College of Visual and Performing Arts

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater ‘awakens’ School of Dance students at Mason’s 2023 Gala Concert

Shayla Brown — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 15:16:59 +0000

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater ‘awakens’ School of Dance students at Mason’s 2023 Gala Concert Shayla Brown Fri, 04/07/2023 - 11:16

In This Story

Karen Reedy

Lawrence M. Jackson

School of Dance students rehearse the choreography for Robert Battle's "Awakening." Photo by Cristian Torres.

Lawrence Jackson, a George Mason University School of Dance associate professor, explained why it’s so significant to have contemporary professional choreographers like Robert Battle produce works for the school’s 2023 Dance Company Gala Concert.

School of Dance students rehearse the choreography for Robert Battle's "Awakening." Photo by Cristian Torres.

“Robert Battle is the artistic director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT), but he's also a choreographer of his own right,” Jackson said. “[Battle] is a choreographic genius and living legend.”

Battle’s “Awakening,” along with works by others, were performed by Mason dance students at the gala concert in March.

“It’s a really unique piece, because it was the first dance that Battle created after he became the artistic director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater,” said Karen Reedy, director of Mason’s School of Dance.

In Battle’s “Awakening,” Reedy said, “there's a solo figure that emerges from the group symbolizing himself and all the feelings that go along with that of being chosen to lead the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and this community of people that has such a legacy.”

School of Dance students rehearse the choreography for Robert Battle's "Awakening." Photo by Cristian Torres.

Junior dance major Morgan Olschewske is one of 12 students who performed Battle’s piece, and one of 42 student performers overall, including understudies.

“A couple of us female-identifying dancers were cast in male roles, which was also a cool thing because the dance is kind of gendered but also it doesn't really matter,” said Olschewske. “I am dancing the role of current company dancer, Yannick Lebrun. Yannick is this gigantic man, and I'm like 5 feet 4 inches, so I was honored to get cast as such a larger-than-life dancer.”

Battle visited Mason’s dance students and offered artistic insight into the work, while former AAADT dancer Elisa Clark acting as a choreographic tutor known as a repetiteur.

“Elisa is an incredible stager,” Reedy said. “She's danced most of the works created by Robert Battle. She's his right hand and has done this incredible job of sharing this work.”

Olschewske agreed, calling Elisa “one of the most thorough individuals I ever worked with in terms of knowing everything about the choreography.”

School of Dance students rehearse the choreography for Robert Battle's "Awakening." Photo by Shelby Burgess.

The Gala included of four performances split into two acts. “Awakening,” an 18-minute piece, closed the first half to a standing ovation, said Reedy.

“It was quite gripping for the audience. I believe that many resonated with this very cathartic work,” she said.

The gala is one of the School of Dance’s biggest annual events. Prospective students are often invited.

“If students are on the fence about wanting to join the School of Dance, this concert pushes them over and they're [excited] to come to Mason,” said Jackson. “I was invited to come to one of these concerts, and it's actually what convinced me to accept my position here.”

“This was my first time meeting [Robert Battle], and it was certainly the highlight of my career,” said Jackson. “One of the reasons I was attracted to the School of Dance is its reputation for hosting an array of eminent and emerging artists, providing artistic inspiration and networking opportunities for Mason students and faculty alike.”

Topics

College of Visual and Performing Arts School of Dance

Dance Gala Concert

Dance

Students

College of Visual and Performing Arts

A Contemporary Composer Fuels a New Mason Collaboration

Emily Schneider — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 19:19:10 +0000

A Contemporary Composer Fuels a New Mason Collaboration Emily Schneider Tue, 03/07/2023 - 14:19

In This Story

Lawrence M. Jackson

Dr. William Lake, Jr.

Growing up in the Black church, Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Concert Bands, Dr. William Lake, Jr., deeply understands the power of music and movement.

