Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions

Dance Education Career Services

Many aspects of the dance world offer exciting and rewarding careers that combine creative achievement with the genuine satisfactions of teaching. Graduates of our program are teachers of dance at preschools, elementary, junior and senior high schools, college and universities. They work as teaching artists for some of the top service organizations, such as the National Dance Institute, American Ballet Theater and Young Audiences. They are administrators for dance companies, directors of educational programs, writers for dance publications, community-based organizers, choreographers, and performers of all styles and forms of dance.

Our curriculum includes seminar-based courses where students are guided in preparing professional materials and teaching portfolios. Our strong presence at National Conference (www.NDEO.org) provides students with job networking in the higher education field. Our faculties service to the NYS Dept. of Ed. and the NYU Dept. of Ed provides a strong K-12 job network. Our graduates are highly sought after in the NYC K-12 schools.

The NYU Office of Career Services offers extensive assistance in finding the best available teaching positions that match your interests and ambitions. The office offers sessions on resume writing and interviewing and notifies graduate students when representatives of larges school systems come to campus to recruit teachers. The New York City Board of Education holds an annual job fair, providing information about licensing, hiring procedures, and job openings.


They form notable leadership in the field. Currently three alumni occupy the four board seats for the New York City Dance Educators professional organization at the United Federation of Teachers (www.uft.org).

A Sample of Where They Are Now:

  • Lisa Naugle, Ph.D. 2002, Associate Professor of Dance and Technology, University of California, Irvine
  • Kendra Jackson, M.A. 2001, Teacher of Dance, Edward R. Morrow High School, NY, NY
  • Maria D’Amelio, M.A. 1999, Teacher of Dance, DeWitt Clinton High School, NY, NY
  • Kangsoon Lee, Ph.D. 1998, Instructor, Ewha Woman’s University, South Korea
  • Sarah Geroulo-Rutledge, M.A. 1997, Chair, Dance Department, The Chapin School, NY, NY
  • Hsiao-Lei Lee, M.A. 1995, Dance Faculty, National Academy of Arts, Taiwan
  • Iliana Aljure-Leon, M.A. 1994, Head of Visual and Performing Arts & Preschool Coordinator, Colegio Rochester, Bogota, Columia
  • Larry Lavender, Ph. D. 1993, Professor and Chair of Dance Department, University of North Carolina, Greensboro
  • Gill Wright Miller, Ph. D., 2002, Associate Professor and Chair, Dance Department, Dennison University
  • Brenda Fernell, M.A. 1984, Associate Professor of Anthropology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
  • Dixie Durr, M.A. 1982, Professor of Dance, Michigan State University


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Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions - 35 W. 4th Street, Suite 777 - New York, NY 10012 - (212) 998-5424