USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance

Last month, BFA students at the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance had the honor of taking a master class with the world-renowned dancer and choreographer Brian Friedman. This opportunity was a way for us to have hands-on experience in the commercial dance industry.

Lecturer Bret Easterling joined Batsheva Dance Company in Tel Aviv, Israel after graduating from college. He danced with them for seven years under the art direction of Ohad Naharin. Once he left, Easterling began working as a stager of Naharin’s work for collegiate dance programs and companies. For the upcoming USC Kaufman debut at The Wallis, he is staging Naharin’s “Minus 16” with BFA juniors and seniors.

Cameron Cofrancesco (BFA ’22) shared his experience working with guest artist Peter Chu. According to Cofrancesco, “Working with guest artist Peter Chu was a lively and refreshing experience. Chu emphasizes connecting with the body on a deeper level and initiating movement in ways I’ve never been taught before.”

As part of our Repertory and Performance course this semester, third and fourth-year students get to work with many different guest artists on creating solo material. Elise Monson (BFA ’22) discusses working with guest artist Toyin Sogunro, a Los Angeles-based dance artist from Ladies of Hip-Hop.

Eli Alford (BFA ’22) shares his experience working with guest artist Kara Wilkes, the current rehearsal director for Alonzo King LINES Ballet. Wilkes taught choreography to upperclass BFA students through Zoom from Oakland, Calif. The solos will later be professionally filmed for the students’ reels.

This coming semester, the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance will offer its students the chance to engage with renowned guest artists and repertory as our dance studios begin to open. Guest artists Kara Wilkes, Toyin Sogunro and Peter Chu will engage with BFA students remotely throughout the semester. BFA students will also learn repertory from current USC Kaufman faculty and Artists in Residence.

Every school year, USC Kaufman proudly offers its students the opportunity to learn a variety of renowned repertory and to work with some of the most distinguished artists in the field. Even though instruction remains online, USC Kaufman looks forward to continuing this tradition in the Spring 2021 semester.

2020 tested the resolve of the entire University of Southern California community. Nevertheless, the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance proved to have a busy and successful year. USC Kaufman embarked on a multitude of unique artistic endeavors, despite the world pivoting to the virtual space in March. As 2020 comes to an end, USC Kaufman revisits some of these memorable moments.

Artist Francesca Harper joins the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance as a guest choreographer this semester. Harper promotes work rooted in artistic expression, empowerment and social justice. She brings this awareness to her work with USC Kaufman seniors.

Before switching into “performance mode” here at USC Kaufman, I, along with the entire Class of 2022 and Class of 2023, had the privilege of working with Silas Riener. Together, we delved into the work of Merce Cunningham.

USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance will premiere a new work by University of Southern California alumnus Andrew Winghart next year at the School’s debut at The Broad Stage. During his time as a guest artist, he will work with the Class of 2020 and the Class of 2021.

Coming into this year at USC Kaufman, I didn’t know what to expect when hearing about the opportunity to work with Rauf “Rubberlegz” Yasit. A self-taught B-Boy, Yasit pairs his breakdancing technique with contemporary styled influences.

The opportunity to work with Matthew Neenan for three weeks during his residency was a dream come true. This semester I have been nursing an injury, and since I wasn’t dancing throughout the beginning of the process, I was lucky enough to be his rehearsal director.

A momentary cloud of sadness fell over the juniors when word spread that Kyle Abraham could no longer teach his scheduled master class after spring break—so you can only imagine our excitement when this dazzling opportunity was returned to us last Thursday. Exhausted from shows and crawling to class with aching bodies, we all pulled it together for an hour and twenty minutes with one of the leading contemporary choreographers of our current dance world.

At the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, students are working to get ahead of the game when it comes to ensuring their future professional success. Recently, several dance majors secured agents who will help them to book jobs in the entertainment industry.

USC Kaufman BFA dance majors have worked with over 45 artists since the program’s launch in 2015, from their very first day with Complexions Contemporary Ballet’s co-artistic director Desmond Richardson to a recent residency with bboy and Rock Steady Crew senior vice president YNOT.