After hearing Come Sunday by composer Omar Thomas, Lake dreamed of bringing this work to life with movement, bringing together the George Mason University Bands and the School of Dance. Working on such a project would not only expand his students' musical vocabulary but also create an authentic and expansive cultural experience for the Mason community. Associate Professor of Dance, Lawrence M. Jackson, had similar experiences, growing up in “the southern Black church, a very charismatic church” and reflected on his own upbringing and research into African diasporic dance forms. This collaboration came to life onstage in the Center for the Arts on Mason’s Fairfax Campus on February 28.

Students from Mason's School of Dance performing with the Mason Wind Symphony to Omar Thomas's Come Sunday on February 28. Photo by Will Martinez.

As a composer, arranger, and educator, Omar Thomas works with some of the most respected names in composition and education, including multiple GRAMMY-winning composer and bandleader Maria Schneider, Ken Schaphorst, and Frank Carlberg. Born to Guyanese parents in Brooklyn, New York, Thomas pursued music diligently, completing his Master of Music at Berklee College of Music and becoming the first Black composer to ever receive the National Bandmasters Association/Revelli Award for Come Sunday. His compositions are described as “thought-provoking, multi-layered masterpiece[s],” which made embarking on a partnership around this piece even more exciting for Jackson and Lake.

“I really hold dear my experiences as a musician in the Black church (I started playing the piano for my children’s choir around age 6) to my musical upbringing. Since I know gospel and other sacred music intimately, I can infuse the music with the extra nuances that can’t be described using notation but are true to the style. This piece has been performed by many great ensembles across the country… however, there hasn’t been a performance that centers movement and these great sounds.” said Lake.

Professor Jackson’s career often includes collaborations, a hallmark of his practice at other universities before coming to Mason in the fall of 2022. While the invitation to work with Dr. Lake at the end of the fall semester was a surprise, it also felt reassuring to find this partnership so early on and to begin exploring what this experience would mean for Mason students from both the School of Dance and the Dewberry School of Music.

A student from the School of Dance smiles at the audience during the performance of "Come Sunday" by Omar Thomas, performed by the Mason Wind Symphony. Photo by Will Martinez.

Building a vocabulary for the dancers was an opportunity for Jackson’s students to explore the storied culture of the Black church's sacred space and develop an understanding of the types of movement vocabulary that would reflect the energy and history of these spaces and traditions. From watching Alvin Ailey’s Revelations and clips of a particular scene from the movie Blues Brothers, Jackson offered context to his creative process, “blending contemporary dance forms, African diasporic dance forms, and pedestrian movement that is derived from the Black church, all merged into an amalgamation of movement vocabulary uniquely designed for this work.”

“The Mason School of Dance students are excited to work with the musicians,” said Jackson. “These dancers, most of them, if not all of them, have never had the experience of working alongside a symphony or a band. I’m excited for them to experience the unique energy of the symphony and adapt in the moment.” All of the dancers performing in this piece are seniors in their final semester with the School of Dance, which made Jackson that much more eager to share this experience with them before they embark on the next stage of their careers.

The dancers are not the only ones expanding their understanding and skills with this performance. “The jazz and gospel musical vocabulary is foreign to my students,” said Dr. Lake.

“It’s inspiring to see how invested our students are in something that they realize is new and different. My hope is that through music and collaborations, my students have a gateway to appreciate cultures different than their own,” Lake adds.

Dancers from Mason's School of Dance perform Professor Lawrence M. Jackson's original choreography to Come Sunday by Omar Thomas, performed by the Mason Wind Symphony on February 28. Photo by Will Martinez.

Unlike most concerts, the Wind Symphony will be moved further upstage than normal and without the acoustic shell to allow for the choreography to be presented downstage. This has resulted in the assistance of the Center for the Arts Artistic Staff to add audio, lighting, and stage-managing support. This unique concert has been chosen as one of the Mason Arts at Home features that will be captured via six cameras in the hall and even GoPros! Dr. Lake shared, “I’m jealous of the audience, I won’t get to experience the concert from their vantage point – I’m thankful that the School of Music and the College of Visual and Performing Arts have agreed to record, edit, and professionally mix our hard work”.

The duo is optimistic that this is just the beginning of collaborations between the Mason School of Dance and the Dewberry School of Music.

