East Coast, West Coast
September 1, 2014

New York City has long been considered the dance capital of the world, but this year there’s been enough West Coast activity to get the attention of even die-hard New Yorkers. First we heard that philantropist Glorya Kaufman was funding a new college dance program in the City of Angels. Then Jenifer Ringer and James Fayette announced they were moving west, he to manage the L.A. Dance Project and she to direct the Colburn Dance Academy. Every time I open my e-mail to see yet another note from a Tinseltown correspondent, I can’t help but wonder if I should be gliding down a sunny boulevard in a cherry red vintage convertible with palm trees swaying above my head.

When we heard that longtime European expat William Forsythe was to take up at least part-time residence in L.A., we asked writer Debra Levine to get the scoop on the new dance program at the University of Southern California where he will be on faculty. In “Breeding Hybrids,” Levine fills us in on the Glorya Kaufman School of Dance and how Jodie Gates, the visionary dancer at its helm, plans to make the program a game changer.

Meanwhile, there is also movement within the venerable Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, as choreographer and faculty member Seán Curran becomes department head. In “Taking a Mid-Career Leap,” we talked to the outgoing Cherylyn Lavagnino about her move to invest more fully in her artistic career. Her company just had its season at Danspace Project at St. Mark’s Church.

A good deal is happening in the college dance scene, and you’ll need to be on your toes if you want to help your college-bound students find the right program fit. Check out our Dance Teacher Higher Ed Guide for 152 programs sorted state by state. Then, for more in-depth details and advice, order a copy of the all-new and updated Dance Magazine College Guide 2014/2015 (dancemagazine.com/college). It’s the comprehensive resource trusted by dancers for nearly 50 years. And if you attend any of the UDMA Dance Resource and Costume shows, be sure to stop by the DanceMedia booth and take advantage of the College Guide show special.

And of course, teachers go back to school, too. When we asked former Mark Morris dancer Megan Williams (who has been teaching at Purchase College, SUNY) to demonstrate for our Technique feature this month, we learned that she is now enrolled in the MFA program at Sarah Lawrence.

Whether you’re on the East Coast, West Coast or somewhere in between, we hope your fall season is off to a great start. Let me know what’s on your mind: [email protected].

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