Educator Moves: What You Might Have Missed in Summer 2026

From director shifts and beyond, here are the dance educator moves you should know about from summer 2026.

Jamal Callender has been named associate dean and director of The Juilliard School’s Dance Division, succeeding Mario Alberto Zambrano, who joined YoungArts as senior director of its National Arts Competition in November.

At University of Southern California’s Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, Patrick Corbin and d. Sabela grimes have been promoted to professors of practice, and Fiona Lummis Eddy and Gillian Finley to part-time senior lecturers.

Melinda Sullivan has been named chair of the Trudl Zipper Dance Institute’s tap department at the Colburn School, succeeding Denise Scheerer, who is to lead the musical theater program in Colburn’s Community School of Performing Arts.

Oregon’s The Portland Ballet associate artistic director Lauren Lane has been appointed artistic director, succeeding Nancy Davis on September 1. Davis has become artistic director emeritus.

Jennifer Tierney has joined BalletX as its director of education and Dance eXchange.

Marianna Kombou has been appointed school director at San Jose Dance Theatre.

Claudio Muñoz has retired from his role as ballet master of Houston Ballet II and is stepping into the role of guest principal instructor at Houston Ballet.

Ballet West principal Tyler Gum has been named assistant artistic director at Ballet Lubbock. He will retire from Ballet West at the end of October.

Price Suddarth has been named school principal of Texas Ballet Theater School’s Dallas location.

Chan Hon Goh has been appointed as a vice president of the Royal Academy of Dance. Dr. Adesola Akinleye has been named the national director of RAD USA, succeeding Patti Ashby.

Tanya Bello has been named co-artistic director of ODC Dance Jam beginning with the 2026–27 school year.

Glenna Batson, Carla Lena Maxwell, and Dan Wagoner were posthumously honored with American Dance Festival’s 2026 Balasaraswati/Joy Anne Dewey Beinecke Endowed Chair for Distinguished Teaching.