You can watch an in-depth interview with Jackson and Lake on the College of Visual and Performing Arts YouTube channel, including behind-the-scenes footage of rehearsals leading up to the performance.

The Wind Symphony’s performance from February 28, 2023, including Come Sunday featuring the School of Dance, will be available to watch from March 28 through April 28, 2023 exclusively through Mason Arts at Home.

Topics

College of Visual and Performing Arts

Mason Arts

Dewberry School of Music

College of Visual and Performing Arts School of Dance

Young Alumni Commissioning Project Announces Recipients of Fourth Round of Funding

Emily Schneider — Tue, 31 May 2022 20:27:39 +0000

Young Alumni Commissioning Project Announces Recipients of Fourth Round of Funding Emily Schneider Tue, 05/31/2022 - 16:27

In This Story

George Mason University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) is pleased to announce the recipients of the fourth round of its Young Alumni Commissioning Project Awards. Three alumni were chosen based on the artistic excellence, career impact, and feasibility of their proposals and will receive financial, marketing, and production support to have their projects presented by the College at a Mason venue during the 2022-2023 season. Two additional alumni were awarded an inaugural grant of financial support, designed to assist in the completion of their proposed projects, which were selected because of their timeliness and significance to the Mason community.

“In this fourth round of the Project’s commissions, we received proposals with uniquely personal and emotional perspectives,” said Rick Davis, Dean of Mason’s College of Visual and Performing Arts.

“Knowing the vital role of the arts in strengthening community in challenging times, we are elated that this program continues to support the visions of these young artists.” Davis continued, “In response to the great range of proposals, and in order to ensure that we are providing as much support as possible to our incredible alumni, we established an additional award this year, which provides a grant to help these artists take their project to the next level while removing the time frame for production or exhibition that is otherwise required. As usual, I can't wait to see what these great project ideas turn into once they’re fully developed.”

For consideration, applicants must have graduated from CVPA from the class of 2011 and after. Proposals could include original new work in any art form suitable for performance, exhibition, or screening in a Mason venue. The size, length, duration, magnitude, and content are at the artist’s discretion. Potential venues include Mason’s traditional theater spaces, galleries, and cinemas, but proposals for non-traditional venues, including digital spaces, were also considered.

The Young Alumni Commissioning Project is made possible by a generous bequest from the estate of Linda E. Gramlich for the support of young artists and by donors to Mason’s Giving Day, including Shugoll Research.

2023 Recipient of the Young Alumni Commissioning Project Award Including $5,000 in Commissioning Support
Juan Megna

Juan Megna

Juan Megna (Doctor of Musical Arts, 2021) received the Young Alumni Commissioning Award and $5,000 in commissioning support. In 2015, Juan started a master’s degree at the College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati. In this city, he played with Phil deGreg group, Rusty Burge, Steve Alee, among others, and got the degree in 2017.

In 2017, Juan moved to Fairfax, Virginia to pursue his doctoral degree at George Mason University. Juan played with Wade Beach, Wayne Wilentz, and Steve Kirby in the Washington DC musical scene, among others. Also, he formed The Juan Megna Quintet. The repertoire is centered on a mix of Juan’s compositions, blended jazz, Argentinian and Afro-Brazilian rhythms.

At George Mason University he leads the Latin-American Ensemble. The DownBeat Magazine has awarded this group with the 42nd (2019), 43rd (2020), and 44th (2021) students awards as an “Outstanding Performance”.

As an active researcher, Juan performed a clinic at the Jazz Education Network, New Orleans 2020, entitled "The Brazilian 16th-note phrasing through Cabula rhythm, Samba, and Bossa Nova", focusing on developing Afro-Brazilian popular genres.

Megna's new project, which this award will fund, is titled Trailblazer, an album of original compositions that will build a dialogue between jazz and Afro-Brazilian genres. The concept for the project is inspired by traditional melodies and rhythmic patterns of Candomblé (a diasporic religion syncretized from traditional religions of West Africa and Roman Catholic Christianity). “It is a real honor to receive this generous award coming from my alma mater institution,” said Megna. “It will help me crystallize a project that I dreamed of for so many years.”

