareness through Choreography
What you are up to now: I wear lots of hats. I'm a Career and Technical Education Dance Teacher in NJ. I am the founding teacher of the program which means I created and implemented the 4-year curriculum. This program aims to prepare dancers for a career in the dance field after graduation. I'm also the CFO of Fall Into Art, a Non-Profit Arts Organization in NJ, and the founder/ dance coach of the Passaic Dance Collective, a competitive dance group that allows students to compete and perform at no cost. At the school leadership level, I am the Chair of the Climate and Culture Committee, member of the safety committee, member of the Instructional Leadership Team, and member of the Parent Team and Testing team. I'm also back in grad school to obtain my principal and superintendent license. On a personal level, I am mom to a seven-year-old that used to run around NYU with me. She is an honorary NYU grad and does 2nd grade for fun.
Career highlights: I survived teaching virtually my first year of teaching. The Passaic Dance Collective made it to Nationals their first ever year competing! I was also awarded the "Dedication to Dance" award at our first ever Nationals. That was a pretty special moment in my career. Smaller highlights include heartfelt messages from parents after performances, seeing a student finally get a movement they were struggling with, and making dance a big part of the school culture.
How did the Dance Ed program prepare you? The Dance Ed. program gave me the essential tools to thrive in my career. I made great connections, learned how to effectively plan and execute dance classes that are engaging, thought provoking and rigorous, as well as gained valuable insight on how to advocate for dance education.
Biggest take away(s) from your time in grad school/ in MPAP: It's being open to any and all learning experiences. All of the opportunities I was exposed to gave me the necessary skills to land my dream job, succeed in building a successful four-year dance curriculum in a high school, and advocate for dance opportunities in my community regardless of socio-economic backgrounds.
Kate Diaz
NYU track: Teaching Dance, Grades K-12, Initial Certification
Thesis and/or curriculum topic: The effects of exercise on the brain and its case for dance education in schools
What she's up to now: I'm currently teaching at the Professional Performing Arts School in Manhattan, NY
Biggest takeaway from graduate school: My biggest takeaway from grad school was the ability to cohesively design, create, and write curriculum. Those skills have allowed me to adapt and modify my teaching to best fit the needs of my various student populations. I have also been blessed with incredible mentors, friends, and community that have lasted over a decade.
Zakiya Atkinson
NYU track of study: Teaching Dance in the Professions
Year of graduation: 2006
Thesis/ Curriculum topic: The conveyance of cultural norms in African Dance
What you are up to now: I'm an Assistant Professor of Dance at California State University, Long Beach and the Single Subject Credential Coordinator for Dance. I am also the director of Zaman Dance Theatre Collective.
Career highlights so far: I was the first Dance Educator and Dance Program Director at the Memorial High School Performing Arts Academy in West New York, New Jersey. After 10 years at MHS I transitioned to Cranford Public Schools to serve as the Visual and Performing Arts Supervisor for three years. I then relocated to accept a tenure-track faculty appointment at California State University, Long Beach. I was recently awarded a grant to conduct a global research project with a colleague, focused on arts, race, and disability.
How did the Dance Ed program prepare you for what you are doing now? The program provided me with teaching strategies, leadership skills, and a global perspective of dance and dance education.
Biggest take away(s) from your time in grad school: One of the biggest takeaways for me was gaining a community of dance educators I could collaborate with, exchange knowledge with, and learn from.
Joya Powell
NYU track: Teaching Dance in the Professions
Thesis and/or curriculum topic: The Importance and Necessity of Intercultural Dance in Higher Education
What she's up to now: I am the Artistic Director/Choreographer of Movement of the People Dance Company, a company founded by NYU alumni in 2005 which performs at esteemed venues and provides community engagement activities both nationally and internationally. I continue to share my pedagogical practices at national conferences and I am a visiting assistant professor of dance and African American Studies at Wesleyan University. Awards and recognition include: The 2016 Outstanding Emerging Choreographer Bessie Award, 2016-17 Dancing While Black Fellow, 2017-18 Women in Motion Commissioned Artist, 2019 EtM Choreographer Residency, 2019 Certificate of Appreciation from the Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer.
Biggest takeaway from graduate school: The relationships that I formed in graduate school continue to be the educators I am most connected with and influenced by along this journey in dance and education. My colleagues and friends from NYU still encourage me, are there to bounce ideas off of, and inspire the work I do. I also am grateful for the ways in which my professors in the Dance Ed program challenged antiquated means of facilitating dance classes. They gave examples and mirrored ways in which to think outside the studio box. I have carried their dedication to continue to find new ways of facilitating and challenging the status quo into my approaches with my work.
Adam James Holms
NYU track: Teaching Dance in the Professions/ABT Ballet Pedagogy
Thesis and/or curriculum topic: Developing Creative Dance Curriculums
What he's up to now: I am currently in the sixth season of owning my own Ballet Academy in South Norwalk, CT, The Norwalk Metropolitan Youth Ballet. We’ve grown from 13 students to 155.
Biggest takeaway from graduate school: Developing a professional support system to help me create my studio and maintain contacts in the industry
Kevin McEwen
NYU Track of Study:
Teaching Dance in the Professions
Year of Graduation:
2017
Thesis/Curriculum Topic:
Using Culturally Tailored Dance Education to Address Public Health Disparities in Urban Communities
What You Are Up To Now:
I currently serve as a Faculty Lecturer at Lehman College and an Adjunct Lecturer at Queensborough Community College, where I teach African and Diaspora-based dance forms. I also serve as the Executive Director of the Kofago Institute, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing cultural education, community engagement, and wellness through the performing arts.
Career Highlights So Far:
Creating safe and affirming spaces for BIPOC communities to exist authentically through dance and cultural expression—spaces where individuals are empowered rather than marginalized, and where cultural identity is celebrated as a source of strength and healing.
How Did the Dance Ed Program Prepare You for What You Are Doing Now?
The Dance Education program expanded my professional network across the tri-state area and connected me with a diverse community of artists, educators, and scholars within the broader NYU ecosystem. Those connections continue to shape my work as an educator and cultural leader.
Biggest Takeaway(s) From Your Time in Grad School:
Graduate school taught me how to conduct meaningful research that integrates both academic and community-based methodologies. It also reinforced the importance of travel and cultural immersion as essential tools for artistic and educational growth.