Past Performances & Events

Screendance Cultural Tour 2024

The Screendance Cultural Tour is an opportunity to “show not tell” an interpretation of screendance, one that highlights the moving body on screen and is experimental, inclusive, and identity-driven. A modern rebranding of the former “Screendance Festival”, the Screendance Cultural Tour features film programs, solo screenings, choreographic highlights, and panel discussions. In collaboration with the College of Fine Arts’ 75th year anniversary, the conversation about the legacy of screendance in Salt Lake City will be cherished for many years to come.

The University of Utah School of Dance most recently held the Screendance Cultural Tour Spring 2024.

ACDA Regional Conference 2023

The American College Dance Association’s (ACDA) primary focus is to support and promote the wealth of talent and creativity that is prominent throughout college and university dance departments. ACDA’s sponsorship of 11 regional conferences, the National College Dance Festival, the Screendance Festival, and our At-Large Virtual Adjudication Program provides the platforms for students and faculty to engage in multiple performances, workshops, panels, and guest artist classes taught by instructors from around the region and country. All of ACDA’s programs also provide the unique opportunity for students and faculty to have their dance works adjudicated by a panel of nationally recognized dance professionals in open and constructive forums. These programs are the primary means for college and university dance programs to perform outside their own academic setting and to gain exposure to the diversity of college dance throughout the United States.

The University of Utah School of Dance most recently hosted the ACDA Regional Conference in Spring 2023.

Utah Ballet Choreographic Institute 2022

The Utah Ballet Choreographic Institute (UBCI), is a program that runs in conjunction with the Utah Ballet Summer Intensive and brings four professional choreographers, or Choreographic Fellows, to the University of Utah campus where they will have a chance to choreograph innovative works in pointe shoes.

The University of Utah School of Dance most recently held the Utah Ballet Choreographic Institute in Summer 2022.

Revitalized Dancer & Somatics 2022

In tandem with the Utah Ballet Summer Intensive, the School of Dance offers a program of somatics classes focusing on ways to revitalize and deepen your dance practice to better meet the demands of the field both physically and mentally.

With a somatics based approach this program will focus on increasing self-awareness of individual movement patterns, finding enhanced integration in movement, and cultivating a mind-body connection as a dancer that can potentially create more nuance and ease in movement. The overall intent is to allow dancers to make more choices about movement, deepen their understanding of their own bodies, and learn how their whole selves can support dancer wellness, personal movement goals, injury prevention and/or injury recovery.

The University of Utah School of Dance most recently held the Revitalized Dancer & Somatics in Summer 2022.

Meet / (re) Connect 2021

In Fall 2021, the School of Dance hosted a series of workshops with SOD alumni targeting specific underrepresented groups (BIPOC, LGBTQ+). The goal of the groups was to create a community and let the alumni speak openly about their experiences while at the school and ways they would like to see change implemented for our current and future students. The ideas and suggestions put forth by alumni have become topics of discussion for our internal planning groups and has led to action and implementation of new initiatives.

Masterclass Series 2020

The School of Dance brings world renowned dancers and choreographers to the University of Utah for our popular Masterclass Series. Some of our most recents guests include Anna Marie Holmes, Nick Mullikan, Jane Wood, Susan Jaffe, Calvin Kitten, Jeremy Blanton, Roni Mahler, Eloy Barragán, and BODYVOX, to name a few.

The University of Utah School of Dance most recently held the Masterclass Series in Spring 2020.

High School Workshop 2019

The faculty at the University of Utah School of Dance is excited to offer the High School Dance Workshop. The workshop will feature an array of classes taught by the esteemed University of Utah School of Dance faculty and invited guests. High schools are invited to present a work from their school, not to exceed 5 minutes in length.

The University of Utah School of Dance most recently held the High School Workshop in Fall 2019.

International Ballet Summer Intensive 2019

The International Ballet Summer Intensive (IBSI) provides a world-class training experience with faculty from premiere ballet companies from across the globe, housed in state-of-the-art studios at the University of Utah Asia Campus in Incheon, Korea.

Train in an exciting, international, high caliber, culturally enriching ballet program with an international stellar faculty from premiere ballet companies of the world, alongside dancers aged 15-26 from the United States, Russia, Korea, and China, on the English immersion Incheon Global Campus that houses the worlds top universities in six brand new state of the art studios. Study Technique, Men's Technique, Pointe, Variations, Pas de Deux, Character, Repertoire, Contemporary, attend Rehearsals and Lecture Demonstrations, culminating in a Gala performance held in the 1832 seat campus performance hall.

The University of Utah School of Dance most recently held the International Ballet Summer Intensive in Summer 2019.

Jump Start (Dance & Special Education) 2013

Jump Start is a creative movement and story-sharing/word-play workshop for individuals with Down Syndrome and their family members, co-taught by Pamela Geber Handman and Melissa Bond (recognized SLC-based writer, journalist, poet). The inaugural workshop brought together families in the community alongside School of Dance majors at the University of Utah as teaching assistants. A documentary film was created by Twig Media Lab.

The University of Utah School of Dance most recently held Jump Start in Fall 2013.