USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance

B-boy Neguin, a breaking champion known all over the world, came to USC Kaufman to teach three master classes. Jonathan Cubides (BFA ’24) talks about his experience taking the classes and how Neguin’s unique teaching approach inspired him to continue elevating his breaking practice.

Charlene Achki-Repko, USC alumnus and leader in publishing and media, has recently joined the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance Board of Councilors. Currently, she serves on the boards of the Music Center’s Center Dance Arts and American Dance Movement. She is also the incoming Chairman of the Board at Everybody Dance LA!. Prior to this, Repko has had a long and accomplished career in the magazine media industry, in advertising sales and marketing.

On August 23rd, the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance hosted Open Floor, an annual involvement fair for dance clubs. This is the fair’s first year back since the pandemic, and over 600 students came to learn about 16 different dance clubs. USC Kaufman got an In and Out truck, and students mingled and ate as they perused the many tables. USC Kaufman Student Services attended as well, giving out information about dance minors offered at USC Kaufman.

Alongside the greater University’s Welcome Experience, the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance hosted a variety of events to kick off the new school year, including Meet the Dean, a Welcome Lunch, Dance Party and Wellness Fair.

This coming semester, the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance offers students opportunities to engage with many renowned artists. Welcoming two new faculty members, James Ady and Kelly Alvarez will work with BFA and elective students, respectively. New Artist in Residence Max Pham also joins USC Kaufman this fall. For upcoming fall performances, BFA students of all classes will learn repertory from new Artists in Residence and current USC Kaufman faculty.

Jake Tribus, a Class of 2020 alum, moved to New York City after graduation and has fully embraced its lively dance industry. Through his many artistic projects, Tribus has garnered recognition as an extraordinary dancer in the contemporary scene. Read on to explore that he has been up to since his time at USC Kaufman.

Over the past year, Findlay McConnell (BFA ‘23) went on three tours with singer and dancer Tate McRae. The first tour was with iHeartRadio’s Jingle Ball in December 2021. This past summer, McConnell danced with McRae on her UK tour and her Australia/New Zealand tour.

The USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance is excited to announce the upcoming Fall semester performances. These events reflect a diverse range of choreographers, guest artists and movement styles. Through USC Kaufman performances, BFA students will have opportunities to explore different styles and engage with peers.

Dance scholar Julia M. Ritter joined the University of Southern California as dean of the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, beginning July 1. Click to read a welcome message from Dean Ritter about the school and its mission.

USC Kaufman performed at the Stadttheater Fürth for their European debut. Colin Heino (BFA ’23) talks about the experience: “dancing at the Stadttheater Fürth taught me not only about what it feels like to tour and dance abroad, but also about myself and the artist I want to become. I will cherish this memory for the rest of my life.”

USC Kaufman welcomes a new group of BFA students, who will become the eighth cohort of dance majors. Click through to learn more about each dancer.

Jenna Meilman (BFA ‘23) and Jessalyn Ward (BFA ‘23) will perform July 21-23, 2022 at the Stadttheater Fürth in Fürth, Germany with recent USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance graduates and fellow classmates. As they prepare, they share their experiences on the three-week rehearsal process leading up to the USC Kaufman Debut in Germany.

For the BFA students at the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, summer break does not mean a break from dance training. Many BFAs continue to train at various summer intensives and company programs. These programs take them all over the world. Take a look at what four of our students have been up to this summer so far.

Madison Falconer (BFA ’23) announces FALCO, her project-based dance company. Its first initiative is the WOODWORKS Traverse City Residency Program, which hosts artists for a two-week creative collaborative process.

As we near the end of the fiscal year, we ask, if you are able, to consider making a gift to the USC Kaufman annual fund to helpful fulfill the dreams and visions of our ever talented, dedicated and hard-working artist scholars.

Alumnus Noah Guthier (BFA ‘19) always had an interest in multimedia production in addition to dance. In his junior year at USC Kaufman, he began teaching himself the basic skills and softwares for motion capture work. Now, Guthier has created Purple Virtual, which focuses on his creative passion for motion capture and 3D art.

During her time here, Brianna Mims (BFA ’19) began creating work addressing various social issues. Her most recent project, titled Uncle Ronnie’s Room, tells the story of her uncle’s illegal incarceration. Uncle Ronnie’s Room consists of four parts: a billboard campaign, an archival installation at Chuco’s Justice Center, a docuseries and a performance by Mims.

Joan E. Herman, a leader in business and healthcare consulting, has recently joined the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance Board of Councilors. Currently, she serves as the president and CEO of Herman and Associates LLC, a healthcare and management consulting firm, which specializes in consulting to private equity firms investing in healthcare.

Starting this fall, the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance welcomes three new Artists in Residence. They include Peter Chu, Dani Rowe and Yin Yue. These renowned artists will work with BFA students, teaching classes and setting choreography.

Lauren Brophy (BFA ’23) and several of her peers recently traveled to Berlin, Germany for the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance Maymester. This year’s program was led by professors Bruce McCormick and Thomas McManus, who both have lived in Germany. In this student blog, Lauren shares her experience seeing live performances in Germany and reflects on the three-week course.

The University of Southern California has named dance scholar Julia M. Ritter as dean of the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, effective July 1. Ritter is currently a professor of dance at the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, where she served as chair and artistic director of the department of dance from 2010 to 2021.

Ashton Benn (BFA ’24) and several other BFA students just finished their second week in Berlin, Germany as part of USC Kaufman’s Maymester. In this student blog, Ashton shares what she hopes to discover about herself through her travels and reflects on her first impressions of Berlin, including taking class at Radialsystem studios.

Hayden Rivas (BFA ’24) is currently in Berlin, Germany on a Maymester with the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance. This three-week long course is led by USC Kaufman professors Thomas McManus and Bruce McCormick. During the trip, BFA students will have the opportunity to attend dance classes, watch opera and avant-garde performance viewings, and take architecture tours, among other cultural experiences.

To close the spring semester, USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance BFA students performed in a culminating event at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif. The show featured both highly-renowned and new choreography from artists including USC Kaufman lecturer Achinta S. McDaniel, guest artists Ohad Naharin and Justin Peck, and Artists in Residence Tessandra Chavez, Toyin Sogunro and Doug Varone.

On Friday, May 13, the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance hosted a satellite commencement ceremony at Founders Park to celebrate the Class of 2022. In addition to opening remarks from Dean Robert Cutietta, USC President Carol L. Folt and visionary founder Glorya Kaufman shared a few words with the graduating class.

This semester, Kaufman Connections returned to fully in-person instruction. This community engagement initiative brings the choreographic process with a focus on hip-hop to the 32nd Street Elementary School. BFA students from the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance work as teaching artists to give weekly, one-hour dance classes to the elementary school students.

While continuing to navigate Covid related safety measures, Spring 2022 saw a complete return to in person instruction and events. This semester, the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance presented many exciting performances, including their LA debut at The Wallis.

The Southern California Choreographic Collective (SCCC) is a student-led organization. They have four main pillars: highlight student choreography, create space for students to present work, use dance as a means to create community, and promote collaboration.

Celeste M. Alleyne, an executive at Microsoft and great admirer of the arts, recently became the newest member of the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance Board of Councilors. In addition to her vast work in diversity, equity and inclusion, corporate communications, local government and higher education, dance is a great passion for Alleyne who studied under Virginia Wolf at the internationally acclaimed Boston Ballet.

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.