2023 Young Alumni Creative Development Award Winners Including $3,000 in Commissioning Support

Carlehr Swanson

Carlehr Swanson (vocalist, pianist, speaker) is a 1st year Ph.D. student at the University of Virginia. She is a graduate of George Mason University and the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami with degrees in Jazz Vocal Performance. Before college, Carlehr accompanied and directed multiple church choirs. She credits this experience as significantly influencing her musicality. Upon entering college, she realized the absence of gospel music in higher education. Consequently, she co-founded and directed the Frost Gospel Ensemble. Her research interests include gospel music, Black studies, women's studies, and civic engagement. Giving back to her community and connecting with others has been an important theme in Carlehr's life, as she brings people together to serve a greater good. She is the founder and director of the organization, "Music is Unity," where she takes music performances to people who may not experience them otherwise. Throughout this year, she has planned and performed more than a dozen virtual events for the community.

Swanson receives the Creative Development Award for Growing Pains, an extended play record of original music, combining the styles of jazz, R&B, and gospel, exploring love, loss, faith, and hope along the transition to adulthood.

Kyle Finnegan

Born in the same place as American cinema (the great state of New Jersey), Kyle Finnegan is a filmmaker living in Alexandria, VA. He graduated in 2017 with a BA in Film and Video Studies. After shooting and editing for several years, he currently works at 522 Productions with a focus on directing branded documentaries. His work won him a DC TIVA Peer award in 2021 and he’s interviewed all four of Time Magazine’s heroes of 2021. He has created short documentaries exploring subjects ranging from car hackers in Seattle to an artsy coal mining town in Utah. Whether it’s a film, a website, or a delicious meal, he aims to create something every day.

Finnegan’s award will support his new documentary film, exploring the complicated role of MSG (monosodium glutamate) in the United States, as influenced by pervasive misinformation and the uniting love of food across cultures. "I'm excited to have received a grant from the institution that has supported so much of my development as an artist," said Finegan. "I'm looking forward to making a mouthwatering film about the complex world of MSG."

2023 Young Alumni Artistic Support Grant Winners Including $2,000 in Unrestricted Support

Mohammed Saffouri

Mohammed Saffouri is an award-winning Palestinian-American filmmaker based in Fairfax, Virginia. Saffouri distinguished himself early on in his film career by earning a Capital Emmy for his debut documentary film, The First. His next film, Touchline, was recently selected to participate in Tribeca Film Festival. Touchline will be the first Jordanian film to be screened at Tribeca, and Saffouri will be the first alumni from George Mason University to have a film screened at Tribeca in the festival’s history. Saffouri graduated from George Mason University in 2020 with a degree in Film and Video Studies and a concentration in Film Directing. Throughout his eight years in the film and media industry, he has directed three films, produced four films, written three films, and created more than ten promotional videos for companies and non-profits. His work has been screened at such festivals as the Washington DC International Film Festival, the Virginia Film Festival, the Malmo Arab Film Festival, and others. Saffouri is currently developing his first narrative feature film.

Saffouri’s award will support the development of his first narrative feature film, a deeply personal story about the experience and perseverance of a Muslim-American immigrant woman in the United States. "I'm always happy and thankful to see how George Mason University is the first to support its alumni and students," said Saffouri. "This is the first grant I get into this project, and I'll make sure to make them proud when this project is done."

Left to Right: Meagan Arnold, Hannah Looney, and Mike Rose

Meagan Arnold (Film, 2018), Mike Rose (Film, 2016), and Hannah Looney (Film, 2018) began collaborating on creative projects together as students in the Film and Video Studies program at Mason. Over the past 6 years and alongside Film at Mason alumnus Jason Cortez (BA, 2015), the group has produced numerous fashion, narrative, and music video projects. Often working under the alias ‘negativs,’ their recent project FLORENCE toured internationally at the Sarajevo and Croatia Fashion Film Festivals.

