Paul Anthony Dennis
BFA Juilliard School, MFA Purchase College, SUNY
A former member of José Limón Dance Company, Paul is Associate Director of the White Mountains Summer Dance Festival and Assistant Professor at UMass Amherst. His career also includes performances with Works/Laura Glenn Dance, Jacob’s Pillow Men’s Dancers: The Ted Shawn Legacy, Janis Brenner and Dancers, Scapegoat Garden, and a 1995 White House performance.
Paul’s current research blends his studies in Laban Movement Analysis and dance with research in neuroscience to investigate and design movement protocols that aims to support Huntington’s disease patients. His creative activities include an internationally touring solo concert featuring repertory by Reggie Wilson, José Limón, Daniel Nagrin, and others, as well as newly commissioned works by Sidra Bell and Deborah Goffe.
As a Five College faculty member, Paul has taught at Mount Holyoke College, Amherst College, and Hampshire College. He has also been guest artist/faculty in residence for Certamen International de Choreografia in Burgos, Spain; Scuola di Ballo Accademia Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy; International Dance Association in Ravenna, CivitanovaDanza; Molinari Arts Center, and; The Rome Opera Ballet.
Curriculum Vitae
Paul Anthony Dennis
141 N. Pleasant Street #348
Amherst, MA 01004-0348
pdennis@dance.umass.edu
203.767.1768
Purchase College Conservatory of Dance, SUNY (2007)
B.F.A. Dance
The Juilliard School, New York, NY (1991)
Additional studies
2013 CMA coursework, Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies, LIMS®
1997 Art Administration MA coursework, Teachers’ College, Columbia University, NYC.
2013 Certified Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Associate (CHPA)
The HIPAA Privacy regulations require health care providers and organizations, as well as their business associates, develop and follow procedures that ensure the confidentiality and security of protected health information (PHI) when it is transferred, received, handled, or shared. This applies to all forms of PHI, including paper, oral, and electronic, etc.
Assistant Professor and Co-director of Dance, UMass Amherst
Including instruction in all modern technique levels (DAN 114, 216, 317), beginning and intermediate dance composition (DAN 151 & 252), University dancers performance, production and tour (DAN 308, 491A), New York Professional Outreach Program (DAN 494D-01) Senior Seminar (DAN 495A-1), Methods and Materials of Teaching Dance (DAN 362-01), Advanced Dance in Repertory (DAN 309-01) and Dance in the 20th C. (DAN 171-01)
2006 – 2007 Guest Artist, Mount Holyoke College, Amherst College
2013 Guest Artist, Hampshire College
Additional college and university responsibilities include: Choreography; artistic direction and production management for student concerts, choreography for musicals and non musical theater; supervision of Teaching Assistants and mentoring senior theses; producing and coordinating annual department concerts; academic advising, graduation tracking and advising; coordinating and directing community outreach events; grant-writing; budget preparation for concerts and tours. Departmental representative and coordinator to American College Dance Association (ACDA)
Of special note: Creation and implementation of the New York Professional Outreach Program, NYPOP. (DANCE 494D – 01 S-NY Professional Outreach Program). Since 2007 this 3-credit seminar has guided dance majors through the realities of post-graduation life as they prepare for their careers
UMass Amherst
Associate Director, White Mountain Summer Dance Festival, Sarah Lawrence College
Summer 2015 Faculty: NYU-Steinhardt/Limon Summer teachers’ workshop
2010 to Present Principal Advisor: UMass Bachelor’s Degree with Individual Concentration (BDIC)
2008 to Present Master teacher: American College Dance Association (ACDA) Summer 2011-13 Master teacher: Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, community class
Summer 2011-12 Master teacher: Massachusetts Dance Festival, Boston University, and UMass Amherst
Fall 2006 Master teacher: Modern dance technique and Limón Repertory, Central Connecticut State University and Trinity College
Additional Master classes:
International: Italy, Spain, France, Hungary, Brazil, El Salvador, US Virgin Islands, and Trinidad & Tobago
United States: Over 25 States
Regional: New York City, Boston, Connecticut, Maine, Albany and
New Hampshire
2016 “(Un)charted” in collaboration with sculptor Valerie Gilman
2015 “Play With Your Food” New Century Theater fundraiser, directed by Harley Erdman
“WTF” (With The Flow) music by Vivaldi, 8 dancers, White Mountain Summer Dance Festival
2014 “The Way…out” music by Bach, 8 dancers, White Mountain Summer Dance Festival
2013 “Hotel Destiné” music by Toby Twining, 12 dancers, White Mountain Summer Dance Festival
2010 “Pienso en Ti” music by Shakira and Antonio Pinto, solo, Mount Holyoke College senior dance concert.
