University of Utah School of Dance

The School of Dance at the University of Utah is proud to announce its 2026 – 2027 Main Stage Concert Series. Continuing a long-standing record of excellence in performance and artistic exploration, the SOD will feature brand new and re-staged dances from local, national, and international choreographers.  This season features new works by guest artists Sandra Rivera, Heung Nam Kim, and Ingrid Silva alongside faculty and student choreographers and classical repertoire.

Go to the 🔗 in our bio to read more and find tickets!

Photos by Todd Collins Photography

U of U College of Fine Arts U of U Arts Pass

Congratulations to choreographer (& University of Utah School of Dance MFA candidate!) Michelle Manzanales Michelle Manzanales, whose work “Con Brazos Abiertos” is featured in the New York Public Library’s The New York Public Library United States semiquincentennial exhibit “Declaring America.” The piece was originally commissioned by Ballet Hispánico Ballet Hispánico New York.

Read more about the exhibit, “Con Brazos Abiertos,” and Michelle at the link in our bio!

Photography by Paula Lobo. Photos courtesy of Ballet Hispánico.

U of U College of Fine Arts

The School of Dance is pleased to announce updated degree titles beginning Fall 2026. The goal is to more accurately reflect current practices within the School and better utilize terminologies common in the ever-evolving professional realm of dance.

Here are the changes:

▪️ BFA in Modern Dance will become BFA in Contemporary Dance, expanding the scope of dance genres.
▪️ BFA in Modern Dance Teaching will become BFA in Dance Teaching, expanding approaches to dance teaching.
▪️ Minor in Modern Dance will become Minor in Dance, expanding the scope of dance genres on offer.
▪️ MFA in Modern Dance will become MFA in Dance & Choreography, better representing the varied technical approaches offered in the curriculum and highlighting the curricular focus on choreography, which is a distinctive curricular feature and recruitment point.

There is more information about these changes, including how this will affect current students, at the link in our bio.

Dance at the intersection of art and science 🧪💃

Hear from SOD alumna Hailey Calkins and current SOD student hannah هنا about their experiences combining art and science through their work at the Harkness Center for Dance! Link in bio.

The University of Utah School of Dance and the Department of Film & Media Arts are pleased to welcome Heather Coker Hawkins as an Assistant Professor of Movement in Media, a joint appointment between the two academic units.

heather coker hawkins has extensive experience in both the film & television industry and the dance industry. In her new position, Coker Hawkins will serve as Program Head of the Graduate Certificate in Screendance program, an interdisciplinary collaboration which bridges courses between the School of Dance and the Department of Film & Media Arts.

Read more about Heather Coker Hawkins at the link in our bio!

This weekend, see the School of Dance’s resident stage manager, Rebecca Johnson, present a series of dance works, “Enduring, Adorned With Blooms,” as part of Blooming with Pride event!

Johnson’s own choreography will be featured, along with choreography by fellow SOD alumni Addison Cambia, Sean Sullivan, & Soph Cardinal, as well as SOD performers!

Friday, June 12. Performances from 12:00pm-7:00pm. Red Butte Garden tickets are free for UofU faculty, staff, and students, but a time reservation is required. Learn more at redbuttegarden.org.

Next weekend, attend Utah Arts Festival and see work from School of Dance alum Constance Anderson (MFA ’25 + Screendance Certificate, .opera.dance.company ) who will be performing as Sock Opera Dance Company and showing her film “Sissy” will be shown as part of the Fear No Film Utahn Program.

Use code CFA26 to get $5 off General Admission (Friday-Sunday; not Thursday) and VIP tickets (Thursday-Sunday). Tickets on sale now at uaf.org/tix.

Congratulations to School of Dance Graduate Tori Gilbert, who was featured in !!!

Tori talks about her experience in the School of Dance and her plans post-graduation. Read the full story at the link in our bio!

Photo courtesy of Tori Gilbert

Join the Screendance Graduate Group for JUMPCUT, a screening of screen dance works followed by light snacks and conversations about the films.

Saturday, April 2026
Utah Museum of Contemporary Art
Doors Open at 6:30pm
Screening Begins at 7:00pm
Free Admission

Registration is open for the 2026 Dance Science and Somatics Educators Conference, which will be at the UofU School of Dance July 17-19! More info below & at the link in our bio.

Dance educators and practitioners dedicate their lives to teaching, creating, mentoring, and sustaining dance communities. This conference features presenters who will share ways in which we can actively sustain ourselves—physically, emotionally, socially, and professionally—across the arc of a dance career. The sessions will address longevity and wellness in dance education and practice, sharing innovative approaches to caring for ourselves while continuing to nurture artistry and excellence.