Arnold, Rose, and Looney receive the award to assist in the creation of Momentum/Memoriam, an experimental music video that explores and contextualizes the group’s grief over the loss of their late collaborator and Mason alum, Jason Cortez (Film, 2015).

"Jason Cortez was an award-winning filmmaker and a 2015 graduate of the Film and Video Studies program at Mason. He lost his life on September 10, 2021, at the age of 29. Momentum//Memoriam is an experimental, fashion music video honoring Jason’s legacy as an artist, as well as the impact he left on his closest artistic collaborators," said Arnold.

"We are at the beginning of a long process in creating art for, and posthumously with, our dear friend. Jason left behind many projects unfinished, and we bear a responsibility to complete his life’s work. We have several projects planned in the coming years to celebrate Jason and to continue his artistic vision. Momentum//Memoriam will be our first venture into creating art as a collective since he passed."

Information about the next round of applications will be announced at a later date. Details on previous year's recipients and criteria for consideration can be viewed on the Young Alumni Commissioning Project website.

Topics

Young Alumni Commissioning Project. alumni support

alumni

College of Visual and Performing Arts

College of Visual and Performing Arts Film and Video Studies

Dewberry School of Music

Student film productions

Film

Film at Mason

latin-american ensemble

Mason Jazz

Get to Know Shá Norman, CVPA’s Director of Diversity

Emily Schneider — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 20:40:43 +0000

Get to Know Shá Norman, CVPA’s Director of Diversity Emily Schneider Fri, 02/04/2022 - 15:40

Shá Norman (They/She) joins George Mason University with over ten years of experience in program administration in education non-profits and higher education institutions.

While teaching students performing arts and creative writing across the Chicagoland area, they became deeply aware of the inequities students with marginalized backgrounds faced in education systems. This led to their passion for not only the work of advocacy for equity in education but also administering the programs and supports that insulate marginalized students and educational opportunities that support the professional development of administrators, faculty, staff, and program instructors.

To help the CVPA community get to know Shá, we asked them about their goals at Mason, their art, and the best advice they have received. Read on to learn more and help us offer Shá a warm welcome!

Shá Norman (They/She), the Director of Diversity for the College of Visual and Performing Arts, joins Mason as of February 7, 2022.

What attracted you to Mason and this role within Mason in particular?

As a creative and educator, the opportunity to dialogue and be in community with creatives and educators through the implementation of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility supports and resources can only be described as purposeful for me. I was drawn to the position because it marries my passion for DEIA in higher education with my passion for the arts and working with artists/creatives. While going through the interview process, my awareness deepened of how special the GMU CVPA community is and how committed CVPA is to diversity, equity, and inclusion. I am very excited to begin this collaborative adventure with each of you.

Who has influenced you most when it comes to how you approach your work?

bell hooks. My understanding of myself and my place and purpose in society flows from the wisdom of bell hooks. Much of my methodology toward DEIA comes from bell hooks offerings such as Teaching to Transgress and Teaching Community to name a couple.

What’s the biggest misconception people have about your position?

A good amount of my past experiences in equity work is ‘fixer’ or reacting to harm internal and external to the organization/institution through education interventions, programs, and initiatives. I’ve noticed an absence of proactive dialogue and intentionality in responding to harm. I believe more dialogue centering how to be in community with one another through the lens of our experiential knowledge can assist in creating a culture of inclusion and belonging that uplifts us all. I believe each of us holds a piece of the answer to our collective institutional and societal challenges, and it is our social responsibility to work toward inclusive freedom through inclusive practices.

What’s the best advice you were ever given? Who was it from?

I think of advice as insights. The best insight I’ve been given is the insight of interconnectedness from Thich Nhat Hahn. If you have a conversation with me long enough you will most likely hear me talk about interconnectedness. It’s very easy to ‘other’ in our society. We ‘other’ difference whether that difference is identity, ideology, cultural norms, etc. However, when we understand that all things are interconnected, we can see difference through the lens of appreciation and extended wisdom; then those differences become more valuable to us as a collective community.

What are some topics or conversation starters you love that will help people get to know you?

