On May 3, 2025, the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance celebrated its 10th anniversary with a gala honoring its founder and lead benefactor, Glorya Kaufman. The event raised over $1 million in support of the school’s initiatives and brought together the Trojan Family and the Los Angeles dance community for an unforgettable evening.

The celebration featured a pre-show cocktail reception, a live performance, a three-course dinner, and a lively after-party.

Honoring a Visionary

A lifelong advocate for dance, Glorya Kaufman is responsible for some of the most influential civic, philanthropic, and educational initiatives in the performing arts. Through her foundation, she has supported institutions including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and The Music Center L.A. Her generosity has touched generations of artists.

Ten years ago, Kaufman approached USC with a vision for creating a conservatory-level dance school within a world-class research institution. Over the last decade, USC Kaufman has enjoyed a meteoric rise to national and international acclaim, with its focus on hybridity and emphasis on redefining dance pedagogy.

On the 10th anniversary of welcoming its first cohort of BFA majors, dancers and supporters gathered on USC’s campus to celebrate Kaufman’s extraordinary legacy of giving.

A Star-Studded Evening

Over 350 people attended USC Kaufman’s inaugural gala, including members of the Trojan family, USC President Carol Folt, various members of USC’s Board of Trustees, fellow USC Deans, and members and supporters of the Kaufman family, including Board of Councilors members, parents, alumni and distinguished members of the Los Angeles dance community.

Dance luminaries from across the country came to pay tribute to Kaufman. Artists such as Misty Copeland, Hope Boykin, Kyle Abraham, Toni Basil, and George Chakiris joined the festivities and showed their support for the school.

A Night of Milestones

The gala raised more than $1 million to support key USC Kaufman initiatives, including national and international touring opportunities, Artists-in-Residence, specialized physical therapy for BFA students, and Kaufman Connections, the school’s community engagement program. Nearly $200,000 was pledged the night of the event.

These funds will enable Kaufman to continue providing a unique combination of academic and professional opportunities through performance, cross-cultural learning, and scholarship. With these financial successes, Kaufman stands poised for an incredible trajectory of growth over the next decade.

A Dance Extravaganza

The evening began with a cocktail reception in Queen’s Court in front of the Bing Theatre, where guests enjoyed drinks, conversation, and live music performed by musicians of the USC Thornton School of Music.

Inside the Bing Theatre, a dazzling dance video directed by Emmy Award-winning choreographer Mandy Moore and produced by Board of Councilors members and Gala Producing Advisors Anita Mann and Jeff Thacker kicked off the evening’s performance, showcasing Kaufman BFA students and dance minors dancing throughout USC’s iconic campus in a variety of dance styles, choreographed by USC Kaufman faculty members Jason Rodgers, Jennifer Lott, Jackie Kopcsak, Tiffany Bong, and Danté Rose. Award-winning choreographer, Board of Councilors member, and Gala Producing Advisor Kenny Ortega served as emcee of the show.

The dance performances included a magical piece danced by the graduating Class of 2025, featuring special guest and entertainment luminary Wayne Brady, choreographed by the renowned Tony Testa; a ballet pas de deux performed by current Joffrey Ballet dancers and Kaufman alumni Coco Alvarez-Mena (BFA ‘19) and Zachary Manske (BFA ‘21); a contemporary number titled “Glorya Magnifica,” with an original music composition for Glorya by Academy Award-winning composer Kris Bowers, choreographed by USC Kaufman faculty member Thomas Ford, and performed by Kaufman alumni from all classes; and a confetti-filled ballroom partner piece set to “(I’ve had) the time of my life,” featuring 44 BFA dancers and choreographed by Ortega and Dorianna Sanchez.

Legendary dancers and artists, including Kyle Abraham, Misty Copeland, Sir Wayne McGregor CBE, Toni Basil, George Chakiris, Rachel S. Moore, Mandy Moore, Hope Boykin, Ohad Naharin, Desmond Richardson, and Tiler Peck, paid tribute to Glorya through a lovely video compilation. The short film, “Legacy in Motion: A Decade at USC Kaufman,” chronicled the first ten years of USC Kaufman’s history, its beginnings, and its enduring legacy.

Guests had their photos taken on a gorgeous purple carpet on their way to the dinner tent for a gourmet three-course meal catered by Good Gracious. Everyone received luxury chocolate boxes from Beverly Hills chocolatier andSons, a 10th Anniversary tote courtesy of sponsors Debbie and Jim McAleavey, and a tribute book filled with notes of congratulations to Glorya and the school. During dinner, guests were invited to write handwritten notes to Glorya, which were placed in a beautiful Lalique cigar box and presented to her as a gift.

It would not be a Kaufman event without a dance party, and all the BFA students and alumni performers joined the Gala patrons after dinner in the Glorya Kaufman International Dance Center to finish off this extraordinary night of honoring Glorya and the school’s 10th anniversary on the dance floor.

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