Julie
L. Pentz
Mid-Career Fellowship in Choreography
Julie’s contributions of choreography and
performance have traveled in the international dance community and her
credits include guest appearances at the Percussive Arts Society
International Conference, the International Jazz World Congress, and at
the Theatro Libero in Rome, Ital (2004). Julie traveled to Taiwan
in 2005, where she performed at Chinese Cultural University, National
Taiwan University of the Arts, Tsoying Performing Arts School,
Koahsiung Performing Arts School, and Koahsiung Junior High
School. In 2006 and 2007 Julie performed jazz and tap dance at
the Interdansa in Banyoles-Girona, Spain. More recently she has
taught tap dance and studied traditional African dance in Accra, Ghana
(2008).
Julie has an MFA in Theater Arts with a dance emphasis
from the University of Arizona, where she taught tap, jazz, modern
theater dance, and improvisation classes. Julie’s
university teaching credits include master classes at the National
Taiwan University of the Arts, Tsoying Performing Arts School,
Shenandoah University, Wichita State University, Hutchinson Community
College, Cowley Community College, and Central Oklahoma
University. Currently Julie is an Assistant Professor of Dance at
Kansas State University, teaching jazz and tap dance and Dance as an
Art Form.
Originally from Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, Julie
graduated from Shenandoah University with a BFA in Dance
Education. Prior to Julie’s return to graduate study she
performed with the National Tap Ensemble and worked with master tap
teachers that include Gregory Hines, Savion Glover, Brenda Buffalino,
Charles Goddertz, and Jennifer Lane.
Artist Statement
Maintaining the highest standards in dance education are
a personal goal of Julie L. Pentz's as a dance educator. She believes
that dancers who have continued on to higher education must be exposed
to a range of movement opportunities in order to be prepared for a
professional career.
Julie encourages her students to develop from both
technical and artistic perspectives. She stresses the proper anatomical
alignment, balancing strength, and flexibility. By emphasizing of the
functions of ballet, the structured freedom of modern dance, and the
rhythm of tap, jazz technique classes produce a stylized and dynamic
training in dance.
Julie expands on the traditional jazz and tap dance
curriculum, allowing students to obtain knowledge and experiences that
will guide them in the dance profession, performance opportunities, and
creative and choreographic capabilities. When designing classes, she
introduces multiple challenges - technical, musical, rhythmic, and
stylistic. To bring those skills to a higher artistic level, students
must personally assimilate the technique and qualities of movement,
while being guided by a mentoring artist.
Julie has dedicated herself to challenging her students
and guides them to give their dance training srious consdieration. She
inspires students in performance and choreographic situations and
encourages students to respect dance as an art form. She is confident
that her students will develop the proper pedagogical skills to become
the finest dance performers and educators in their own right. She finds
great satisfaction in preparing dancers for diverse performance
experiences and for personal and professional growth and success. |