My answer may be a bit polarizing; on one hand, I enjoy a good philosophical conversation about life, love, and all the in-between, while on the other hand I also really enjoy a good conversation dissecting the latest episode of Real Housewives of Potomac and other such reality tv shows.

What kind of relationship do you have with the arts? What are you looking forward to exploring about the arts within CVPA?

Being a creative is a salient identity for me and much of how I approach life, through the lens of curiosity. As a practitioner, I am a percussionist and writer. I was absolutely a choir, theater kid. I’ve had the opportunity to do some improv and acting across Chicago, primarily through working with Playmakers Laboratory Theatre. In my everyday life, creativity is how I approach my work and grounds my ability to be flexible and adaptable. I also really enjoy cooking and cultivating a good food experience.

I am most excited to experience the artistic work of CVPA faculty, staff, and students. I’ll be on the lookout for those galleries, theater, and concert invitations.

Do you have any hidden talents or hobbies?

I love humor and I’ve been told I’m funny. It’s also worth knowing that I laugh at 100% of my own jokes. Additionally, during the pandemic, I discovered my deep joy for puzzles.

Topics

diversity equity and inclusion DEI

College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA)

College of Visual and Performing Arts

Director of Diversity

Introduction

Rick Davis

Wasiq Muhammad Muhammad Ali — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 17:12:11 +0000

Rick Davis Wasiq Muhammad… Fri, 12/10/2021 - 12:12

Dean, College of Visual and Performing Arts
Professor, School of Theater

Contact Information

Email: rdavi4@gmu.edu
Phone: 703.993.8624
Mail Stop: Honors College, MSN 1F4
Campus: Fairfax

Biography

Rick Davis is Dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts, Executive Director of the Hylton Performing Arts Center, and Professor of Theater. From 1991 until the company’s closure in 2012, he was artistic director of Mason’s professional theater company, Theater of the First Amendment (TFA). Under his leadership, TFA became one of the Washington area’s most respected theaters, winning twelve Helen Hayes Awards and producing more than twenty world premieres.

Before coming to Mason, Rick was Associate Artistic Director of Baltimore Center Stage, and has directed both theater and opera across the country. His books include Calderon de la Barca: Four Great Plays of the Golden Age, as well as two volumes co-authored with Brian Johnston (Ibsen: Four Major Plays and Ibsen In an Hour), and Writing About Theatre with Christopher Thaiss. His translations have been produced in regional theaters and universities from coast to coast. He is the librettist for Stations of Mychal, a song cycle premiering in New York City on the 20^th anniversary of 9/11, with music by Kevin Salfen, and Love’s Comedy, an opera with music by Kim D. Sherman, with whom he also wrote a critically acclaimed oratorio, The Songbird and the Eagle, premiered by the San José Chamber Orchestra. He has contributed entries to the Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern World and the Columbia Encyclopedia of Modern Drama, as well as writing essays and reviews for a variety of journals and magazines. He has received the Mason Teaching Excellence Award and was named Alumni Association Distinguished Faculty Member of the Year. He holds a B.A. from Lawrence University and an M.F.A. and D.F.A. from the Yale School of Drama.

Mason School of Dance Brings “Dance for Parkinson’s Disease” Classes to Fairfax Campus

Emily Schneider — Mon, 20 Sep 2021 15:24:27 +0000

Mason School of Dance Brings “Dance for Parkinson’s Disease” Classes to Fairfax Campus Emily Schneider Mon, 09/20/2021 - 11:24

In This Story

Karen Reedy

Shaun Boyle D'Arcy

This fall, George Mason University’s School of Dance is sharing the transformative power of dance with the Northern Virginia community. In partnership with the Bowen McCauley Dance Company (BMDC), free Dance for Parkinson’s Disease (Dance for PD®) classes will be open to the public and offered on Mason’s Fairfax campus in October and November of this year.

Participants in the Dance for PD program stand in a row with their hands raised triumphantly on an outdoor stage at the Kennedy Center.

