Educator Moves: Shifts in the Dance Education Landscape From Summer 2022
September 9, 2022

From new directors to retirements and beyond, here are the major educator moves you should know about from summer 2022.

Dean John Bedford and chair of the dance department Jo Rowan retired from their positions at the Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Entertainment at Oklahoma City University on June 30. Associate dean Melanie Shelley has been named interim dean.

Ana Nery Fragoso has been named director of the Arnhold Graduate Dance Education Program at City University of New York. She had previously served as acting director.

Michelle (Chell) Parkins has been named the Arnhold Director in Dance Education at University of Wisconsin at Madison’s Dance Department.

Wieke Eringa will join the Cultural Institute of the University of Leeds as associate director in September.

Katarina Svetlova has been appointed school director of Oregon Ballet Theatre School. She had been serving in the role in an interim capacity since May.

Davit Karapetyan gives a wry, closed mouth smile to the camera. He wears a purple sweater and stands against a black backdrop with his arms crossed.
Davit Karapetyan. Photo by Alexander Reneff-Olson, courtesy School of Philadelphia Ballet

Davit Karapetyan has been named director of the School of Philadelphia Ballet. He succeeded James Payne on August 22.

Eric Otto has been named artistic director and head of curriculum at Toledo Ballet.

Wilhelmina Frankfurt has been named artistic director of Stapleton School of the Performing Arts.

Jeramy Zimmerman has been named artistic director of Take the Stage.

Katlin Michael Bourgeois has been named head of The Joffrey Academy of Dance’s new Contemporary Ballet Trainee Program. Oğulcan Borova has been named head of the Studio Company and ballet trainees.

Jessica Kilpatrick and Andrea Long have joined the faculty of the School of Philadelphia Ballet. Kilpatrick will serve as principal for the Lower School and Adult Programs, Long as principal for Upper-Middle School Programs.

At The Portland Ballet, Lauren Lane has been named associate artistic director and Nicholas Le-Jurica director of community engagement.

Yan Chen has joined American Ballet Theatre’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School Pre-Professional Division as principal teacher and ABT Studio Company as rehearsal director.

Wayne McGregor will be the guest artistic director for the UK’s National Youth Dance Company for the 2022–23 season.

Alexandria Dilks Pandola has been named executive director of Everybody Dance LA!

Amanda Skoog has been named executive director at English National Ballet School.

Manuel Prieto has been named director of education at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, effective September 1.

Former Royal Ballet soloist Paul Kay has been named artistic manager for intensive courses and auditions (UK) at The Royal Ballet School.

Durante Verzola has joined Miami City Ballet School as a faculty member and choreographer.

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