The School of Dance welcomes founding Director Luc Vanier

Photo credit: Jessica Kaminski

After an extensive search, the University of Utah named Luc Vanier as the director of the new School of Dance.

Vanier comes to the U from his position as associate director and head of dance at the School of Theatre and Dance at Texas Tech University.

Earlier this year, the U announced the departments of ballet and modern dance would be uniting to form one school, which is the first of its kind in the Intermountain region. Both programs will continue their long esteemed legacies but will now take advantage of expanded opportunities and more collaboration. While preserving the individuality of each discipline, the new structure will facilitate greater interdisciplinary education and research opportunities across multiple genres of dance.

“Luc’s extensive knowledge in dance technique, history and pedagogy, paired with his experience as an arts administrator make him the perfect candidate for this position” said Raymond Tymas-Jones, dean of the College of Fine Arts. “We are thrilled to have him at the helm as we embark on this new and exciting journey.”

Vanier was a former principal dancer and company choreographer with Ohio Ballet and danced pivotal roles across the U.S. His choreography has been produced at the Joyce Theater in New York City and toured nationally. In 2001, he graduated with his MFA from the University of Illinois and became a certified teacher from the Urbana Center for the Alexander Technique. Since then, Vanier has lectured and presented his research nationally and internationally on the integration of the technique and developmental movement in dance curriculum. In 2011 he co-wrote “Dance and the Alexander Technique: Exploring the Missing Link” published by the University of Illinois press.

“I feel very fortunate to have worked in academia for the past twenty-five years,” said Vanier. “After all these years, my goal is still to provide dancers with information I wish had been accessible when I was younger. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to support dancers of all backgrounds and be a part of the legacy of quality at the U.”

Welcome Luc Vanier!