Dance for PD® is a movement-based class that begins slowly with warm-ups and progresses to combinations of movements that correspond with a variety of uplifting music. The class offers not only physical benefits, but also reduces the dancers’ social isolation which is commonly associated with this neurological disease.

The Dance for PD® program is a continuation of BMDC’s priority to continue serving the Parkinson’s community following the conclusion of the company’s 25^th and final season in September. As announced during BMDC’s final performance at the Kennedy Center, the Dance for PD® program will continue to offer free fall classes for the public within the Kennedy Center, Maryland Youth Ballet, and George Mason University. Serving participants within the NOVA community, Mason’s hosting of Dance for PD® programming works in tandem with BMDC Artistic Director Lucy Bowen’s commitment to PD resources remaining accessible across the DMV area.

"It’s important to me that people living with Parkinson’s continue to have easy access across the entire DC Metro area,” said Lucy Bowen. “To partner with these three iconic institutions in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia is an absolute dream and will ensure that the program lives on into the next generation.”

Bowen, who will be leading classes on campus, will additionally be integrating Dance for PD® instruction into Mason’s School of Dance education curriculum, solidifying that the next generation of dancers can carry on this important work.

"Mason’s School of Dance is delighted to partner with Lucy and provide a home for the Dance for PD® Program in Northern Virginia,” said Karen Reedy, School of Dance Director. “We look forward to enriching the learning experience of our students by highlighting the impact of dance beyond the stage and fostering new connections with members of the Parkinson’s community.”

Karen Reedy, Director, School of Dance

Assistant Professor for Mason’s School of Dance, Shaun D’Arcy adds, “Dance serves as such a natural conduit for bringing people together and promoting well-being. The Dance for PD® program has beautifully demonstrated this for years, touching so many lives. I truly can’t wait to welcome Lucy and class participants to the School of Dance this fall!”

Parkinson’s Disease is a neurodegenerative disease associated with the progression of motor dysfunction within the first 5 years of diagnosis. Notably, a July 2021 study published in Brain Sciences demonstrates a clear correlation between dance movement and the slowing of Parkinson’s Disease progression. Through applying research-backed techniques in-class instruction, Dance for PD® classes encourages exercise through music, during which participants report a decrease in physical symptoms and improved psychological benefits. Through such classes, BMDC has served over 900 people living with Parkinson’s since 2008.

Dance for PD® classes are free and open to the public with registration required. More information.

Topics

College of Visual and Performing Arts

College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA)

College of Visual and Performing Arts School of Dance

College of Visual and Performing Arts

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater ‘awakens’ School of Dance students at Mason’s 2023 Gala Concert

In This Story

Topics

A Contemporary Composer Fuels a New Mason Collaboration

In This Story

Topics

Young Alumni Commissioning Project Announces Recipients of Fourth Round of Funding

In This Story

2023 Recipient of the Young Alumni Commissioning Project Award Including $5,000 in Commissioning Support Juan Megna

2023 Young Alumni Creative Development Award Winners Including $3,000 in Commissioning Support

2023 Young Alumni Artistic Support Grant Winners Including $2,000 in Unrestricted Support

Topics

Get to Know Shá Norman, CVPA’s Director of Diversity

Shá Norman (They/She) joins George Mason University with over ten years of experience in program administration in education non-profits and higher education institutions.

To help the CVPA community get to know Shá, we asked them about their goals at Mason, their art, and the best advice they have received. Read on to learn more and help us offer Shá a warm welcome!

What attracted you to Mason and this role within Mason in particular?

Who has influenced you most when it comes to how you approach your work?

What’s the biggest misconception people have about your position?

What’s the best advice you were ever given? Who was it from?

What are some topics or conversation starters you love that will help people get to know you?

What kind of relationship do you have with the arts? What are you looking forward to exploring about the arts within CVPA?

Do you have any hidden talents or hobbies?

Topics

Rick Davis

Contact Information

Biography

Mason School of Dance Brings “Dance for Parkinson’s Disease” Classes to Fairfax Campus

In This Story

Topics

2023 Recipient of the Young Alumni Commissioning Project Award Including $5,000 in Commissioning Support
Juan Megna