In a unique and dynamic ceremony that featured dance, theater and musical performances, David Yager was officially installed as president of the University of the Arts on October 17. The inauguration was part of the university's celebration of its 140th  anniversary, which follows the theme "The Maker's Moment." In his inaugural address, President Yager asked those in the audience to close their eyes and imagine a University of the Arts of the future, one that is the most provocative, imaginative, entrepreneurial, socially engaged, authentic and influential school of the arts in the country.

The School of Dance  at the University of the Arts presents its Winter Dance Series, December 8-11.  The series features UArts students performing works choreographed by faculty members and visiting artists.

This season, students will perform works choreographed by:

Douglas Becker
Based in Brussels, Belgium, Becker is a choreographer and educator working in many idioms. He is a former dancer with the Joffrey Ballet, the National Ballet of Canada, the Dallas Ballet and the Frankfurt Ballet under the direction of William Forsythe, of which he has reconstructed numerous works by the choreographer for professional companies, festivals and institutions across the globe. 

Ronald K. Brown
Brown founded Evidence, A Dance Company in 1985. He has worked with Mary Anthony Dance Theater, Jennifer Muller/The Works and other choreographers and artists. Brown has set works on Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, Cleo Parker Robinson Ensemble, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Jennifer Muller/The Works, Jeune Ballet d'Afrique Noire, Ko-Thi Dance Company, Philadanco, Muntu Dance Theater of Chicago and Ballet Hispanico. 

Yasmeen Godder
Godder was born in Jerusalem in 1973 and moved with her family to New York City in 1984. Growing up in NY, Godder studied dance at the LaGuardia High School for Performing Arts and the Martha Graham school, and was deeply connected to the punk scene in downtown Manhattan. Godder received her BFA from the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU while attending a variety of workshops and classes at Movement Research which have impacted her approach to dance making until today. 

Mark Haim
Haim has been choreographing and teaching for over 25 years. He was Artistic Director of Mark Haim & Dancers from 1984-1987, and the Companhia de Danca de Lisboa from 1987-1990. He has created new works for dance companies such as the Nederlands Dans Theater, Ballet Frankfurt, the Limon Dance Company, the Joffrey II Dancers, and the Rotterdamse Dansgroep, and has restaged his works on The Joffrey Ballet, the Bat-Dor Dance Company of Israel, Djazzex, and the Juilliard Dance Ensemble. 

Gary W. Jeter II BFA '03 (Dance)
Jeter began dancing in 1997 at Pebble Brook High School for the Performing Arts in Atlanta, Georgia, where he graduated in 1999. Gary attended the Ailey fellowship summer program and received a full director's scholarship to the University of the Arts where he graduated in 2003 with a BFA in Dance. After graduation, he was asked to join Philadanco where he was a principal dancer from 2003 to 2007. 

Roni Koresh

Koresh is a choreographer, teacher and collaborator whose unique blend of ballet, modern and jazz leaves audiences dazzled by the raw passion that is infused into his movement. He formed Koresh Dance Company in 1991 and quickly established an international reputation for highly technical and emotionally charged work. With a gift for movement creation, Roni refuses to settle on a technique, instead defining himself by a signature style of ever evolving movement.

Milton Myers
Myers performed with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and was Director of the Trisler Danscompany for six years. He has taught for the Ballet Hispanico, New Danish Dance Theatre, Les Ballet Jazz de Montreal, Batsheva, Matthew Bourne's Male Swan Lake Company on Broadway and Ballet Stagium in Brazil. He is a professional instructor for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and is an instructor and resident choreographer for Philadanco. 

Helen Simoneau
Simoneau is a native of Rimouski, Québec and artistic director of Helen Simoneau Danse. Based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina since 2004 and a U.S. citizen since 2010, she has received commissions from American Dance Festival, Bessie Schönberg Residency at The Yard, Springboard Danse Montréal, and the Swiss International Coaching Project. In 2015 Simoneau received a new work commission from Juilliard for their New Dances program with excerpts performed at Guggenheim Works & Process. Simoneau was a resident artist at the Baryshnikov Arts Center, Bates Dance Festival and has received fellowships from the Bogliasco Foundation and North Carolina Arts Council. 