2009 “Kinetic Counterpoint” music by Steve Reich, 8 dancers, UMass MultiBands, Fine Arts Center
2008 “Allegro Molto” music by Antonio Vivaldi, 6 dancers, Massachusetts Academy of Ballet
2007 “Who Moved my Finish Line?” music by John Adams, 6 dancers, Dance Connect & Five College Faculty Dance Concert
2006 “Meagan’s Way” music by Pat Metheny, 6 dancers, Trinity College
Theater:
2012 “Violet” UMass Theatre Production (Rand Theater)
2011 “Urinetown” UMass Theatre Production (Rand Theater)
2010 “25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” UMass Theatre Production (Rand Theater)
2008 “Ondine” UMass Theatre Production (Rand Theater
Reconstructions and Directing:
2015 Limón Dance Company “The Traitor” – José Limón Dance Company
2014 Accademia Theatro alla Scala “The Unsung” – José Limón
2008 to Present: University Dancers, Artistic and rehearsal Director:
- “Ellington Nutcracker” in collaboration with 10 alumni choreographers.
- “Manhattan Research” choreographed by John Heginbotham
- “at the bazaar” choreographed by Sidra Bell
- “Min-Even” choreographed by Merce Cunningham
- “The Dance Claimed Me” three solos choreographed by Pearl Primus
- “Passacaglia & Fugue” choreography by Doris Humphrey
- “There is a Time” Choreography by José Limón
- “A Choreographic Offering” Choreography by José Limón
2012 Rome Opera Ballet “Day on Earth” – Doris Humphrey
Continuing Ted Hershey Dance And Music Marathon:
- “Schrödinger’s Cat,”
- “At Risk,”
- “Kerb”
- “Between Us Glimmering” by Laura Glenn
- “Windows”, “Meditation by Ted Hershey
- “Duo Hermanos” by Rob Kowalski
2008 to 2009 Mentor/Choreographer: The Performance Project –
Examines the effects of racism, economic oppression, bigotry, and violence, and creates compelling works of theater, movement, and spoken-word.
Solo Repertory:
Dr. Pearl Primus, “Negro Speaks of Rivers,” “Strange Fruit,” “Hard Times Blues”
José Limón, “Chaconne,” “The Mazurkas.”
Ted Hershey, “Between us Glimmering”, “Meditation”, Duos Hermanos”
Doris Humphrey’s: “Day on Earth”, “Passacaglia”
Deborah Goffe “BESPOKE(n)
Sidra Bell, Untitled
Reggie Wilson “Seeline O’Man”
Daniel Nagrin “Strange Hero”, Spanish Dance”
2010/11 Co-Curator: The Instant Of Combustion – Barbara Morgan Photo Exhibition, Herter Gallery, and the University Museum of Contemporary Art, Fine Arts Center, UMass Amherst
2010 Principal Investigator: National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Access to Artistic Excellence Grant (unfunded)
2008 The American Alliance for Theatre and Education (AATE)
Conference New York City: Explored the possibilities for theatre directors and dance choreographers to collaborate on non-musical plays
Grants Authored & Awarded:
2015 UMass Arts Council ($4200): Dance Alumni guest choreographers, University Dancers performance and Tour
2015 Faculty Research Grant (1500): Choreography: Movement intervention for neurodegenerative diseases/Dance for Huntington’s disease (Dance for HD)
2014 Faculty Research Grant ($1000): Commission of “BESPOKE(n)” by Deborah Goffe
2014 UMass Arts Council ($4200): Guest Artist John Heginbotham, University Dancers performance and Tour
2013 UMass Arts Council ($4200): Guest Artist Sidra Bell, University Dancers performance and Tour
2012 UMass Arts Council ($4200): Guest Artist Sidra Bell, University Dancers performance and Tour
Awards and Search Committees
Spring 2016 Inaugural Manning Prize for Excellence in Teaching
Spring 2012 Personnel committee for Senior Lecturer promotion
AY ’15/’16 UMass dance Guest Artist/Lecturer Search (Jazz)
AY ‘15/’16 Chair, UMass dance FT/TT Assistant Professor Search (Dance Ed. Community Engagement)
AY ‘12/’13 UMass dance Guest Artist/Lecturer Search (Jazz)
AY ’12/’13 UMass dance FT/TT Assistant Professor Search (Ballet)
Five College Dance Department (FCDD)
2014- Present FCDD Executive Committee (heads of programs) member
2014 Hampshire College FT-TT Assistant Professor search committee member
2015 Hampshire College Mentor/Thesis advisor, Division III-Miriam King.
2015 Smith College, Second reader, MFA candidate, Stephanie Maher
2013 FCDD, Guest Artist/Lecturer Dance Ed/Community Engagement search committee member
2014 FCDD, Chair Ad-Hoc committee on Modern/Contemporary technique and curriculum
2010, 2011 Grant Writer: UMass Amherst Arts Council Block Grants
Community:
2007-Present Performance Project-First Generation, Guest Artist/artist mentor
2007-Present Springfield Conservatory of the Arts, Guest Artist/master teacher
2007-Present Greater Hartford Academy for the Arts, Guest Artist/master teacher
Professional:
2015 Massachusetts Dance Festival, Advisor to Executive Committee
2010 Coordinator: Dancing Through College and Beyond & Kids Cafe Festival. A day for students, parents and teachers to explore dance opportunities in colleges and universities including movement classes, panel discussions and the College Resource Fair
2006-2008 Martha Hill Dance Fund. Board member
2003-2007 Scapegoat Garden. Founding Board member
Videos
References
Contact Me
Paul Anthony Dennis
141 N. Pleasant Street #348
Amherst, MA 01004-0348
pdennis@dance.umass.edu
203.767.1768