College of Arts and Sciences Newsroom
Artist Partnership
A Dayton Contemporary Dance Company professional will join the University of Dayton faculty this year in a new role as artist-in-residence.
Amy Jones, who has danced with DCDC for eight years, will lead the University’s new dance concentration in the theatre, dance and performance technology program. She will guide the concentration’s growth and development, and instruct dance and movement courses as a full-time dance artist-in-residence.
“I am excited about this opportunity,” said Jones, a native of Huntington, West Virginia. “I have been dancing for many years but I have wanted to fully focus on teaching — to create curriculum and set goals for students. I want my students to better understand all genres of dance, to have fun and appreciate movement. I want them to know anyone can dance; no matter the body size or ability, anyone can move.”
Jones also will serve as choreographer for mainstage productions and director of the UD Dance Ensemble. She is already beginning choreography for the fall production of Die Fledermaus, the Viennese operetta composed by Johann Strauss, II, which will be performed in English on Nov. 4-6 in the Kennedy Union Boll Theatre.
The artist-in-residence position builds on the partnership between the University and DCDC that started in 2009. The company, founded in 1968 by Jeraldyne Blunden, is culturally diverse with its choreographies deeply rooted in the African-American experience. DCDC tours regionally, nationally and internationally, and holds the world’s largest archive of classic African-American dance works. The company was selected in July as co-recipient of the New York Dance and Performance Award, also known as the “Bessie,” for best revival choreography. The Bessie salutes outstanding and creative works in choreography, performance, music composition and visual design.
“It’s a really great partnership and a wonderful opportunity for us to grow our dance program and recruit students who know of DCDC and want to study with Amy,” said Michelle Hayford, director of the University’s theatre, dance, and performance technology program.
The new dance concentration will allow students to pursue an in-depth study of dance within the larger scope of the liberal arts, Hayford said, to “encourage a diverse and well-rounded student.”
- For more information, contact Meagan Pant, assistant director of media relations, at 937-229-3256 or mpant1@udayton.edu.