Katie Swords-Thurman
Swords-Thurman is a New York City based dance artist currently teaching modern dance technique at the University of the Arts. She has also taught at Performatica (Cholula, Mexico), the American Dance Festival (Durham, NC), the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA), NEW Festival (Philadelphia), Renaissance Arts Academy (Los Angeles), and in Dance New Amsterdam's Modern Guest Artist Series. Katie's choreography has been shown at theatrical venues and universities in New York, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia; her work has also been presented abroad--in Mexico, Ireland, Austria, and France. 

Tommie Waheed-Evans
Waheed-Evans began his training with Michelle Blossom at the Dance Connection and Andrea Calomee at Hamilton High School in Los Angeles, Ca. As the result of Karen McDonald's guidance, he studied under a fellowship at the Ailey School in New York City. Tommie has worked and performed for Matthew Rushing, Benoit- Swan Pouffer, Debbie Allen, Thaddeus Davis, and has assisted Troy O'Neil Powell . Mr. Evans professional appearances include the popular sitcom "The Parkers", the Los Angeles Emmys Awards, Jazzantiqua Dance Ensemble, Washington Reflections and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. He's danced with Lula Washington Dance Theater, the Philadelphia Dance Company (PHILADANCO!) and Complexions Contemporary Ballet. 

Jesse Zaritt
Zaritt received an MFA in Dance from Hollins University/The American Dance Festival (2008). Jesse has recently taught at the University of the Arts (PA), the American Dance Festival (NC), Hollins University (VA), Pomona College (CA), and the University of the Americas Puebla (Mexico) as well as at festivals in Japan, Korea, and Russia. He has performed his solo work in Russia, Korea, Germany, New York, Japan, Mexico and Israel. His solo 'Binding' is the recipient of three 2010 New York Innovative Theater Awards: Outstanding Choreography, Outstanding Solo Performance, and Outstanding Performance Art Production. 

Dinita Clark BFA '05 (Modern Dance)
Clark began her formal training in modern dance (Horton) under the instruction of Faye Snow at the age of 15 at Franklin Learning Center High. She continued her studies in modern, ballet and jazz at the University of the Arts where she earned her BFA in Modern Dance in 2005. She expanded her knowledge of the many forms of hip-hop and funk styles and has been choreographing and teaching various levels and age groups ranging from six to adults as well as children with special needs. Locally Dinita is a lecturer/hip-hop teacher at the University of the Arts and Bryn Mawr College and has also choreographed two hiphop ensembles for both colleges in collaboration with Kyle "Just Sole" Clark. She has also taught at Koresh Dance Studio, Philadanco School of Dance Arts, Philadelphia Dance Theater, Point Breeze Performing Arts Center, and Philadelphia Arts and Education Programs for several years. 

Kyle Clark CERT '06 (Dance)
Clark, a native of Baltimore, Md., began dancing at the age of 9. Shortly after earning his degree in 2006, Kyle became a principle dancer with Eleone Dance Theater and a principle dancer for Rennie Harris Puremovement Hip-Hop Theater Company concurrently from 2006 to 2010. In 2010, he was promoted to rehearsal director for RHPM. In 2012, Kyle was selected via Rennie Harris Puremovement to be a Cultural Ambassador for the U.S. by the Obama Administration. He performed, taught and lead lecture/demonstrations in Egypt, Israel and Palestine after the Arab Spring. 

Nora Gibson
Gibson is an American, female choreographer evolving ballet for the 21st century. Gibson is interested in the beauty of the natural world, as evidenced in mathematics and science, and in working across disciplines to expand ballet's reach. Gibson trained at Baltimore School for the Arts, Chautauqua, and NCSA, and earned a BFA from Tisch, at NYU. In addition to performing in the genres of ballet and contemporary dance in MD, D.C., and NY, Gibson was selected to work from 2010-2013 with Lucinda Childs to perform various iconic 70s works as part of the Pew Center for Arts and Heritage's Virtual Reconstruction project.

The breakfast is FREE. Please RSVP to Tracy E. Smith, Director of Alumni + Parent Relations by November 18.

UArts in Miami Breakfast
Friday, December 2, 2016
9:30 AM
The National Hotel
1677 Collins Ave
Miami Beach, FL 33139

Friday, December 9

Winter Dance Series Alumni, Parent & Family Reception and Performance 

Friday, February 17

College Art Association (CAA) Alumni Reception in NYC